Mentis- Choose a 15-minute worry slot at the same time every day, not in bed.
- When a worry shows up outside it, write one line and say "not now".
- In the slot, go through the list: one next step, or let it go. Stop when time's up.
- Based on worry postponement research from the 1980s onwards.
How do you set up a worry window?
- Pick your slot. Fifteen minutes, same time daily, for example 6pm. Not within two hours of bed.
- Pick your place. A chair, a balcony, a desk. Somewhere that isn't your bed.
- Start a list. A notes app or a small notebook. In Mentis it's built into chapter 2 ("Pick Your Slot And Start The List").
- Catch and park. When a worry starts during the day, write one line ("Is Riya upset with me?") and say to yourself: not now, it's for six. Then go back to what you were doing.
- Keep the slot. At 6, go through the list on purpose. For each item, write one concrete next step and when, or cross it out.
- Stop on time. When 15 minutes are up, close the list.
Why does postponing worry help?
Overthinking has no edges. It can happen anywhere and at any time, so it ends up happening everywhere: in the shower, on the metro, in bed. Postponing gives it edges. In the first study of this method, Thomas Borkovec and colleagues had chronic worriers postpone worry to a daily slot in a set place. Their worry during the day went down (Borkovec et al., 1983). A later study found that the same training reduced worry and anxiety, and also improved sleep (McGowan & Behar, 2013).
There's a second effect. When you come back to a worry hours later, it often looks smaller, or it has already resolved. You learn, from your own list, that most worries don't need you right now.
Common snags
- "I can't stop it." You don't have to stop the thought, only park it. One line, then go back. It gets easier after a few days.
- "I forgot the slot." Set an alarm with a name, like "Worry window".
- "The slot made me more anxious." Make it shorter (10 minutes) and end with one small, kind action, like a walk or chai.
Where is it in the Mentis app?
The worry window is chapter 2, "Not now", of the Overthinking plan. Activities include "Fifteen Minutes At My Slot", "What To Do In The Slot" and "Catching It: Not Now". The Sleep plan has a night-time version: the brain dump before bed. Read more in our guide to overthinking.
Frequently asked questions
Does scheduling worry time actually work?
Worry postponement has been studied since the 1980s. In the original study, people who postponed worry to a daily 30-minute slot worried less during the day. Later studies found similar effects. It's one of the core tools in worry-focused CBT.
What time should my worry window be?
Early evening works for most people, for example 6pm. Don't put it close to bedtime. Choose a time you can keep every day, in a place that isn't your bed.
What if the worry is urgent?
If it's a real problem you can act on now, act. The window is for loops that go round without a next step. A quick test: 'Is there something I can do about this in the next hour?'
What do I do in the slot?
Read through the list. For each item, either write one next step and when, or decide it isn't worth the time anymore. When the 15 minutes are up, stop, even if you're mid-thought.