Separate solvable worries from unsolvable ones

Triage each worry into "act on it" or "let it go," and treat each kind differently.

Why it works

Worry feels productive but rarely is, because it blurs problems you can act on with hypotheticals you cannot. Sorting them redirects energy: solvable worries become a plan or an action, while unsolvable ones get acceptance instead of endless rehearsal. The triage converts vague dread into either movement or release.

How to do it

1. For each worry ask "is there a concrete action I can take?"
2. If yes, define the next step and schedule it.
3. If no, practice letting it be — name it as a hypothetical and turn attention elsewhere.

Evidence

Distinguishing actionable from hypothetical worries is a standard element of CBT-based worry management within a well-supported tradition. Dugas and Ladouceur formalized this split, showing that treatment targeting intolerance of uncertainty handles solvable and unsolvable worries as distinct types requiring different responses. (clinical)

A practical, widely used heuristic; the hard part is genuinely accepting the unsolvable ones, which is a skill built over time.

Sources

• Dugas, M. J., & Ladouceur, R. (2000). Treatment of GAD: Targeting intolerance of uncertainty in two types of worry. Behavior Modification, 24(5), 635-657.

Common mistake

Treating unsolvable hypotheticals as if more thinking will solve them, which is exactly the rehearsal loop that keeps chronic worry alive.