THERE ARE periods in each of our lives when we become so consumed with worry about a crisis, its almost impossible to concentrate on anything that makes us feel better or to carry out any productive activities that might offer a sense of accomplishment. The harder we work at trying to escape our anxiety, the more tightly it ties us down.
One way we can disentangle ourselves from this web of worry is to take it on intentionally. Set your alarm half an hour early, get up, and give all of your attention to the anxiety you’ve been trying to avoid. Once you take charge of scheduling a set time for your worries, the less likely they are to come upon you unexpectedly. Worrying on schedule helps you focus your thinking and manage your time.
If you don’t want your worries to hit you from behind, face them up front.