Compartmentalize your fears.
It’s natural to feel worried or anxious about things that are out of our control. Whether it’s a global pandemic, financial insecurity, or relationships, we often find ourselves stressing over circumstances we cannot change. However, constantly worrying about things we cannot control only leads to heightened levels of stress and anxiety. So I will discuss a technique to help us cope with our fears and worries – compartmentalizing them with a Time Cube.
The first step to coping with uncontrollable worries is to recognizes that we cannot control them. Acknowledging this fact can help us let go of the stress and anxiety associated with them. Once we have accepted that we cannot change certain situations, we can focus our energy on things that are within our control, such as breathing, taking a walk, or spending time with loved ones.
Another helpful technique is compartmentalization. Compartmentalizing involves dividing our thoughts and emotions into different compartments or boxes. Doing so can separate our worries from other aspects of our lives, allowing us to focus on what’s important.
One tool that can help with compartmentalization is the Time Cube.
The Time Cube is a cube-shaped timer that allows you to set a specific time for a task or activity. Using the Time Cube, you can set aside a specific time to focus on your worries without letting them consume your entire day.
Here’s how you can use the Time Cube to compartmentalize your worries:
1 Set a specific time for worrying: Using the Time Cube, set a specific time for worrying, which could be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or any amount of time that feels comfortable for you.
2 Focus on your worries: During the time you’ve set aside, allow yourself to focus solely on your fears. Write them down or talk to someone about them. Allow yourself to feel the emotions associated with them. Also, devise solutions to save yourself from potential damage, even if no idea comes up, at least realizing it.
3 Stop worrying: Once the time is up, stop worrying. Say to yourself, “I have done everything I could do,” then put your worries aside and focus on other things, such as work, spending time with family or friends, or pursuing a hobby.
Using the Time Cube to compartmentalize your worries, you can avoid letting them consume your entire day. Instead, you can permit yourself to worry for a specific amount of time and then move on to other things, which can help reduce stress and anxiety, allowing you to focus on the things within your control.
Worrying about things we cannot control is exhausting and stressful. By accepting that we cannot control everything and using techniques such as compartmentalization with the Time Cube, we can reduce our stress and anxiety levels. Remember, it’s important to care for ourselves and focus on what we can control.
