STRATEGY:	PRODUCTIVE	VS.
UNPRODUCTIVE	WORRY
Another	helpful	strategy	when	worry	thoughts	become	triggered	is	to	consider
how	productive	(useful,	helpful	in	your	life	or	to	you)	it	is	to	worry	about	that
particular	issue.	When	you	recognize	you’re	worrying,	classify	worried
thoughts	as	productive	or	unproductive	based	on	the	following	checklist.
Productive
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My	worry	is	in	regard	to	a	specific	problem.
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My	worry	is	about	something	I’m	going	to	have	to	deal	with	in	the	near
or	immediate	future.
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I	have	some	control	over	the	situation’s	outcome.
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I	can	make	a	choice	or	decision	that	will	solve	the	worry.
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This	is	a	new	worry,	something	I	don’t	usually	think	about.
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There’s	an	actionable	step	I	can	take	to	help	alleviate	my	worry.
Unproductive
□
	
I’m	worried	about	something	uncertain	in	the	future	that	no	one	knows
whether	it	will	occur.
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I	have	no	control	over	this	worry.
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I	think	about	possible	ways	to	deal	with	the	worry,	but	nothing	feels	good
enough.
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I’m	obsessively	focused	and	can’t	stop	thinking	about	this	worry.
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