Focus versus worry

When those worries keep you from taking the necessary actions to be effective, life becomes much more difficult.

by Edward Aldama — 

Do you worry about the economy and your job? Are you constantly thinking that germs might make you sick? Do the demands of work and family obligations keep you up at night?

Everybody has worries from time to time. But when those worries keep you from taking the necessary actions to be effective, life becomes much more difficult.

According to dictionary.com, worry is a verb meaning to fret or torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts. With the constant barrage of bad news from the media, it is easy to worry about the economy and jobs, keeping loved ones safe and healthy, and managing the family’s financial and social needs. But excessive worry can cause you to lose focus on what is really important so that you miss out on the joys of life.

Fortunately, there is a way to manage worry and use it to help, rather than hinder your efforts. Worry typically begins as concern regarding an area of uncertainty in your life. When that concern goes unaddressed, it can grow and create a negative state of worry.

Concern is your reminder to stay focused and aware of the things that will keep you safe and make life enjoyable. You might want to work on improving your job skills regularly to stay competitive, for example. Other ideas include washing your hands properly and keeping your environment clean or using your time more effectively so that you can make the most of social opportunities, both inside and outside of the home.

When you do find yourself worrying, take a step back and examine the reasons. Find the area of concern, then focus on making the necessary changes to resolve the situation. This early attention will keep it from growing into a major worry.

Get in the habit of focusing on the right things so that when areas of concern come up, you will be able to address them and avoid the worry that can keep you up at night.

Edward Aldama has a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA. He is a certified transformational life coach and author of The Success Habit Secret. www.YourGreatestSelf.com, edaldama@yourgreatestself.com or 602-920-8871.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 5, Oct/Nov 2010.