Are You Problem-Solving, or Just Worrying?

Short answer: Worry and problem-solving feel similar, but they’re not the same thing. Worry is repetitive, negative thinking fixated on worst-case scenarios, and it actually undermines your ability to solve anything. Problem-solving is calm and goal-focused: define the issue, brainstorm options, weigh them up, and choose the best one. Knowing which you’re doing changes everything.

Problems are part of life

Part of being alive is having problems and challenges to overcome. But sometimes, when we think we’re focused on solving a problem, we’re actually just worrying about it.

What’s the difference between problem-solving and worry?

Worry is a repetitive pattern of negative thinking about things that could go badly. It’s not a single thought but a sustained stretch of it, usually fixed on worst-case scenarios.

Say you leave work and suddenly remember something you forgot to do. The worrier thinks, “My boss will kill me,” “What will everyone say?”, “I’m in big trouble tomorrow.” In problem-solving mode, you’d remember the same thing, but your thinking would look more like a list of options, with you choosing the best, or least worst, one.

We often confuse the two, but worrying actually undermines our ability to problem-solve. Research shows many people believe worrying about their problems is the same as solving them. Spotting the difference, and shifting from worry to problem-solving, makes a real difference to how efficiently you get things sorted.

How to solve problems successfully

Effective problem-solving usually follows these steps:

1. Clearly define the issue.
2. Decide on your preferred outcome.
3. Brainstorm a range of solutions without judging their quality yet.
4. Weigh up the pros and cons of each.
5. Choose the best solution to get your preferred outcome.

The best problem solvers accept that challenges are inevitable and trust they can respond well. Worriers, by contrast, get so fixed on the threat that they may never reach the point of finding solutions.

Why do we confuse the two?

It’s easy to mix them up, because both make us a little anxious, especially if we hold negative beliefs about our ability to find solutions. We may not feel confident we can cope. Worry can also feel productive: we’re busy with the problem, even though we’re getting nowhere.

Is worry bad for problem-solving?

Feeling some anxiety when a problem appears is perfectly normal, but anxiety doesn’t help you solve it. Worrying can make you feel bad about yourself, which affects your decisions, and that pessimistic frame of mind leads you to dismiss possible solutions as not good enough.

Moving from threat-focused worry to goal-focused thinking can take real effort, but it actually takes fewer mental resources to solve a problem than to worry about it. Worry throws up mental blocks that can dent your confidence and self-esteem. This connects closely to tackling unhelpful thinking and automatic negative thoughts.

How can I tell which I’m doing?

• Are you upset, tense or distressed while thinking about the problem? That’s likely worry. Try relaxing with slow, deep breaths from the diaphragm. If that doesn’t work, take a break and come back to it once you’ve settled, but do come back to it.
• Is your focus on what could go wrong (catastrophising)? Sounds like worry. Instead, focus on the outcome you’d like. Dwelling on what you don’t want drains the mental resources you could use to find solutions.
• While brainstorming, do you dismiss every solution as not good enough? That’s worry too. Accept all possible solutions as “okay” for now. You can judge, evaluate and fine-tune them later.

If you find yourself slipping into worry, the bottom line is to refocus on the problem and your preferred outcome. When it comes to your concerns, there’s no such thing as “good” worry. For more, see how to calm your anxiety and tips for dealing with stress and anxiety.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between worrying and problem-solving? Worry is repetitive, negative thinking focused on worst-case scenarios. Problem-solving is a calm, structured process of defining the issue and choosing the best solution. Worry undermines problem-solving.

Why does worrying feel productive? Because you’re busy thinking about the problem, it feels like you’re doing something. But worry usually gets you nowhere, whereas problem-solving actually moves you forward.

How do I switch from worrying to problem-solving? Notice the signs of worry (tension, catastrophising, dismissing solutions), then deliberately refocus on your preferred outcome and work through the five problem-solving steps.

Does anxiety help me solve problems? No. Some anxiety when a problem appears is normal, but it doesn’t help you solve it. In fact, it makes you more likely to dismiss good solutions and dents your confidence.

Is any worry helpful? Not really. When dealing with your concerns, there’s no such thing as “good” worry. Channelling that energy into goal-focused problem-solving is far more useful.

A gentle note

If worry has become constant and hard to switch off, you don’t have to manage it alone. If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans are available any time on 116 123 (freephone).

Ready to worry less and solve more?

Learning to shift from worry to problem-solving is a skill, and support can help you build it.

Book an appointment and let’s work on it together.