“We try to predict our fate and regain a sense of certainty and control over our life,” said Sweeny, who is an associate professor of psychology at UCR. “We know from lots of research that rumination (repetitive thoughts about the past) and worry (repetitive thoughts about the future) are quite unpleasant and even harmful to our health and well-being, so it’s important to seek solutions to this painful form of mental time-travel.”

Better to focus on the present, Sweeny said, and accept your thoughts and feelings as they arise rather than engage in tactics to avoid them. It means you’ll process your emotions differently and – Sweeny argues – more effectively.

Source: Research shows a technique to offset the worry of waiting