Time to turn the compost
Your worries have been waiting. Take them one at a time.
What's on your mind?
If you're thinking about hurting yourself or you don't feel safe, please talk to someone now.
UK: call Samaritans on 116 123 (free, any time) or text SHOUT to 85258. US: call or text 988. If you're in danger, call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).
Drop a worry in whenever it shows up.
Turn the compost
Why wait until worry time?
Saving worries for one set time is a CBT technique called worry postponement. Worries rarely need solving the moment they appear, and many feel smaller a few hours later.
- Borkovec et al., 1983: people who saved worries for a daily 30-minute worry period worried less during the day.
- McGowan & Behar, 2013: in a randomised trial, a daily worry period reduced worry, anxiety and insomnia more than not having one.
- Dippel et al., 2024: a review of 7 trials found worry postponement makes worrying shorter and less frequent, by a small amount.
It's a helpful habit, not a cure. If worry is taking over your life, a GP or therapist can help.
Can you do something about it?
Tiny next steps
What your compost has grown
Your first plant grows from the first worry you let go of.
Tap a plant to see when it grew, and which worry it came from.
A corner of a garden after a season of worry time. Yours grows one plant at a time, with a few surprises on the way.
Each worry you let go of makes enough soil for one plant. What grows is a surprise.
Worry history (0)
Every worry you've sorted and what it became. It's only on this phone.
In the compost (0)
Your worry time
If this page is open at worry time, it plays a chime and the tab shows "Worry time now".
Get reminded
The calendar reminder works on any phone. Notifications work on Android, and on iPhone once Worry Compost is on your home screen.
Notifications use your phone's usual sound. To send them, pottering keeps only your worry time, your time zone and a notification address for your phone. Never your worries.
Your compost lives on this phone
You haven't saved a backup yet.
Phones can clear website data on their own. Adding Worry Compost to your home screen keeps it safer.