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Taming the Worry Monster by Taking Small Bites

Tools for When You Feel Anxious
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That feeling is all too familiar. Your stomach gets tight, your thoughts start to race, and a big, scary problem lands in your lap like a heavy weight. It might be a huge school project, a problem with a friend, or just a long list of things you have to get done. The Worry Monster shows up and tells you that it’s all just too much. It feels like you’re staring up at a massive, un-climbable mountain.

But what if I told you there’s a secret weapon against that Worry Monster? It’s not a magic spell. It’s a simple but powerful tool: breaking that giant problem down into small, tiny steps.

Think about it like this. If someone handed you a whole, giant, messy sub sandwich and told you to eat it all at once, you’d panic. You wouldn’t know where to start, and the task would seem impossible. But you know you don’t eat it that way. You pick it up, and you take one bite at a time. One bite is easy. Then you take another. Before you know it, you’ve made your way through the whole thing. Big problems are just like that giant sandwich. Trying to solve it all in one go is a recipe for feeling overwhelmed.

So, how do you actually do this? Let’s say your mountain is a big science fair project. The thought of the whole thing makes your brain freeze. Instead of thinking “I have to do the science fair project,” you start cutting that problem into bite-sized pieces.

Your first tiny step isn’t to build the display board or even run the experiment. Your first step is simply to think of three possible ideas. That’s it. Just three ideas. Anyone can do that. Once you have your ideas, the next step is to pick the best one. Then, your step is to write down what you need for the experiment. Each of these steps is small and clear. You’re not trying to climb the whole mountain in one leap; you’re just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

This works because it tricks the Worry Monster. Anxiety loves big, fuzzy, scary thoughts. But it doesn’t know what to do with a small, simple task like “write down three ideas.” By focusing only on the very next step, you quiet the noise about everything else that’s coming later. Each small step you finish is a little win. It gives you a shot of confidence, like saying, “See? I can do this part.” That confidence gives you the strength to look at the next small step.

So the next time that heavy feeling starts to settle in, and the Worry Monster starts whispering that you can’t handle things, remember the giant sandwich. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: “What is the very first, smallest thing I can do?” Then do just that one thing. Don’t look at the whole mountain. Just focus on the path right in front of you. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to the top.

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Quick Tips

What’s the very first thing I should do when a problem feels too big?

The absolute first step is to grab a piece of paper and just write the big problem down at the top. Seeing it on paper gets it out of your swirling thoughts. Then, without judging or overthinking, start asking one simple question: “What is the very first, tiniest thing I would need to do?“ It might be “Look up a phone number,“ “Send one email,“ or “Clean off my desk.“ Don’t plan the whole thing out. Just find that one, small starting point. Taking that first tiny action is like turning on a light in a dark room.

How does this help with overwhelming feelings of worry?

This method is a powerful tool against worry because worry is often just a loop of “what if” thoughts with no action. Breaking a problem into steps forces your brain to switch from its emotional, fearful gear into its calm, planning gear. You stop thinking about everything that could go wrong and start focusing on what you can actually do. Each small step you complete is proof that you are handling the situation, which directly counters the helpless feeling that worry creates. It gives your mind a job to do instead of letting it spin.

Why does breaking a big problem down make me feel less anxious right away?

It works because it shifts your brain’s focus from a scary, impossible-feeling monster to a simple, clear to-do list. When you only see the huge problem, your mind races with all the things that could go wrong, which triggers anxiety. But when you write down one small, first step, your brain says, “Oh, I can do that.“ This gives you a quick win and a sense of control. That feeling of being in charge is the exact opposite of feeling anxious and helpless, which immediately calms your nerves.

What if I get stuck on one of the smaller steps?

First, be kind to yourself—this happens to everyone! It just means that step wasn’t quite small enough. Ask yourself, “What’s the one thing blocking me?“ and then break that single step into two or three even tinier actions. If your step was “Write the report introduction” and you’re stuck, your new steps could be: “1. Open a new document. 2. Write three possible titles. 3. Write one sentence about what the report is for.“ By making the tasks ridiculously easy, you bypass the feeling of being stuck and keep moving forward.

How do I know if my steps are small enough?

A step is small enough if the thought of doing it doesn’t make you feel tense or want to avoid it. If looking at a step still makes you feel nervous or stuck, it needs to be broken down even more. For example, “Clean the kitchen” is too big and vague. “Wash the dishes in the sink” is better. But if that still feels like too much, the perfect small step is “Wash just the cups.“ A good step feels almost too easy, which is the point! You want to build momentum with easy wins, not struggle with each task.