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It’s natural for us to worry when we’re uncertain about outcomes. At times, this worry manifests as a recurring concern that’s ever-present, though you can still focus on other tasks.
In other cases, particularly for those dealing with anxiety disorders, worry can become overwhelming—preventing you from concentrating on anything else. These aren’t typically life-or-death situations, but rather stressful scenarios that pose no immediate danger.
To assist clients in managing such worries and anxiety, a clinical psychologist created the 'spotlight technique,' a tool to help when your mind is racing. Here’s what you should know.
Why do we experience worry?
Worry arises from our fear of the uncertain and the unknown. Sandra Llera, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Towson University, explains that even though most people understand that worrying only leads to anxiety and distress, we still find ourselves unable to stop worrying.
According to Llera, there are generally two reasons for this. First, we worry to emotionally prepare ourselves for possible negative outcomes. Second, many of us view worrying as a form of problem-solving, thinking it allows us to take control of a situation, even if it only makes things worse.
How to apply the ‘spotlight technique’
When we worry, thinking we’re actively solving a problem, we’re often simply attempting to answer questions about the unknown or the uncertain. Michael Stein, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Anxiety Solutions, discusses this in a recent article for Psychology Today.
Unfortunately, this can create a harmful cycle, as these are questions that can never be answered with certainty. This is why Stein advises his clients to leave these questions unanswered and instead redirect their attention—using a technique he calls the 'spotlight technique.'
The 'spotlight technique' is straightforward: Imagine yourself operating the spotlight in a dark theater. The stage represents your mind, and the spotlight symbolizes your focus. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide where to direct it.
The stage is filled with various concerns, worries, and thoughts—all the things you're anxious about. But whatever you're engaged in right now also occupies the stage: Finishing a work task, listening to a podcast during your drive, doing the dishes, and so on.
Stein suggests that when you realize the spotlight is focused on your 'worry questions,' shift it to whatever you're currently doing, without trying to resolve any of those questions.
The goal isn’t to ignore the fact that these questions are present (they can't just disappear), but to deliberately disregard them in that moment.
'They’re still there, but they remain in the background, in the dark, and you’re not engaging with them,' he writes in Psychology Today. 'Your attention is focused on the present moment, and the anxious thoughts are being ignored.'
While this is challenging and requires practice, Stein asserts that ultimately, it’s about granting yourself permission to move forward—rather than staying mentally stuck until every worry question has been answered.
