Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.

Charlie Chaplin

re you a chronic worrier? Do you waste so much time and energy worrying about a presentation or an important client meeting that you actually take time away from preparations? Do you squander so much time anticipating what they will say or do that you don't have adequate time left to think about what you will say or do?

Worry can paralyze you. It causes lost sleep, headaches, overeating, sloppy mistakes and omissions. The good news is that it is manageable.

Managing Worry

Instead of exhausting your energies worrying about any and all calamities that could occur, use time wisely by preparing for realistic possibilities. For example, it is feasible that your PC could crash or your files could become corrupted right before you deliver a presentation at a conference. How do you prepare for such a situation?

• Have transparencies or slides ready.
• Have a copy of the presentation on a CD, and borrow a laptop if necessary.
• Ask your assistant to e-mail a copy of the presentation to the hotel.

It's that simple. You've considered a realistic scenario, and you have prepared for it. There is no need to obsess over the details or worry about what the audience will think. Once preparations have been made you can rest easy and know that should this disaster occur, you have a plan to put in motion. You've come up with a solution, and you will be ready, if necessary. Problem solved.

Selective Anxiety

As you anticipate situations, as explained above, maintain perspective. Keep in mind that you cannot, nor should you, prepare for every possible instance. It is impossible. Trying to do so will deplete energy and resources better used elsewhere.

For example, if you are worried that during an important presentation the power will go out, the fire alarm will sound and the sprinklers will soak everyone, you are worrying about an unlikely event.

Even if this did happen, there really isn't anything you can do. Will you have a stack of rain ponchos and umbrellas ready? Consider realistic scenarios and disregard the others. Those probably won't happen and are not worth the worry.

Don't Worry, Prepare

Instead of fretting and losing sleep over future events, prepare for them. Following are some tips:

Practice If you are worried about a meeting, practice what you will say in what you plan to wear, and find out what the room will look like. If it is a presentation, do a dry run in front of colleagues. That way, when the day comes you will be in familiar surroundings.

Anticipate Questions

Make a list of questions others might ask, and write down thoughtful responses for each one.

Analyze Your Worry

What is making you anxious? Is it that the client is difficult or that you are putting pressure on yourself? Is it something else altogether? Perhaps something about another client or in your personal life? Are you transferring it onto this event because it is at the top of your priority list?

Control What You Can

Anticipate the variables that are within your control, and let go of the ones that you cannot control. This is a hard task but an important one. What good is your worry doing? Is it getting the job done more quickly? Is it getting you the help you need or the materials necessary to complete the job? No, in fact, it is probably making your job harder. The sooner you accept this the sooner you will let go of it.

Review the Outcome of Previous Events

Chances are that you've faced a similar experience and fared well. Give yourself credit and use that experience to build confidence this time around.

Learn and Move On

After the event, review what was successful and what needed work. Analyze your preparations and identify areas in which you were over or under prepared. Use this information for the next event.

Make a conscious effort to stop exhausting time and energy worrying about things that you cannot control. Think about the last time you worried. Did it help? Did the anxiety make your results any better? Probably not. Worry tends to surround things we can't control. Release it, and let fate take its course.