How to Stop Money Worries Taking Over Your Mind

We’ve all had that late-night moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to calculate bills, budgeting in your head, wondering if you should have bought that oat milk latte.

Money worries have a way of sneaking into every quiet moment. They sit heavy in your chest, whispering “you’re not doing enough” or “you’ll never catch up.”

But here’s the truth: worrying doesn’t fix money problems; it just drains your energy to deal with them. And while financial stress is normal (especially with the current cost of living), it doesn’t have to dominate your thoughts or your life.

What Financial Anxiety Actually Is

Financial anxiety isn’t just worrying about not having enough money; it’s the constant state of fear, guilt, or shame connected to finances, even when things aren’t catastrophic.

It’s the racing thoughts when you open your banking app. The dread before paying bills. The guilt when you buy something small just to feel better.

This isn’t about being “bad with money.” It’s about your brain associating finances with threat.

Your mind goes into survival mode, the same stress response triggered by physical danger. It releases cortisol, speeds up your heart rate, and floods your thoughts with what-ifs.

And the cruel part? That stress makes it harder to make good financial decisions.

Why Money Stress Feels So Overwhelming

Money touches everything: your safety, independence, relationships, and even identity. That’s why financial stress doesn’t just stay in your wallet; it spills into every part of life.

Here’s what it can look like:

• Constant worry or guilt over spending.

• Avoiding finances entirely because they cause panic.

• Tension in relationships over bills or lifestyle differences.

• Overworking out of fear you’ll fall behind.

• Burnout and exhaustion from feeling like you can never relax.

Money anxiety isn’t just about pounds and pence; it’s about control. When finances feel unstable, your brain tells you that everything else is unstable too.

But here’s the good news: while money can’t always be controlled, your relationship with it absolutely can.

Start by Noticing What You Feel, Not Just What You Spend

Before you create a budget or spreadsheet, it helps to understand your emotional patterns around money.

Grab your Discovery Journal, and follow the prompts to find your main anxiety triggers and then explore these prompts:

• What emotions come up when you think about money?

• Do you tend to overspend to comfort yourself, or hoard money out of fear?

• What messages did you grow up hearing about money?

• When do you feel most calm or in control financially?

This isn’t about judgment, it’s about awareness. Once you understand the emotional story behind your spending or saving, you can start to rewrite it.

Discovery Journal - Black

From£32.99

Buy Now

The Vicious Cycle of Money Worry

Money worries create a mental loop that’s hard to escape:

1. You feel anxious about money.

2. Anxiety triggers avoidance; you don’t check your balance or open bills.

3. Avoidance leads to uncertainty and fear.

4. Fear increases anxiety.

And around it goes.

Breaking this cycle doesn’t mean ignoring money or obsessing over it; it means finding a calm, practical middle ground.

That might start with checking your finances just once a week instead of daily. Or writing down one action each day that brings you closer to stability, however small.

The goal is to replace reactivity with intentionality.

I know it sounds hard. If it's at the forefront of your mind, but creating a routine and boundaries around it often gives you the feeling of control, you may feel as though you are missing.

Practical Ways to Ease Financial Stress

Here are some grounded, real-life strategies to help you calm your mind and regain control emotionally and financially:

1. Create a “Financial Clarity Hour”

Once a week, schedule an hour just for financial focus distractions, no guilt.

Use this time to:

• Review your spending and savings.

• Pay upcoming bills.

• Set small goals (like reducing one unnecessary expense).

You can even make it pleasant, light a candle, play calming music, and journal afterwards about how it felt.

The act of facing finances regularly reduces uncertainty and builds confidence.

2. Separate Reality from Fear

When you feel anxious, ask yourself: Is this a real problem I can solve, or a fear I’m imagining?

Write both down in your Discovery Journal.

• Real problems (e.g., an unpaid bill) can be addressed with action.

• Imagined fears (e.g., “I’ll never be financially secure”) can be challenged with logic.

When fears live only in your head, they grow. When they hit paper, they shrink.

There are activities within our reflection expansion pack which can help guide you.

Reflection Expansion Pack

£4.99

Buy Now

3. Simplify Your Finances

Sometimes anxiety comes from chaos, not crisis. If you have multiple accounts, scattered subscriptions, or inconsistent income, it can feel overwhelming.

Spend one afternoon simplifying things, cancel unused services, merge accounts, and set up automatic payments for essentials.

A simpler system means fewer mental tabs open at once.

If you feel like this is too much, you can hire a financial advisor to help! (I know, sounds counterproductive, but ultimately, if it takes the hassle and stress away from you, it would be money well spent!)

4. Reframe “Saving” as “Self-Respect”

Saving money isn’t deprivation, it’s care. Each pound you save is a message to your future self: “I’ve got you covered.”

Even if you can only save £5 a week, that’s progress. The act of saving regularly builds confidence, not just a balance.

Create a simple standing order, and make sure x amount goes into your savings the day your paycheck does! Then you don't even have to see it.

5. Don’t Compare Your Finances to Others

Social media makes it seem like everyone’s on luxury holidays or buying houses at 25. Spoiler: they’re probably not.

Comparison breeds shame, and shame blocks problem-solving. Stay in your lane, focus on your progress, and remember, financial health looks different for everyone.

6. Practice “Money Mindfulness”

Mindfulness doesn’t just apply to breathing; it works for spending, too.

Before making a purchase, pause and ask:

• “Do I really want this, or am I trying to change how I feel?”

• “Will this add value to my life next week?”

That 10-second pause helps you make choices aligned with your values instead of your emotions.

How Money Stress Affects Your Mental Health

It’s easy to underestimate just how physical money anxiety can be. It doesn’t just cause worry; it can affect your sleep, relationships, appetite, and focus.

Some people even experience symptoms like headaches, tension, and fatigue. That’s because chronic financial stress keeps your nervous system stuck in alert mode.

The antidote? Calm consistency. When you give your brain regular proof that you’re handling things, through journaling, small wins, and mindful planning, it gradually relaxes.

If Money Conversations Feel Hard

Talking about money is still a huge taboo in the UK. We’re taught it’s rude, embarrassing, or shameful, but bottling it up only intensifies the stress.

Try talking to someone you trust, whether it’s a partner, friend, or financial advisor. Sometimes saying “I’m struggling” out loud is enough to release the pressure.

If your anxiety feels constant or overwhelming, mental health support (like CBT or anxiety therapy) can help you separate emotional stress from practical issues.

You’re not weak for feeling stressed about money; you’re human.

Talking isn't easy, that's why journaling is crucial as that first step to learning to communicate how we are feeling. If you can say it to yourself, if you can write it down, it helps when it comes to verbally expressing it to someone else.

That is what the Discovery Journal is designed for. Give it a go. You might find it really makes a difference!

Discovery Journal - Brown

From£32.99

Buy Now