How To Stop Overthinking: 20 Strategies To Not Overthink

In today’s article you’re going to learn everything you need to know about how to stop overthinking. Now let’s begin!

How To Stop Overthinking:

1. It begins with Awareness

Before you can address your problem with overthinking and cope up with this habit, you need to be aware of it when it is happening. When you can see yourself starting to doubt, feeling stressed and overthinking, step and make a clear view of the situation and how you respond to it. Those moments when you are aware that you are overthinking is your first step to changing and stop from overthinking.

2. Think of the Things that can go right

We tend to overthink because we fear of what will happen. When you focus on the negative things that might happen, it will be easy for you to give up. Focus on the things that are positive. Do not think of things that might go wrong, but think of things that will go right.

3. Change how you see Fear

When you have failed in the past, remember that what happened is in the past. Not every time that you fail, it will be the same outcome. When there is an opportunity, remember that it is a great place to start again.

4. You need to realize that you can’t predict the future

No one can predict what will happen tomorrow. Not even those people in power. What we have is the now and we should make the best of it. if you keep thinking of the future, you are robbing yourself of the now. Spend time enjoying what today gives you.

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5. Challenge your thoughts

When we think of things that are negative, futuristic and are not really going to happen we are overthinking. When you start thinking of things like these, acknowledge that your thoughts an exaggeratedly negative. When emotions interfere with the ability to discern situations, we overthink. Stop and analyze whether your thoughts are true or not. You should be able to differentiate the truth from what is not true.

6. Schedule a time to reflect

For you to stop overthinking, you should also schedule a time to reflect. When you keep on thinking of problems for a long period, you are not becoming productive. You can spend a small fraction of your time to reflect on things that worry you. You can use this time to worry, overthink and stress out on things. This will help you refrain from overthinking and stop you from overthinking g=beyond your reflection time.

7. Put things into a wider perspective

When we overthink of things, we are immediately fell trap in overthinking the minor things in life. Ask yourself if the things you are overthinking about will matter after a month or a year. Ask yourself it will greatly affect your future decisions. Widen your perspective and if you answer no, then there is no reason you should be overthinking about things like these. Eventually, you can let go of the situation and focus your time and energy on things that really matter.

8. Become a person of action

Take action on the things you need to do. Procrastination increases overthinking. When you immediately act on the things you need to do, there is nothing you should think about. You only need to think of what to do next but not overthink of the what ifs. Focus on getting one small thing done at a time. You make it a habit and stop procrastination, and you will stop overthinking.

9. Realize that you have no control over everything

You are not in control of everything. Not even the smallest thing that happens in your life is controlled by you, so you need to stop overthinking. Trying to control all the things in life does not work. Try to change yourself and do it one step at a time.

10. Work out

Exercise is a great stress reliever. Working out helps you to focus on your routine exercise rather than overthinking things. When you work out, it makes you more decisive and helps you to let go of overthinking.

11. Spend more time with people who do not overthink

Influence is a great help if you want to stop overthinking. Try hanging out with people who do not overthink and have a positive outlook on life. Their positivity can influence and also teach how not to overthink of things.

12. Keep your focus on finding a solution

Overthinking and dwelling on your problem is not helpful and it will let you go through. Thinking of a solution will get you pass through your problem. You can learn from your mistakes to avoid a future problem. Instead of asking yourself why it happened, ask yourself what you can do about it.

13. Retrain yourself to think positively

Learning how to overcome the act of overthinking has a lot to do with creating better connections with the physical body. Exercise is great for retraining the brain to think positively. It helps you to focus your mind on something straightforward and turn pent-up energy into something you can use. You can also try to engage yourself in something that will stimulate your brain to think like learning a new language or playing board games. Lastly, meditate and relax your mind.

14. Accept Your best

Fear is the seed that fuels us to overthink. We often fear because we think that we are not good enough or that what we do isn’t good enough for people. We are not enough in other people’s eyes. But the truth is, we are not enough of our self. When you have done something and have given your best, accept it. Success may depend in part on something that you can control, but you have done what you can.

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15. Give yourself a boundary at work

You overthink because you have lots of things to think about. There are things that bother you at work or at school that adds up to your thoughts. Take a break from work and give yourself the chance to worry and analyze. List down the things that worry you. Analyze if they will affect you 10 years after. Rip the paper and move on.

16. Stop waiting for perfection

Nobody is perfect and not one of us ever asked for perfection. Being purposeful is great but aiming for perfection is unrealistic, impractical and debilitating. Waiting for perfection will not make you move. But making a progress will take you from one step to another.

17. Move and work to reach a goal

Whether a short goal or a project that you can accomplish or you wish to accomplish will help you to stop overthinking. When we overthink we are being slowed down, it inhibits our growth, limits our ability to love, has good relationship and have fun in the moment and the pursuit of success. Act and move to reach your goal and not be slowed down by overthinking.

18. Practice mindfulness

Commit yourself to the present and become more aware of the now. You can bring back yesterday or predict tomorrow when you are currently living in the today. You can stop overthinking if you focus on the now.

19. Ask for an advice

When you overthink, it can be very exhausting, but someone might be able to help you. You can seek for other people’s advice and maybe they can give you a different perspective that can help you make decisions clearer. This will help you to let go of your troubling thoughts.

20. Be social

“No man is an island.” No one lives alone and that is true. Socialize with people and focus on conversations you have with them. The more you talk, the lesser you think of thoughts that bother you.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article about how to stop overthinking. I sincerely hope its contents have been a good help to you.

Przemkas Mosky
Przemkas Mosky started Perfect 24 Hours in 2017. He is a Personal Productivity Specialist, blogger and entrepreneur. He also works as a coach assisting people to increase their motivation, social skills or leadership abilities. Read more here