Do You Find Yourself Overthinking Most Situations? These Five Tips Can Help!

Mental HealthFebruary 27, 2019

In every minute of every day, we’re always thinking about something. Whether it’s about a choice we have to make, what food we need to buy at the grocery, or an engrossing TV show we watched the night before, our minds are constantly busy. But there are times when we tend to overthink which could lead to numerous issues in the long run. Yes, our minds are well-equipped to solve problems. It can be simple tasks like cooking or doing laundry or complex ones like playing an intricate piece of music or solving a difficult mathematical problem. But the problems that we need to solve in between can often lead to frustration and confusion. Overthinking can be bad as it doesn’t let us move forward or make progress. But we must also remember that it’s normal to do so. Here are some tips that will help you stop overthinking the next time it happens.

Being Aware of the Situation

Being aware of the problem is essential. Before you express the desire to cope with it or learn how to stop overthinking, it is important to be aware of when it is happening. The moment you realize you are probably overthinking, you need to stop and review the whole situation. If you feel stressed out or anxious, take a step back and look at the whole situation like an outsider. This awareness is the first step towards your journey to a stress-free future.

Stop Worrying About Results

It is easier said than done though. Whenever we do something or an incident has caused us to bite our nails with worry, it is usually related to the results or consequences of that incident. So, if we can let go of what could possibly happen or look at the brighter side of things, it will help us overthink less frequently. For example, worrying or overthinking comes only when we think that something might go wrong. Instead, if we keep concentrating on what can go right, it will be good for our mind.

Nurture Positive Emotions

Letting go of possible future outcomes is not an easy thing to do and neither can one achieve it overnight. Instead, try to nurture and cultivate positive emotions all the time. Even if negative emotions are clouding your mind, ask yourself if it will matter at all in five years. When you find yourself in a bad situation, don’t think of all the ways it could get worse. Instead, try to find a silver lining or better yet, think of a way to get out of that situation to make things easier.

Try Meditation

Meditating every day will help you calm down and give you a new perspective on things. Aside from that, it will hinder negative thoughts from entering your mind. Even if you have not started meditating right away when you are aware that you are thinking too hard about something, stop for a while and do Pranayam. It is the art of taking deep breaths in the right way that helps the body in various ways. Take deep breaths, and keep good thoughts in your mind. This will help immensely in the long run, and the best part is that this method also helps reduce anxiety and stress.

Write Out Your Thoughts

When your thoughts are getting out of hand, write them down in a journal. The whole exercise of writing will help you calm down. Once you are done, you can go through your journal, and you will realize that some of your thoughts or concerns are quite baseless. You can do this whenever you feel the need, but usually writing down your thoughts early in the morning can be highly therapeutic. Try out Morning Pages where you are required to write three pages every morning. The thoughts should flow uninhibited and you don’t need to worry about the quality of the writing. Just write down your feelings in words.

When Nothing Works, Take A Nap

When none of these methods work well, it is best to take a break. The best way to do it is by putting your mind to complete rest – just take a small nap. However, if napping is not an option, keep yourself busy doing small tasks. Be mindful about your tasks and that will help you calm down. If you can, play an instrument, paint, or exercise — all these will keep you distracted and also some amount of activity will release the good hormones, endorphins, that will make your mood better.

Whatever you do, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s normal to overthing, and the best way to combat it is to take a step back and reassess everything. Nurture the good things and stay away from the bad!