How To Stop Overthinking

Is a mind constantly swirling with thoughts and worries normal for you?

Taking time to think things through and weigh up your options is a good thing—but how much thinking is too much?

If you find yourself fixating on “what ifs,” always pondering every possible outcome of a scenario or decision, or you find it hard to switch off from the day’s events (for example, playing back that meeting you had with your boss over and over again), it’s possible that you’re a chronic overthinker.


What’s the impact of overthinking?

Overthinking takes so much time and energy. There are so many other things more worthy of your focus than worrying what might happen if you potentially decide to do XYZ.

Instead of inspiring action, overthinking often has the opposite effect. You end up paralyzed by all the negative outcomes so, in the end, it seems safer to do nothing.

If any of the situations mentioned so far resonates with you, we recommend trying these 3 tips to break free from overthinking:


1. Catch yourself when it happens
Awareness is the first step in finding a solution. Each time you find yourself dwelling on a particular topic, event, or worry, start by acknowledging that it’s happening. You may find it useful to carry a journal or notebook with you so you can write them down.

At the end of each day, reflect on each instance of overthinking. Notice how many times it happened, how often the same thoughts or fears recurred. This exercise will be super powerful in helping you track the patterns in your overthinking, including any situations that trigger it.


2. Practice mindfulness
When we overthink, we take ourselves out of the present. We either revisit the past or hypothesize about the future. Both scenarios are beyond our control, so it’s important to bring ourselves firmly back into the present moment and recognize what is within our influence and how we can best help ourselves right now.

Try this simple exercise:

Take several deep breaths and then notice 5 things you can see, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can hear, and 1 thing you can smell. This practice draws all of your senses into the here and now so you can be fully present.

For more mindfulness exercises and techniques, see this guide from Positive Psychology.


3. Challenge your thoughts
Remember that journal? It has another purpose. Use it to help you challenge or counter your worried thoughts.

Each time you write down one of your thoughts, challenge it by asking yourself what evidence you have for it, or what the positive alternative might be. Overthinking and catastrophizing (always imagining the worst case scenario) tend to go hand-in-hand.

Often, we don’t give any space to the positive outcomes that might occur. So when one of your thoughts is focused on the worst possible outcome, challenge it by writing down the best possible outcome alongside it.

Moving forward

Overthinking fuels feelings of anxiety, so getting a handle on obsessive thoughts will help you feel calmer and able to see things more clearly.

Follow these tips regularly and you’ll find that you’re able to disentangle from those ruminating thoughts more and more.

For more support in letting go of overthinking, try a guided meditation to switch off your worried mind. Listen to Alexis Artin’s free Whole Body Wellness Meditation to help you relax and unwind.