INTRO:
What is overthinking and why do our minds become overactive sometimes? And can you learn how to handle overthinking and anxious thoughts effectively?
Welcome to minutes of facts podcast, today we will talk about overthinking.
WHAT is overthinking:
overthinking is when you think about something too much or for too long
and it’s like getting caught up in a kind of spiral of negative thoughts like doubts, fears, or worries.
The problem with overthinking is that it’s exhausting; you get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and it becomes progressively more and more emotionally draining and stressful.
Overthinking can make it hard to move forward in situations because you can end up in ‘analysis paralysis’ where you get stuck in analysing the pros and cons of a situation and so you can end up frozen, unable to take any action at all.
HOW: Among the best particles to conquer overthinking:
- Use the ‘Pause, Breathe, What, Why’ technique: Take break and think objectively about what concerns you and why. Be rational and avoid to be emotional. because once you get emotional you already trapped in spiral negative thinking.
- Distract your brain: Try to redirect your focus on something by doing physical exercises, so you can give your brain a rest from repetitive thoughts.
- Reframe your thoughts: and this is about consciously changing the way you interpret a situation to see it in a more positive or neutral light. Try to see things from different angles so you can set free yourself from constant negativity.
- Write it out to get it out: Grab a pen and paper, and get out all your concerns. This will interrupt that loop of repetitive thoughts in your head.
- Challenge your thoughts: overthinking often involves worrying about things that probably won’t even happen, so challenge your thoughts by asking yourself if they’re realistic to occur which forces you to confront the irrational nature of your worries.
- Get outdoors: spending time in nature can have a calming effect on your mind and reduce overthinking, and natural environments can lower stress levels and improve mood. Practice meditation as well, help to rest your mind and reset your thinking.
- Focus on solutions, not problems: when you overthink you mainly focus on problems, being stuck in “what if” questions. So try to move a step forward and take an action to solve what concerns you, redirect your mind to active problem solving instead of passive worry.
- Practice acceptance: which involves recognizing that some things are beyond your control and being OK with that. Once you accept that, you will not need to think about everything anymore, you will learn to let go and focus on what is in your control.
- Set time limits for decision-making: give yourself a specific amount of time to make decision, make your choice and move forward. Don’t allow yourself to be stuck in eternal decision making process.
- Focus on progress, not perfection: an over thinker lives in a daily pressure of perfection, his only aim is to be perfect, which is extremely draining. So, try to focus on your progress day by day and step by step, compare your today’s self to yesterday. Set realistic goals for yourself and acknowledge the steps you’re taking towards them, and celebrate your small achievements along the way. Reminding yourself that growth and improvement are more important than getting everything right can help you stay motivated and be a lot less less critical of yourself.
OUTRO:
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Stay safe and health and to talk to you soon.
