13 Steps That Can Lead You To A Better Life

Learning how to stop overthinking is hard. But once you learn a few steps, you can go from an overthinker to someone who relaxes their mind in no time.

As a natural overthinker, I know how hard it is to hard to stop that pattern in its path. Understanding how to stop overthinking is just really hard and frustrating. And if you’re anything like me, you know the feeling too.

Overthinking leads to anxiety and worry. It makes you second-guess yourself. It makes you question everything. And more often than not, none of the things you thought about even end up mattering. All overthinking does is drive you crazy. It doesn’t really prepare you for any outcome. It doesn’t calm you down. Overthinking really has no benefit.

# Meditation

I know you probably gassed over that word. Meditation isn’t for everyone, but for those with the focus and patience for it, it can do a great deal of good for your mental health.

Meditation or mindful thinking doesn’t need to be done with flute music or sitting cross-legged if that isn’t your thing. You can sit in a chair, on the sofa, and play your favorite music or a mediation app, even a podcast.

This is about controlling your attention and awareness to reach a calm and stable mental state, even if only for a few minutes.

Doing this for 5 minutes a day can help as a reminder that you have control over your mind in other situations.

# Live in the present

I know this sounds like a cliché when it comes to learning how to stop overthinking, but give it a chance. Most of our overthinking takes place in the past or the future. We think about what is going to happen or what has happened.

This prevents us from enjoying what is actually happening right now. Try to focus on the present as it’s happening. You can do this by training your mind. If you feel yourself drifting to a state of overthinking, switch back to something happening now.

# Schedule your thinking

The issue with overthinking is that it becomes obsessive and overrides other parts of the day. To avoid this, schedule time for your thinking. It is okay to think about the past and the future and work through your issues, of course, but overdoing it is the issue.

Give yourself a half-hour in the morning or whenever works for you. You can take this time to jot down your issues or what’s bothering you. Work through it on paper and let it go so you can get back to living your life instead of overthinking it.

# Limit your decision-making time

If you overthink about decisions like whether to forgive a loved one or just what color to paint your bedroom, time those decisions. Give yourself time to decide so it doesn’t become overwhelming.

For things like picking a paint color, give yourself a week of actively picking swatches, trying samples, etc. This will prevent you from procrastinating and overthinking. The same goes for bigger decisions. Give yourself an appropriate amount of time to weigh the pros and cons without overdoing it.

# Take small steps

Swaying your overthinking won’t happen overnight. It will take time. Celebrate small wins. Be happy when you chatted to a gossipy person at work and didn’t overthink everything you said.

# Identify your triggers

Often when we overthink, there is something that leads to it. For you, it could be social situations or planning for the future. Try to notice when your mind begins to overthink. What is the subject? What brought this on?

If you can identify what caused you to start overthinking, you can rearrange your thoughts as those triggers occur to stop overthinking. Knowing when you are expecting to overthink can help you prevent it and refocus your thoughts ahead of time.

# Switch your thinking

As I said, overthinking is usually negative. We tend to worry we aren’t doing enough or something bad will happen. When those negative thoughts intrude on your mind, rework them into something positive.

You don’t have to be blindly positive. But in those moments, positive thinking can help you feel better. Think about when things have gone well. Think about your best qualities.

# Distract yourself

Distraction is a wonderful technique to avoid overthinking. Actively focusing on something other than what is causing you to overthink is very useful. Watch TV, play a game, chat with a friend, or take on a hobby. Doing something relaxing, or even proactive and productive, stops you from getting ahead of yourself and makes you feel better.

# Exercise

I know this is something you don’t want to do, but hear me out. Exercise isn’t just good for your physical health, but your mental health too. Moving your body aids in your ability to create feel-good hormones. Exercise can be even something as mild as a brisk walk outside.

# Talk to a friend

Overthinking leads to loneliness. When you overthink, your thoughts become disorganized and overwhelming. This is what makes this pattern so hard to break. If you are overthinking something, you do need to work through, so discuss it with someone you trust.

# Accept imperfection

The process of learning how to stop overthinking isn’t going to be an uphill battle. It will vary. You’ll likely have good days and bad days. Some days, you’ll find yourself living in the moment and wondering when the last time you overthought was, and others won’t be so simple.

# Focus on things you have control over

Overthinking often revolved around things we have no control over. We relive moments from the past. Then we think about regrets. And we also think about what could go wrong in the future.

Instead, focus your mind on things you can control. Make a list of projects you’re working on. Write down everything from major to minor. This could be finding a new job to taking out the trash. Focus on the things you can do to accomplish what you want.

# Actively think about what your overthinking has done for you

Rational thought doesn’t always overpower irrational fears. But it can help remind you to take some of these other steps.

One of the reasons overthinking is so common is because we think it will benefit us. We believe that overthinking will prepare us for the unknown, or fix mistakes from the past. But, when you consider what overthinking has done for you, you will realize the truth.