The Problem With Overthinking

Introduction

When we overthink, it can lead to stress, anxiety and other negative emotions. In this article, we'll discuss why overthinking is so detrimental to your health and well-being.

Overthinking Is the Enemy of Efficiency

Overthinking is the enemy of efficiency. It's a waste of time, energy, money and relationships. But how do you stop overthinking? I've identified four big reasons why we do it:

·      Fear of failure

·      Fear of success

·      Fear of what other people think

·      Perfectionism.

The first step in overcoming overthinking is to recognise that you’re doing it. Like any bad habit, the more you catch yourself doing it, the easier it will be to stop.

You can also use these strategies to help:

Þ   Set a timer for three minutes and focus on one task at a time.

Þ   Take deep breaths, if you feel overwhelmed by tasks on your to-do list.

Þ   Give yourself permission to say no—and don’t feel guilty about it!

You've Lost Your Momentum

You've lost your momentum, and that might be a good thing. It's easy to get stuck in the cycle of overthinking, but what does it mean when you lose your focus? The answer is not as scary as it sounds: You may have just stumbled upon some clarity that will help you make progress toward the next step in your big goal.

When we're stuck in a negative cycle of overthinking, our minds can tend to focus on the end result rather than what needs to happen next. This leads us into an endless loop of worrying about whether or not we'll reach our goals—and then feeling bad about ourselves when our overthinking takes up all of our mental energy (and maybe even some physical energy too). 

You're Letting Fear Steer You Away from Success

You know the feeling: It's late at night, and you're laying in bed with your eyes closed. Your brain is spinning out of control, going over all the things that could go wrong if you take action. You have a great idea for a business or some new project to pursue, but when it comes down to actually starting it—you freeze up. You might not realise that these feelings are actually fear getting in your way, but they can be detrimental to success if allowed to persist unchecked.

The key to overcoming these fears is being able to recognise them for what they are: negative thoughts that lead us toward inaction and away from success. If we want our ideas and dreams for our lives realised, we need to overcome these counterproductive emotions by working on building up our confidence instead of letting self-doubt rule our actions (or lack thereof). 

Overthinking Will Kill Your Passion

The problem with overthinking is that it can lead to inaction, procrastination and a lack of confidence. When you’re constantly worried about what others think of your ideas or how they might impact your reputation, there’s less room for creativity and exploration. You might start doubting yourself and wondering whether or not you should pursue a certain idea or opportunity at all. You may begin second-guessing every decision and become paralyzed by the fear that something bad will happen if you follow through on one course of action versus another (even if both choices are equally viable).

Overthinking also has an adverse effect on passion: If an idea feels like it isn’t “the right thing to do,” then why bother doing it? This mindset can be detrimental because passion often drives us forward—so when there’s no real passion behind our actions (and thus no sense of urgency), we tend to remain stuck in place rather than moving forward toward our goals. 

You'll Never Be Completely Confident in Yourself

There's a common misconception that overthinking is something that you simply have or you don't. It's not a personality trait that you're born with, like being introverted or extroverted. Overthinking is actually a habit, and it can be broken down into three categories:

●   You avoid taking action because of fear of failure

●   You overanalyze so much that you burn out from all the effort needed to achieve success

●   You become paralyzed by fear and self-doubt

If you find yourself overthinking...

If you find yourself overthinking, refocus your efforts on specific actions. If you’re thinking about the past or future, ask yourself what action you can take now to move forward. This could be something as simple as sending an email or making a phone call to someone who can help you with what you want to accomplish.

Think about other people in your life who need help—and then do something about it! Remember how much time we spend worrying and stressing out about ourselves? It doesn't have to be this way; stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about others instead.

Lastly, stop focusing on what's beyond your control (e.g., "I can't stand being alone."), and start focusing on things that are within your control (e.g., "What's one thing I can do today that will take me closer toward my goal?").

Conclusion

Overthinking is the enemy of efficiency. I know this from experience. I used to be an overthinker and it was holding me back from realising my potential—in school, business, and even at home with my family members. It took me years before I finally figured out how to stop overthinking so much, but once I did, everything changed for me. My life became more productive and less stressful. The best part about it all? You don't need to wait until tomorrow; today is a new day where anything could happen!