Mom texted me a photo of a new shirt she bought. The caption on the front says, “Hold on, let me overthink this.” It’s perfect for Halloween. What’s more scary than your imagination?
Overthinking is like overcooking. When you overcook something its quality decreases and it doesn’t taste as good as it would have if you hadn’t overcooked it. As you attempt to make the best decisions and achieve your worklife goals, how do you avoid getting trapped in the web of excessive overthinking? Let’s talk about how to recognize overthinking and ways to stop.
Symptoms
- Dwelling on a single situation to the point where it becomes counterproductive
- Ruminating on past events
- Second-, third, and/or fourth-guessing your choices
- Dissecting every possible aspect of a problem
- Having trouble focusing on the job at hand
- A persistent knot in your stomach and/or a constant low-grade headache
- Making decisions, even simple ones, feels overwhelming
- Lack of self-confidence
- Negative self-image
- Questioning the intentions of your coworkers
- Perpetually seeking validation from your manager
Strategies
- Goals: Having a clear sense of purpose can help you stay focused and reduce the temptation to overthink. What can you do right now to get closer to your objectives? For example, if your goal is to move from inside sales to account management, then befriend an account manager. Some action steps may be identifying a mentor, scheduling an informational interview, and requesting a ride along.
- Limits: Allocate a specific amount of time to think about a particular issue then commit to making a decision within that timeframe. This forces you to be more efficient in your thinking.
- Mindfulness: Techniques like meditation and box breathing can help you stay grounded, reduce the urge to overanalyze, and help you manage stress.
- Reflection: Seeing what you’re thinking helps you redirect your thoughts. When you get the fear out of your head and onto the page, it shrinks.
- Feedback: Getting input from trusted teammates or your supervisor regarding complex decisions can provide valuable perspectives and help you make more informed choices. Save this strategy for decisions that will result in having a big impact.
- Process: Develop a systematic approach to decision-making. List your options, weigh the pros and cons, and set a deadline for making choices.
- Data: You have access to an overwhelming amount of information. Be selective about the data you consume, and avoid endlessly researching a topic.
- Move: Physical activity clears your mind and reduces your stress.
- Kindness: Instead of berating yourself for overthinking, acknowledge it as a habit you’re working to change. Self-compassion can help you break free from the cycle of self-criticism.
It’s essential to think critically and make informed decisions but excessive analysis erodes your productivity and well-being. Control your thought processes by recognizing the symptoms of overthinking and implementing strategies to overcome it. Balance thoughtful consideration with taking action. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to simply take that first step without overthinking it.
What do you overthink about at work? Please share in the comments.