We all know that feeling of being wired and tired. Our mind is in overdrive and we can’t switch off. And let’s face it, we never over-think positive or empowering thoughts. Over-thinking is always about worrying and analysing issues to the point of exhaustion. So what can we do to overcome over-thinking?

Pay Attention

Notice when you get stuck in your head. Is it a specific work situation, a person, a time of the day that triggers over-thinking for you? When you can witness the thoughts you’re ruminating on, or worrying about, as if you’re a fly on a wall, you are creating some distance from them. You become the observer of your thoughts, not just the thinker.

Move

When I’m in an over-thinking spiral, I’m usually quite immobile, so it makes sense to move my body. Going for a walk is usually the simplest solution. If I pay attention to my senses – what I’m seeing, hearing, smelling, even touching, I’m less likely to dwell on thoughts.

Take the conversation out of your head

If you feel yourself sinking into over-thinking and self-absorption, reach out to a friend or talk to someone. Most of the time over-thinking is about ourselves and our concerns. By focusing on another person, we are getting out of our heads. And let’s remember the old cliché that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Get away from ‘why?’

Why is this happening? Why me? Why are they doing that? Too many why’s lead to whine. Why questions can be useful in the right context. We might think of Simon Sinek and his famous adage of ‘finding your why,’ your underlying motivation. But why questions are often at the heart of over-thinking. A question construct that is more effective is – how can I? How can I move forward? How can I be more compassionate? A question that starts with ‘how can I?’ shifts our minds from unproductive ruminating to empowered planning.

Write it out to ‘right it out’

If you’re plagued by over-thinking try writing about it. It helps to gain a fresh perspective and with self-distancing. I’ve found that is also generates useful insights and ideas. When we write it down, we create space in our minds for new and more effective thinking.

Challenge Your Thoughts

I’m a big fan of the American teacher and author Byron Katie. She is most famous for a simple construct of 3 questions and a turnaround that for me act like a scalpel for cutting out unhelpful thoughts. You can challenge your fear-based thoughts with the question – ‘is that true?’ What evidence do you have that your thought is true or untrue? Remember, thoughts are just thoughts and we have the freedom to choose the thoughts that serve us best.

It’s said that we think over seventy thousand thoughts a day and that 80% of our thoughts are the same every day. The uplifting, loving and gratitude-based thoughts are worth dwelling on because they empower us. We can let other thoughts drift by. We won’t judge them, in fact we’ll try not to give them a second thought.

I hope you found the above tips helpful. When I work with personal coaching clients, we generally explore the topic of habitual thinking. Specifically how assumptions or habits of thinking are holding you back. New thinking habits create new doing and feeling habits. Find out more about my Personal Coaching Service.