Stop overthinking for a stress-free life! Try these 5 ways

Overthinking can really mess with your thoughts! It can take away your confidence in yourself and can increase the fear of losing everything. In fact, sometimes it can even make a toxic person if you don’t take steps forward to stop it. What about you – are you an over-thinker? If so, spending too much time thinking about things can actually hold you back in life. Not to mention, overthinking causes a decline in mental peace and a rise in stress levels. Wonder how to stop overthinking? Then, you’re at the right place!

Health Shots spoke to Dr Kedar Tilwe, Consultant-Psychiatrist, Fortis Hospital Mulund & Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, who shared some tips or ways to stop overthinking and reduce the level of negative thoughts that are constantly running into your mind.

Here’s how you can stop overthinking:

1. Set time limits

Set some limits and give yourself a boundary in order to have a busy schedule.
Dr Tilwe said, “Setting yourself clear-cut timelines and having a fixed allocation of time, resources, and realistic deadlines will help greatly in reducing overthinking.” In fact, this will also help you reduce your stress level, anxiety, and worries. Also, know your worth and set smart goals. So you no longer have to overthink everything.

2. Pros and cons of calculation

Open a journal and write down your thoughts. Many studies have shown that the habit of writing thoughts helps you give clarity to thoughts, reducing the chances of overthinking. Moreover, write down both the pros and cons of a particular action and make your to-do list for the next day to stop thinking at night about what you’re going to do tomorrow.

3. Try mindfulness

Meditation is a huge help to overcome your stress level. Dr Tilwe said, “Thought stop exercises and mindfulness techniques are helpful tools in dealing with overthinking, especially the unnecessary rumination.” You can also try dancing, exercising, drawing, painting, and other activities which can distance you from the issues enough to shut down the over analysis.

Try different tools and techniques and see what works best for you and stick with it.

4. New perspective

Indulging into negative thoughts is easier, but overcoming them is hard. However, it’s not impossible! Gaining a fresh perspective from a trusted confidant or a mental health professional may help you in understanding and ease your concerns. So let go of your past, live in the present and plan for the future with a new perspective.

5. Take a break

Remember that you can take control of your mind and stop negative emotions in various ways. But if overthinking becomes repetitive and tedious, consider taking a short break from your routine, suggests Dr Tilwe. This will help you focus, increase productivity and reduce overthinking and procrastination. Moreover, always avoid multitasking and follow a healthy routine.

Moreover, focus on things that you can control and work on at an individual level as it may give you a more practical solution and way forward.