Reflect Before Making A Decision, Here Are 5 Precise Ways To Overcome Overthinking

Illustration of how to overcome overthinking (Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

YOGYAKARTA – Experts and a number of studies show that overthinking can be the root of stress and trigger depression. Thinking activity, on the one hand, is needed before making a decision. However, if over time, it could make you more unproductive. Therefore, take the right way to overcome overthinking on the recommendations of Melody Wilding, LMSW, author of Trust Yourself: Overthinking and Your Emotion Channel for Success at Work.

1. Get rid of perfectionism

Perfectionism is one of the biggest barriers to making quick and effective decisions. Because perfection tends to operate on things that need to be avoided or not at all. For example, perfectionism can lead you to believe that if you don't make the 'right' choices you will fail.

According to Wilding, it's much easier to stop thinking in circles and take action towards the next step instead of trying to project months or years into the future.

Illustration of how to overcome overthinking (Pexels/Karolina Grabowska)

2. Measure the problem correctly

Some decisions are worth considering, while others are not. Try writing down your goals, priorities, or people who have had a big impact on your life. That way, you can put things in perspective and have a strong motivation to take action.

3. Harness the power of intuition

Intuition works like a mental pattern-matching game. When the brain considers a situation, it quickly assesses all of your experiences, and then makes the best decision based on the context. This process is faster than rational thinking, which helps make decisions in a short period of time when you don't have a lot of data.

Research shows that pairing intuition with analytical thinking helps you make better, faster, and more accurate decisions. Besides also helping you be more confident with the choices that have been made.

4. Not everything needs to be thought about

How many times do you make decisions every day? It includes what to eat for breakfast to how to respond to emails, and it doesn't all need to be thought about, explains Wilding. You tend to think too much when you're tired. So the more you can eliminate small decisions, the more energy you have for the decisions that really matter.

5. Create boundaries creatively

If there is a one-month deadline, set a limit for creatively completing the presentation. Avoid setting limits when the deadline is right. Set a week limit so you can finish your presentation in a week instead of taking a month and spending more energy.

The surefire way to deal with overthinking has to do with self-discipline. You can make personal and work schedules according to your capacity but also according to the given deadlines.