6 Proven Ways to Stop Overthinking in Under 60 Seconds

Based on my counseling clients who struggle with what they describe as overthinking, I can best describe it as the mental equivalent of spinning your wheels. They use a lot of psychic energy going through maddening thought loops, but not ending up any further away from runaway thoughts laden with anxiety.

Overthinking involves struggling to make decisions, replaying decisions already made, losing sleep, and magnifying the problems they are facing. Let's face it: life is a conveyor belt of issues and challenges coming at us.

So, let's learn how to manage those times when it feels like the conveyor belt is on warp speed and the overthinking walls feel like they are closing in and about to crush you.

1. Catch the Loop

The first step is awareness. Notice when your thoughts feel like they are in a coercive cycle. That means when you are repeating the same thought, it feels like no resolution and a lack of clarity. As part of this process, work to "name it to tame it." Simply acknowledging that you are in an overthinking loop can often slow it down or even stop it altogether.

2. Put It on Paper

There is a magic for slowing down our minds when we feel inundated with racing thoughts. Writing down your thoughts gives you a sense of restored control because you are putting them to light. Very often, simply writing down your thoughts helps you realize they are smaller in importance than you initially feel when they are swarming in your mind. Putting your thoughts on paper creates distance from them and gives you a more helpful perspective.

3. Sort Out What Is Controllable

Overthinking is problematic because it blurs the lines between what you can control and what you can't. Circle the times that you have control over. This could involve making a call you have been putting off, paying a bill, clarifying a point someone made that you are unsure of, or setting a boundary.

Then cross out things you can't control. This could be other people's opinions, your past, or events out of your control in the future. Commit to refocusing on the things you can control. This action alone helps lower overthinking.

4. Limit Decision-Making Time

Many believe that spirals often begin with decision fatigue. Do your best to set a time boundary. You may say to yourself, "OK, I will give myself 15 minutes to think about this, and then I will move on." This act of stepping up to set a boundary can feel very empowering. This is because overthinking tends to consume a lot of time.

5. Ground Yourself in the Present

As I wrote in my book, Freeing Your Child From Overthinking, overthinking tends to focus on "what ifs" of the future and "would haves," "could haves," and "should haves." One beneficial grounding technique for all ages is to focus on five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. This type of exercise interrupts your thinking and plants you in the now.

6. Replace With Action

"Actions over rumination" is a mantra I encourage my clients to be aware of. When you feel yourself pulled into overthinking, ask, "What is one small concrete action I can take right now?"

The Takeaway

Stopping overthinking is not about making your mind go blank. Instead, it is about giving it a new and more positive direction. Awareness, writing, setting boundaries, and taking action are among the quick measures you can take to free yourself from the shackles of overthinking.

Try the above strategies the next time you get caught in a fruitless, maddening loop of overthinking. The payoff of having a calmer, less cluttered mind will be very much worth it.