Spending a lot of time thinking over things,
especially when all you want to do is to just stop thinking about it, can be
quite frustrating. The feeling of being helpless to your own thoughts is
tough. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency
shares 7 ways to help you take control and deal with overthinking.
Be
Aware You’re Overthinking
None of the ways to deal with overthinking will be
useful to you, if you are not aware of when you are overthinking. You need to
first be aware of it and accept that you are overthinking before you can move
forward and deal with it. Don’t make excuses for it; just accept that you are
overthinking and deal with it.
Pay
Attention to Your Thoughts
Overthinking is usually associated with negative
thoughts, so you need to actually talk to yourself and admit the obvious fact
that overthinking isn’t fixing the issue. Decide instead to think of the
solution rather than dwelling endlessly on the issue. You can also think of and
vocalize positive affirmations and beliefs about the issue, alongside talking
to someone who can listen and give useful advice.
Distract
Yourself
It’s not enough to pay attention to your thoughts
and try to talk yourself out of overthinking, you also need to get out and do
something to get your mind off the situation. Once you have decided to think of
a solution rather than dwell on the issue, so you don’t start overthinking
about the solution again, you can distract yourself with something you love to do
or people you love to be around. You only need to accept beforehand that
overthinking will not solve the problem, so you might as well be happy anyway.
You don’t have to feel guilty or bad about it.
Put
Things in Perspective
Over-thinkers tend to make mountains out of mole
hills. So you need to stop and ask yourself, “Is it really that deep?” “Is it
really this serious?” “Am I making a mountain out of molehill?” Learn to put
things in perspective.
Let
Not Yourself Be Afraid
It seems biblical, doesn’t it? Nevertheless, it is
important not to let fear rule you. Over-thinkers tend to over think things out
of fear – fear of the future, fear of not getting it right, fear of making the
same mistakes, fear of not doing what they should etc. You should calm down and
stop thinking about the worst that can happen. Just focus on doing the best you
can, hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. In the end, regardless of
what you do, you can’t control or predict the future not matter how hard you
overthink.
Limit
Your Thinking
Know when you have thought long enough about the
issue, and when it’s time to move on.
Avoid People and Situations That Lead to
Overthinking
This can be done based on an understanding of
yourself and lessons learnt from past experiences. You should be able to
identify the situations and people that can potentially give you unrest and
cause your mind to think endlessly.
By: Damilola Ojo
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