Evolve > Anxiety > How To Stop Overthinking In 5 Simple Ways
Nobody likes overthinking. But sometimes, you can’t control it. One thought leads to another and then you keep thinking. It could be for something minor major, there’s no way to tell. Whenever something is bothering you, it’s important to stop overthinking. It can help you feel lighter, reduce uncertainty and deal with anxiety. Moreover, constantly worrying and overthinking can be unpleasant and counterproductive, and even lead to more anxiety. Hence, it’s important to know how to stop overthinking and feel better. Here are a few simple tips to help you out!
How to stop overthinking in 5 simple ways
- Do something you enjoy
- Get physically active
- Visualise happiness
- Gain perspective
- Make a list
Do something you enjoy
When you’re overthinking, it’s good to surround yourself with happiness in order to distract yourself and stop overthinking. Do something you enjoy to take your mind off of the thoughts in your head and whatever is bothering you. From cooking a meal, talking to a friend or watching some Netflix, every little bit helps.
Get physically active
Doing something physically stimulating can help you relax and slow down your thoughts. Exercise, dancing, walking or swimming are simple things you can try to distract yourself in a healthy and positive way! It helps you distance yourself from your thoughts, stop overthinking and overanalysis for a while. Moreover, exercise will release endorphins into your body to help improve your mood too.
Visualise happiness to stop overthinking
Visualisation meditation is effective and simple. Think about your happy place or any happy memory you have. Imagine you are reliving it or you’re in your favourite happy place. This can boost your mood, help you feel positive and bring your mind back on track. It helps stop overthinking because you feel happy and your mind is taken to a happier and safer environment.
In many cases, overthinking occurs due to fear and uncertainty. When you focus on negativity, that happens. In case you’re unable to stop overthinking, that’s okay. Think about what is bothering you and visualise all the things that can go right and keep those thoughts present and up front.
Gain perspective
It’s always easy to make things bigger and more negative than they actually are. But that’s not your fault and you can fix it! Next time you find yourself going down that direction, take a moment and pause. Try and get some perspective of what is bothering you and think about it. Ask yourself how much it will matter in five years. Or, for that matter, next month. Just this simple question, changing up the time frame, can help you stop overthinking.
Make a list
This is a list of all your fears and potential problems that are running through your mind. Set a timer for 5 minutes and write down everything that is worrying you, stressing you, or giving you anxiety. Let it all out and don’t stop any thoughts from surfacing. Once the time is up, rip up the paper and throw it away. This will help you release tension, feel light and stop overthinking.
It’s easy to start overthinking and not stop, but not anymore. With these simple techniques, you can stop overthinking within minutes. Keep a calm mind, clear your head and learn to connect with your thoughts better so you can become better at responding to negative thoughts and emotions. Meditation for anxiety can help you do just that.
Evolve’s guided meditations for anxiety help you deal with anxiety, reduce negative thoughts and stop overthinking in minutes. The Evolve app is now live globally on Android & Apple, click here to try for free!
