How To Stop Overthinking Everything With These 8 Simple Habits

Are you the kind of person who misses out on big opportunities because you thought too long and didn’t take decisive action? Yeah, me too. In a big way. But I’ve found 9 habits that have helped me break that indecisiveness.

1. Look at the big picture.

It can be easy not to see the forest through the trees. Sometimes big decisions have a lot of small, moving parts. Do you ever find yourself getting derailed by small details in the big picture? I do too. But I’ve found it helps to take a look at the big picture and imagine yourself following through. It helps me make timely decisions.

2. Set a time limit for big decisions.

If you’re having a hard time deciding on a big decision, set a time limit on the decision itself. The time limit shouldn’t be too long and should fall well before any major deadline with the decision.

3. Think of yourself as a person of action.

Sometimes all it takes to get yourself motivated is visualizing it. Don’t dwell on being an overthinking person. Think of yourself as a person of action. Picture it in your mind and do it.

4. Recognize that you can’t control every outcome.

One of the biggest reasons for my indecisiveness and overthinking was fear of the outcomes. Not just fear of them, but the recognition of the fact that I couldn’t control those outcomes. But not being able to control the outcome of a decision isn’t a reason to dwell on said decision or choose inaction.

5. If you can’t think straight, shelve the issue.

Sometimes if I’m thinking too much about a problem, it all starts to get muddied in my head. In that situation, I’ve found it to be incredibly helpful to just leave it alone for a while. Get a good nights sleep and think about it tomorrow.

6. Don’t let fear rule your life.

This ties in with not being able to control outcomes. Yeah, some decisions may not have the most ideal results, but it’s no reason to fear making big decisions. You never know, it might be the best you’ve ever mad.

7. Exercise.

This goes hand in hand with shelving the issue for a while. I’ve found a good jog, bike ride, hike, or weight lifting session can really help clear your mind and start fresh thinking about an issue.