Solutions to Overcome Overthinking

When we overthink we can’t sleep. Then we experience more self-doubt or we get into a kind of paralysis where we’re not present anymore for the ones we love.

Last week we talked about overthinking, and what the studies (and our Dynamic Women® community) say about how long we should spend in focused decision-making time. Now let’s talk a bit about some ways to help us stop overthinking.

Here are a few ways you can encourage yourself to make the decision faster:

• Choose the decision that would make the most difference: Think back to last week when I asked you to think of a decision you’ve been procrastinating on or overthinking. What’s one thing that if you made a decision on right now, would make your life so much better?
• Schedule thinking time: Imagine if you took your schedule and you wrote in it, “Make a decision on X, Y or Z” in a slot on your calendar. This would give you scheduled, dedicated time to make that decision.
• Look at the bigger picture: Ask yourself if this will matter in five years or even in five weeks from now? So, whether you picked the Cobb salad or the Sushi doesn't really matter in five weeks. It doesn't matter in five hours (well unless it makes you sick, but let’s put it in perspective).
• Go with the right decision for right now: Ask yourself, if you’re truly supposed to answer this question now or is there a simpler question that I need to ask myself before making my decision. So thinking back to the moving homes example, before deciding that you were for sure going to move, maybe you needed to first decide what city to move to or what type of house you wanted to buy.
• Just do it: An interesting strategy suggested at a Dynamic Women® event was to, “Just do it”. Just tell yourself to make the decision and it will help get the ball rolling.
• Brainstorming time: Brainstorming will help you to create a plan of action. At least the first step.
• Look at what will happen if you don’t make the decision: Take a quick moment to consider the consequences of indecision. Perhaps your decision will be made for you? Maybe your options will be further limited?

Here comes what my clients call a “Diane-ism!” Everything is figureoutable! (And how timely that it’s even in Marie Forleo’s latest book.)

It is the truth! You can figure this out. Keep focusing on active problem solving. Don't dwell on the problem. Don't dwell on the fact that you can't make a decision on this. Ask yourself, what steps can I take? What
can I do next to move me forward? Is this really the first question I need to be asking myself?

If right now truly isn’t the right time to make this decision, get some exercise. Go for a walk and be in nature or sleep on it. Know that everything is figureoutable and that you will be able to make a good decision. And if fear comes in, ask yourself if this will matter in five years or even five weeks.

Overthinking it takes your time. It takes your money. It takes convenience. It takes away balance and it gives you so many negative things. So why did we do it?

I implore you, don't do it anymore. Focus on the decision making and make small decisions as quickly as possible.

What is this is going to do? It's going to build your decision-making muscle. I mean, what's the worst that can happen from a bad decision? You're going to learn from it and you're going to know what decision to make the next time.

Don't take yourself so seriously. Get out there and make some decisions!

And I'd love to hear how this article has impacted you in your decision making and how you have made an awesome dynamic decision.