Is overthinking holding you back?
Do you come from a culture or an environment that promotes critical thinking? Do you routinely use tools such as the "five why's" to get to the root of any situation? This interrogative technique helps with the root-cause analysis and has its root in Japan and has been used very effectively in Toyota's production system and in Lean philosophy.
However at times we do tend to get too deep in our head about things, and we've all found ourselves stuck in the never-ending spiral of "what-ifs" that come and go with life.
These lines of thoughts are helpful and even aids introspection as long as they do not lead us down the continuous downward spiral of overthinking. Often confused with problem solving or even introspection; overthinking is more detrimental than one can ordinarily imagine. On the surface overthinking and problem solving may seem quite similar, however the two are definitely distinct.
"Problem-solving is when you ask questions with the intent of finding an answer and/or enacting a solution," says Dr. Fowler. "Overthinking, on the other hand, is when you dwell on possibilities and pitfalls without any real intent of solving a problem. In fact, a problem or potential problem may not even actually exist." Likewise, there are dissimilarities between introspection and overthinking. "Self-reflection is an internally inquisitive process rooted in a higher purpose — whether that's to grow as a person or gain a new perspective. If you're obsessing over something you don't like about yourself that you either can't change or have no intention of improving, it's not self-reflection — it's overthinking," explains Dr. Fowler.
The key to stopping oneself from overthinking is to realize that one is heading down the 'overthinking' pathway. While there is no one-size-fits pattern of overthinking for all of us, here are some of the more common telltale signs of overthinking:
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Overthinking impacts physical, emotional, mental as well as psychological well being and needs to be looked at with a very critical eye. Depending on the degree of overthinking, it can impact the way you experience and engage with the world. "Overthinking can prevent you from making important decisions, keeping you from enjoying the present moment and draining you of the energy you need to handle daily stressors," explains Dr. Fowler.
With an understanding of overthinking and its impacts, the next step is to look at ways to prevent it from holding us back. Again, while there isn't a one-size-fits all answer, there are some key steps that could serve as a pertinent reminder:
At the end of the day, none of us are perfect. Finding ways to keep overthinking in check requires practice and keeping things in perspective helps. Here are some of the practical steps that can be used to perhaps pause overthinking:
As a person who is quite susceptible to overthinking, I have learned that ?logical problem-solving is not always a cure-all. "Going with your intuition or gut is sometimes far more accurate than being slow and deliberative," according to Dr. Fowler. "And while neither approach is foolproof, snap decisions leverage the implicit processing capacities of your mind and can disrupt ruminations."
Digital Products - Business Operations Manager / Senior Project Manager
1 年Guilty as charged. The bullet item "Fixating on things you can't control, change or improve" is especially relevant for me. I need to remember to share what I know or have an opinion about and then move on more frequently. I am not always positioned to make the decisions; I can only advise to the best of my ability.
Associate Consultant at Tata Consultancy Services
1 年Love this, especially problem solving vs overthinking.