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.

• What if I did not think through the situation?
• What if my friends don't like me?
• What if things turn out to be worst?

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:

• Dwelling on events or situations (especially the ones with negative outcomes) of the past
• Rehashing or second-guessing decisions you've made
• Replaying unpleasant events in your mind over and over
• Rehashing challenging or uncomfortable conversations
• Fixating on things you can't control, change or improve
• Imagining the worst-case scenario or outcome
• Following your worries out of the present moment and into an unchangeable past or unforeseeable future
• Questioning but feeling unsure about making a decision or taking action

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:

• Mistakes are not outliers, but very much part of life
• Your thoughts and fears are valid, but they are not facts
• Keeping things in perspective by acknowledging that all you can control is the present moment
• The thoughts racing through your head will not last forever
• You deserve your kindness as much as everyone else
• Aim for progress not perfection
• Its good to remind yourself from time to time that all you can control is your efforts, not the outcome
• Keeping your perspective in check helps; things can go way better than you may think

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:

• Take a pause to acknowledge your default response position to less than optimal situations
• Find an active distraction to break the cycle of active overthinking cycle
• Take a deep breath and actively practice gratitude towards yourself
• Developing a regular meditation practice is an pragmatic way to help clear your mind of nervous chatter by turning your attention inward
• Look out and ahead when you feel things getting out of hand. A key question to ponder if the thing that is eating away at you, it may not have the same significance come 5 or 10 years from now?
• Extending a helping hand to your friends and family in need of help, is always an effective way to keep things in perspective
• Stay in the present moment and avoid distractions as much as possible by unplugging from devices
• Look at things from a different point of view can help enrich your viewpoints . How you see the world is shaped by your life experiences, values, and assumptions.
• Actively practice self-compassion by embracing your growth opportunities while celebrating your accomplishments
• Lean in into your network by asking for help, seeking guidance, providing a lending hand when possible

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."