How can we reduce overthinking? I do not think there is any method that can help us do it immediately. But from what I have observed, read, heard from others, and am trying to apply to myself, I have drawn out 4 fairly practical experiences below. They are not magical formulas, nor are they guaranteed to work for everyone. They also cannot make every worry disappear in a single day, but I am learning to follow them every day to slowly pull my mind out of repetitive thought loops, little by little.
See more: Is Overthinking Just Because You Care Too Much?
Overthinking – The Silent Pain Only Those Who Experience It Truly Understand
In the past, I was often swept into endless streams of thought. They repeated themselves, overlapped with one another, and made my head feel hot, as if I wanted to shout the word “Stop,” but my mind simply refused to stop. There were nights when I lay in bed, my mind restless, unable to sleep, followed by deep frustration and discouragement.
What was worth mentioning was that the things I overthought were often very trivial. Sometimes it was regret about the past: “Why did I do that back then? How could I mess up something so simple?” Other times, it was fear of things that had not even happened yet. Reading any bad news could make me feel anxious, as if some disaster were about to fall on my head. Even when taking a plane — a form of transportation that is actually very safe — I would still sit there imagining all kinds of bad scenarios for hours, only daring to breathe a sigh of relief after landing.
After observing myself, listening to other people’s experiences, and trying many different methods, I realized that overthinking is like running on a treadmill. Your body is exhausted, and it feels as if you have gone very far, but in reality, you are still standing in the same place. That was also when I understood that simply enduring it forever was not okay. I needed a few concrete actions to pull my mind out of that loop.
1. Redirect Your Focus Through “Active Listening”
One thing I learned is that when your mind is running all over the place, trying to force yourself to “stop thinking” usually does not work. The brain at that moment is like something running in too many directions at once. If you simply order it to stop, it will not listen. But if you bring it back to one specific point of focus, other thoughts may temporarily fade into the background.
I find this quite similar to the moment when someone is shooting an arrow, throwing a dart, or saving a penalty kick. When all attention is fixed on the target, the world around seems to become smaller, leaving only that person and the task in front of them. Of course, we cannot always go archery or play sports to escape our worries, especially at night. So a simpler exercise can be listening to an audiobook.
However, you need to clearly distinguish this from turning on an audiobook as “background noise” to escape reality while your mind is still thinking about something else. The key here is “active listening.” Choose an audiobook segment about relaxation, or a light topic you enjoy, and listen to it for about 5 to 10 minutes with real focus. After that, try to summarize in your mind what you have just heard. This may sound small, but it forces the brain to use its energy to stay with one specific piece of content instead of running wildly after uncontrolled thoughts. You cannot stop every thought from appearing, but at least you are choosing an active direction for your mind to follow.
2. Recheck the Negative Stories in Your Mind
Sometimes there is a voice in our head that is very good at exaggerating. It predicts bad things, then acts as if those things are certain to happen. Before a presentation, it says you will say something wrong, be criticized, and be judged. Before meeting a client, it creates a scene in which the meeting fails. The dangerous thing is that the more anxious you are, the stronger those predictions become.
The way to deal with this kind of exaggerated thinking is to use real data.
Divide a piece of paper into 3 columns: Event – Prediction – Result.
- Event: Presentation.
- Prediction: I will say something wrong, be criticized, and be judged.
- Result: The presentation went well, and the project was approved.
If you do this often enough with the things that make you anxious, you will begin to build your own “data set.” You will see that not every negative prediction in your mind is true. Most worries are strongest when they are still in your imagination. When real outcomes are written down, blind belief in the negative stories inside your head will gradually weaken.
3. Teach Your Brain How to Find Practical Solutions
Another experience I find worth trying is not only writing down your fear, but also writing down a way to handle it through a specific action. If you only write, “I’m scared,” “I’m worried,” or “I’m not okay,” you may still remain trapped inside that feeling. But when you force yourself to write down an action that can help solve the problem, your brain starts to be pulled in another direction, helping you stop sitting still and worrying.
For example, if the repetitive thought is about work: “I’m afraid I’ll miss the deadline and ruin this project” -> force yourself to write down an immediate action-based solution: “Turn on the computer, write down 3 tasks that need to be done today, and complete the first task within exactly 15 minutes.” This real action will cut off negative thinking much faster than simply sitting in one place trying to comfort yourself mentally.
And if you are afraid of being rejected when expressing your feelings, instead of sinking into the thought “I’ll definitely be rejected,” you can think of specific actions to prepare better in terms of appearance, wording, and mindset, while also learning to accept that not everything will go the way you want.
The main point of this method is not to deceive yourself into thinking that everything will always turn out well. It only helps us shift from a negative question like “Why is this happening to me?” to a more useful question: “What can I do to make things better?” If you review the solution column every day, it is like teaching your brain a new habit. Instead of staying stuck in fear, you train yourself to look for a way out.
4. Take Care of Your Body So Your Mind Becomes Less Chaotic
The final method sounds very simple, but I do not think it should be underestimated: if you want your mind to become more stable, your body also needs to be properly cared for. When you lack sleep, eat irregularly, sit for too long, or your body is already too tired, negative thoughts often come more easily. A small issue can be exaggerated, an ordinary sentence can make you more sensitive, and a worry that was not too serious can keep you awake all night.
An exhausted body has a hard time supporting a restless mind. So sleeping a little better, doing light exercise, eating more regularly, and resting at the right time are not minor things. Sometimes, they are the very foundation that helps you become less easily pulled away by negative thoughts. If the mind wants to become steadier, the body also needs enough strength to stand with it.
You do not necessarily need to begin immediately with methods that require a lot of discipline, such as meditation, yoga, or intensive training practices, if you are not ready. Sometimes, reducing overthinking begins with very small things: turning off the computer 30 minutes earlier, drinking a warm glass of water, walking once around your apartment building, or simply relaxing your body to nourish both your physical and mental state after a long day.
These Are the Things I Am Learning and Practicing
The things above are not magical formulas, nor are they distant theories. To me, they are experiences drawn from observing myself, listening to other people’s experiences, and trying to apply them when my mind feels too tired. You do not need to do all 4 methods immediately. Start with one small thing, do it consistently, and you will gradually notice yourself changing day by day.
Overthinking makes us believe that everything has to be solved inside our head right away. But sometimes, what helps us feel lighter begins with a very small action in real life. If you also have a way that helps you reduce overthinking, share your experience. Perhaps it will help someone else find a method that works for them.
