When Thinking Becomes Overthinking
A personal pep talk for breaking the thought loops that slow us down
Here I am, mid-spiral, and deciding to write about it because, well… the spirals have been ongoing lately. Not sure if it’s the hot weather, my own burnout, or just plain old overthinking. But it’s hitting hard. And making it hard to get things done.
I’d like to think I’m not alone in this?
Here’s the usual cycle: I create a scenario in my head, act on it, and when it doesn’t go according to plan, I overthink the hell out of it, running through every possible what if.
Then I beat myself up for it. Not literally, but metaphorically (and internally).
In some ways, overthinking is normal. It’s part of being human. I also come from a long line of worry warts and over thinkers—so it’s literally in my DNA.
Lately though, I’ve been in a place where the things I’m doing and creating feel… pointless. Part of that, I think, comes from how seriously we all take everything now. We’ve somehow forgotten the art of creating just to create, without nitpicking it to bits. And yet, here I am, nitpicking. Overthinking.
Usually these feelings pass in a few days. A walk in fresh air, replaying my favorite albums, comfort shows, journaling, it all helps. But not this time.
This time, it’s the kind of fatigue that makes your jaw sore and your brain ache.
Every decision feels like a climb up Everest. I’m grasping for ways to bring myself back to myself.
If you’re feeling similarly, I’m sorry, and I’m right here with you. As basic as it sounds, this too shall pass.
In the meantime, I’m putting together a little list to help break the overthinking spiral, something I can come back to when I feel stuck. And I wanted to share it with you, too.
Breaking the Overthinking Spiral
Dump it out → Journal, jot random notes, sketch—just get it all out of your head and onto paper.
Set a timer → Give yourself 20 minutes to decide, then commit once it’s up.
Parking lot list → Set aside the things stirring you up to revisit with a fresh brain later.
Shift space → Move to a new spot (in your house, or a café) or switch the music/podcast. Small shifts can spark a reset.
Limit outside sources → Close inspiration tabs after 10 minutes.
Get started & refine later → 5 minutes of action before any more thinking.
Small win → Finish something unrelated to help break the loop.
Give yourself grace → If you need to crash out, do it. You’re human.
I hope this can be of some help to you. At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to stop thinking completely, it’s to stop letting your thoughts keep you from moving forward.
You’ve got this! And so do I.
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Until next time,
Bailey
I’ve never seen someone else describe my EXACT emotions so well before. I’ve been trying to hone my design skills outside of my 9-5, as I don’t find it fulfilling. My brain is constantly flipping between ‘it doesn’t have to be perfect, you’re just doing this to practice’ and ‘this has to be perfect if you want it to be a portfolio piece’. When I can’t get it to look on screen how it looks in my head, I start spiralling quickly and then start to believe I’m useless. Which leads me to putting off practicing it at all. It’s such a vicious circle!