7 Simple Ways to Stop Overthinking and Become More Decisive

Indecisiveness and overthinking find their roots in fear and anxiety. They are based largely on false, negative presumptions that ask "what if?"

People tend to get lost in overthinking which ends up being counterproductive for them and their decision-making abilities. They get so caught up in finding that one perfect solution which, oftentimes, leads them nowhere but back to where they started.

Every day of our lives, we have to make decisions. The quality of each decision we make determines the quality of the life we then lead. Getting stuck in an endless loop of overthinking leads one to either make poor decisions or end up not making any decision at all.

All of this has far-reaching consequences on our own lives as we lose control of our life by being scared to make any decisions in the future and running away from responsibility.

The truth is, being decisive is really not as hard as we make it out to be. This article talks about simple ways you can change your negative thought patterns and turn them into positive ones.

View the Bigger Picture

It is very easy to send yourself in an overthinking loop over insignificant things. A good way to view things from a different angle is to widen your perspective.

A good tip is to ask yourself:

Will this matter 5 years from now?

If the answer is no, you are needlessly worrying about yourself.

Once you view the bigger picture, the overall significance of the matter will fall into place. This will help you land on a decision much faster by making you worry less. You can then focus your energy on things that do actually matter.

Know Your Purpose

When you get stuck in the overthinking trap, it is good practice to ask yourself the WHY of your situation. Once you know that, everything else gets a lot easier.

A lot of times people beat around the bush and do not sincerely answer as to WHY they are doing what they are doing and what the ultimate goal is. In fact, there are times when most of us are not even aware of our WHYs.

So, for this to work, ask yourself why you are doing this and what you are hoping to achieve out of it. Answering this truthfully and honestly to yourself is going to be a big step in the right direction.

Journal Your Thoughts

A good exercise to break the cycle of overthinking and indecisiveness is to write your thoughts on paper.

Writing your thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper allows you to view them in a new light and rethink them. It also helps you organize your thoughts in a single space instead of them being scattered all over the place in your mind. Organizing your thoughts is a great way to make the process of decision-making easier. It breaks down your thoughts into simple, doable steps instead of being in a giant ball of a confusing mess when they were in your head.

You can then take that paper and chuck it away which is a scientifically proven way to relieve stress and let go of negative thoughts.

Find a Distraction

If you are thinking over and over again, disrupt your thoughts by distracting yourself with physical activity.

You don't have to make a great effort or go to great lengths to absorb yourself in an activity that might prove to be distractive. You can do something as simple as talking to a friend or go for a walk. Or better yet, go for a walk with your friend.

In any case, change your location.

For example, as soon as you catch yourself overthinking, get up and take a short brisk walk. Exercising and/or distracting yourself by playing a game is also a good way to stop the negative thought pattern right in its tracks.

Trust Your Opinion

At the core of not being able to make decisions and get sucked in by toxic thought patterns lay one thing: insecurity.

In large part, the reason why you end up knocking at overthinking's door is because you do not trust yourself to make the right decision, to begin with.

This could be due to several reasons. Maybe you've had negative past experiences that caused you enough traumas to be interfering with your decisions now.

In any case, learn to listen to yourself. Give yourself some respect and know that you are a person capable of rational and sound reasoning.

Be Logical Instead of Emotional

As much as we hate to accept it, we all know our decisions are largely emotion-driven.

We all fall prey to fear or anxiety at some point in our lives that lead us to make some less-than-ideal decisions.

Making decisions using our emotions is treading dangerous waters. We use emotions at critical moments and then try to justify our emotional decisions by using logic. This never works out.

Instead, try taking the complete opposite route. Make your decisions logically instead of emotionally. Ask yourself what you would do if you were emotionally detached from the object in question.

This is easier said than done but considering its long-term benefits, it is well worth the effort.

Know Your Moral Values

All the self-doubt, indecisiveness, anxiety, and fear would not exist if strong moral values are established.

At the core of our worries lies a clouded moral foundation. Often, the best option is obvious when our moral values are clear.

Therefore, as part of your decision-making process, jot your moral values down on paper. Apply that moral code in every decision you make, no matter how big or small. It will then become second nature to follow it, thus, making the act of decision-making a lot easier for you.

This practice is particularly handy when you are faced with tough life decisions. Knowing exactly where your moral compass lies is going to greatly simplify things for you going ahead in life.

Remember, at the end of the day, no one is perfect. Give yourself some space and forgive yourself for all your shortcomings. Not every decision you make is going to end up well for you.

And that is okay.