Are you trapped in your own head? Are you stuck in a loop of non-stop mental chatter, a never-ending cycle of stinking thinking? Mental stress is the biggest source of stress and has very real effects on our physiology. Here are three strategies to help calm your mind from overthinking and find peace.
I’m writing this article as one overthinker to another. I know what it’s like to constantly feel like you’re stuck in overdrive with an inability to switch off.
Prolonged overthinking and overwhelm can lead to emotional exhaustion, a key feature of burnout that eventually results in substantial impairment.
This happens because your energy is being pulled in too many directions. Naturally, our minds try to make sense of the overthinking by going into detective mode—analysing the root cause of the discomfort and attempting to problem-solve.
Over time, this creates resistance, and we end up stressed about being stressed. What a conundrum!
Research on overthinking (or rumination, as it’s known in the literature) tells us that…
- It is a well-established risk for anxiety and depression
- It is an epidemic among young and middle-aged adults
- It is more common in women, in whom it can become immobilising
- It interferes with good problem-solving
Here are three powerful strategies to help you switch your mind off and stop overthinking.
🗒️ Conduct a stress audit
Much of what we worry and stress about lies beyond our sphere of influence, meaning there’s often nothing we can do to control or change the situation.
In such cases, the only solution is to make peace with it and let it go.
- Write a list of the stressors in your head, big or small (work, finances, relationships, even your daily routine)
- Strike out anything on that list you can delegate or delete. If this feels hard, ask yourself, what is the consequence of keeping this in my life? Anxiety, headaches, less time with the children? Be ruthless here and put your own needs first
- Circle anything within your sphere of influence—these are the items you can take action on. For each, jot down one actionable step to help you move forward. For example, if you have a looming project deadline that requires overtime, take out a frozen meal to thaw in the fridge so you’ll have dinner ready, easing some of the stress related to that situation
- Highlight the remaining items in pink, for acceptance and self-compassion. Acknowledge that these things are challenging, and it’s okay to feel the weight of them. Speak to yourself as you would a friend, and gently remind yourself to set this worry aside and let it rest… you’re not giving up, just finding peace with where you’re at
⌛ Try a worry window
A worry window is a technique that involves designating a specific period during the day to focus solely on your worries or concerns. The idea is to compartmentalise worrying, preventing it from consuming your entire day and allowing you to stay present and focused on other tasks outside this window.
Keep your worry window to 15-30 minutes, and put all your uncensored troubles to paper in this time. Let your mind indulge in worst-case scenario – get it out of your system!
Once your worry window is up, use a Sharpie to put a big black cross through the page/s. This is a powerful symbol of closure, reinforcing the message your worries are over and it’s time to move on.
🤸♀️ Studies have shown that using a worry window can lead to a reduction in health complaints and less worry throughout the day [Source].
🍵 Supplement with L-Theanine
L-theanine, an amino acid naturally found in green tea, is often referred to as “the meditation compound” for its calming yet clarifying effects.
As a supplement, L-theanine supports mental clarity and focused attention without causing drowsiness. It helps calm your mind from overthinking while keeping you alert and composed, making it a perfect ally for those seeking calm focus without agitation.
200mg of L-theanine daily has been found to reduce stress-related anxiety and depression while improving sleep quality [Source].
Though coffee isn’t particularly helpful when you’re in a heightened state of stress, due to it stimulating adrenaline and cortisol production, I totally appreciate that it’s a necessity to get you through work sometimes.
So – try adding L-theanine powder to your morning cup of Joe, it will at least help smooth out the caffeine jitters.
👩⚕️ For more support
Overthinking can feel like running in circles with no finish line in sight. But here’s the good news—you don’t have to stay stuck in this cycle. My Breaking Burnout course, launching in the new year, is your roadmap to breaking free from burnout for good.
Together, we’ll dive deep into the root causes of burnout and equip you with proven strategies to reclaim your energy, balance your moods, sharpen your focus, and feel at home in your body again (yes, even saying goodbye to that stubborn cortisol belly!).
Jump on my mailing list to keep abreast of the launch.
Till next time,
Lauren.
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