Stuck in Your Head? 5 Simple Ways to Get Out of It

Do you ever catch yourself thinking about your thinking?

You replay a conversation. Worry about something that hasn't happened yet. Analyse every possible outcome. And the more you think, the less clear everything becomes.

Welcome to overthinking.

Your brain is incredibly useful for solving problems. But not every problem can be solved by thinking harder. Sometimes the best thing you can do is interrupt the pattern and change your state.

Here are five practical ways to get out of your head.

1. Move your body

Your mind and body are connected. If you're stuck in your thoughts, change what your body is doing.

Go for a walk. Hit the gym. Dance. Run. Stretch.

Even ten minutes of movement can shift your attention away from your thoughts and toward what is happening right now.

2. Change your environment

Sitting in the same place while telling yourself to “stop thinking about it” usually doesn't work.

Get outside. Walk to a coffee shop. Sit in a park. Call a friend.

A different environment gives your brain different input and can help interrupt repetitive thinking.

3. Write it down

Your head is a terrible storage space.

Take a piece of paper and write down everything that's going through your mind. Don't make it beautiful. Don't analyse it. Just get it out.

Then ask yourself:

What can I actually control?

Focus your energy there.

4. Take action

Overthinking often happens when we're trying to find certainty before doing something.

But certainty rarely comes first.

Send the message. Make the call. Start the project. Have the conversation.

Action creates information. Information creates clarity.

Sometimes five minutes of action will teach you more than five hours of thinking.

5. Focus on something bigger than yourself

When all your attention is directed inward, problems can start to feel enormous.

Shift your focus outward.

Ask someone how they're doing. Help a colleague. Cook for your partner. Call your parents. Do something kind for a stranger.

Helping someone else can instantly change your perspective.

You don't have to believe every thought

The goal isn't to stop thinking. That's impossible.

The goal is to recognize when your thinking is no longer helping you.

When that happens, don't fight your mind with more thoughts.

Move. Change your environment. Write. Act. Connect.

Sometimes the fastest way to change your mind is to stop trying to change your mind and start doing something different.