Many employees get trapped in the vicious cycle of overthinking.
If it happens to you too, know you’re not alone — overthinking affects almost everyone, regardless of their position, experience, or even expertise in psychology.
To help you finally beat all those overwhelming thoughts, we’ve consulted the experts, and luckily, they shared many practical solutions you can implement right away.
So, keep reading!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Overthinking at work can cause anxiety, reduce productivity, and lead to burnout.
- Lack of clarification, unclear expectations, and poor communication at work can trigger overthinking.
- Overthinking can be prevented with mindfulness, physical exercise, and other techniques.
7 Tips on how to overcome overthinking at work
Overthinking in the workplace can cause job anxiety, lower productivity, and even lead to burnout, so it’s only natural that you want to prevent it.
According to Dr. Easton Gaines, a Psychologist and Founder at MindCare Psychology, overthinking is “a cognitive trap: it feels like you’re being thorough, but in reality, it slows decision-making, reduces creativity, and drains mental energy.”
She adds: “The goal isn’t to stop thinking — it’s to think better.”
So, we asked Dr. Gaines and other experts to share practical tips on how to “think better”.
Tip #1: Set timeframes for making decisions
You often need to make countless decisions at work, especially if you’re in a leadership position. The scope of responsibility can naturally lead to thoughts getting out of hand.
A Workplace Wellbeing Expert and Author, Dr. Heather Lamb, suggests setting a specific timeframe for when you make decisions:
“Being able to set boundaries around [professionals’] decision-making is very effective in alleviating overthinking. If professionals were to set a timeframe within which they could analyze a situation, they would accordingly quickly set in action.”
Similarly, Dr. Gaines suggests setting time limits but based on decision size:
“Give yourself a set amount of time — five minutes for small decisions, an hour for medium ones, a day for big ones. When the deadline hits, you make the best call with the information you have.”
Tip #2: Stop striving for perfection
If you’re an overthinker, you likely prefer your work to be perfectly organized. While this is a valuable professional trait, it can lead to overanalyzing the tiniest details.
According to Dr. Charles Sweet MD, MPH, a Psychiatrist and Medical Advisor for Linear Health, overthinking is a common struggle that often stems from the desire to be perfect:
“Overthinking is a struggle everyone can relate to, especially when it comes to work. To be quite frank, even mental health professionals aren’t immune to this. It’s a very human experience.”
He suggests that overthinkers often burden themselves with questions like “What if I mess up?” or “What if I say the wrong thing?”, adding: “It’s definitely exhausting, and a lot of overthinking comes from putting pressure on ourselves to be perfect.”
Instead of striving for perfection, Dr. Heather Lamb suggests pursuing progress. She adds that “many high achievers overanalyze for fear of making the wrong decision, but it is important to learn the value of adaptability and trust one’s skill set.”
On a similar note, Dr. Gaines shares a practical tip on overcoming perfectionism:
“Perfectionism fuels overthinking. The truth? Good enough is almost always good enough. And done beats perfect every time. Try this: Set a ‘B+ standard’ for most decisions and tasks.”
As she points out: “Perfection is fear in a fancy outfit.”
Tip #3: Focus on the present
The past should stay where it is, as you can’t change it. While focusing on the present moment is easier said than done, Dr. Sweet suggests the “5-5-5” rule for structuring your thoughts around the present:
“Try asking yourself, ‘Will this matter in 5 days? 5 months? 5 years?’ It’s a helpful exercise that can reframe your perspective. Most of the time, you’ll realize that whatever you’re overthinking won’t matter much in 5 months.”
And when you “catch yourself looping in thoughts”, Dr. Gaines reminds:
“You don’t have to solve the whole problem — just take one small step. Ask: What is the next right step (not the best step, just the next one)? Send the email, make the call, draft the outline. Action builds momentum. Momentum drowns overthinking.”
Tip #4: Ask for help from your colleagues
An efficient way to combat overthinking in the workplace is to address all the ambiguities directly with your colleagues.
An LMFT, Clinical Director and Co-Founder of California Behavioral Health, Melissa Legere, explains that “overthinking often happens when there’s too much information or uncertainty — and it can create a loop of indecision.” She adds that, “having someone to bounce ideas off or get clarification from can ease that mental clutter.”
Asking for feedback and guidance allows for more clarity and helps release stress. Therefore, Legere suggests that “by discussing your thoughts with a colleague or supervisor, you can gain perspective and make more confident decisions — rather than getting stuck in your head.”
Further reading
Not sure what constructive feedback actually looks like? Find out below:
Tip #5: Organize your tasks and workspace
Another common (but often overlooked) trigger of overthinking, is your physical and digital space organization. The truth is, disorganization can impact your thoughts negatively, Legere explains:
“Overthinking often gets worse when your workspace or to-do list is cluttered or disorganized. When things feel all over the place, your mind can start to feel the same way — making it harder to focus.”
Legere suggests: “Try breaking down your tasks into smaller, more manageable steps and prioritize them. Keep your workspace clean and tidy so you can focus on what’s in front of you. This simple act of organization can help reduce that feeling of overwhelm, and make it easier to stay focused on what really matters.”
Further reading
Are files in your computer a mess? We gathered tips to help you fix it:
Tip #6: Practice mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness can also release job anxiety, Dr. Sweet explains:
“Staying grounded by meditating or doing deep breathing exercises between tasks can lower physiological stress. By staying present, you also reduce the urge to overthink and just focus on your workload.”
A Psychotherapist and the Founder of The Mindful Loft Counselling and Psychotherapy, Stephanie Boucher, highlights the following practical ways to reduce anxiety immediately, including:
- “Breathing exercises,
- Movement (swaying back and forth to activate the nervous system’s bilateral stimulation),
- Progressive muscle relaxation, and
- Grounding techniques (e.g. feel your feet on the floor, hold a warm drink, or notice five things around you).”
Further reading
Do you feel like you’re not as calm and collected at work as you’d like to be? Here are some tips to help you:
Tip #7: Change unhelpful thinking patterns
If you’re not in a supportive work environment, the one that nurtures employee wellbeing, it’s natural to feel pressured and question your every move due to the lack of clarity. But, before learning to cope with the resulting thoughts, you’ll need to recognize the environment as toxic first.
Further reading
A toxic work environment is a clear recipe for negativity, stress, and conflict — make sure to spot it in time:
Stephanie Boucher explains how you can restructure your thoughts in response to such environments. Try thinking like this: “The expectations are unclear so I am working with what I have” instead of “I am failing at my job, my boss is likely disappointed in me.”
Dr. Sweet shares additional advice on how to change unhelpful thinking patterns:
“When you notice yourself spiraling at work, try naming your thought patterns. Some examples to get started might be: ‘That’s my perfectionism talking’ or ‘There’s my brain catastrophizing.’”
As he explains, this technique, called labeling, is often used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT):
“I know it’s easier said than done, but labeling helps create distance, giving you space to decide whether the thought is helpful or not.”
Turn overthinking into constructive thinking
Overthinking at work isn’t always due to personal traits or perfectionism. More often, it’s triggered by external factors beyond your control — like workplace culture or the lack of clarity.
As it’s difficult to shut off all the work thoughts completely, try to learn to react to given circumstances in the best way possible.
By applying the practical expert strategies, you’ll start thinking more constructively and protect yourself from work-related stress and anxiety caused by overthinking.
And remember — the worst-case scenarios are rarely the realistic ones, but rather the ones you’ve spent too much time imagining.