How to Stop Overthinking

In my last article, I talked about overthinking, how it can show up + an 'in the moment tip' to help stop overthinking in its tracks (read it here if you haven't already)

Today I'm talking about one of my favourite ways to quiet overthinking, perhaps even begin to prevent it and allow your brain an opportunity to rest. While there are a ton of different articles, blogs and other posts about overthinking, this is a little different.

I've found that overthinking is at its worst when I'm tired and have too much on my mind. My to-do list is usually too long, and I'm trying to keep it all in my head. It doesn't work!

Enter the Brain Dump!

Brain dumps may be something you’ve heard of before and perhaps something you’ve tried in the past without much success.  Sometimes a different take can be exactly what you need.  If this is entirely new to you, you’re going to love this!

Step 1 - Get it out of your head!

This is a pretty important step if you're trying to remember everything or you have a tendency to leave notes everywhere (🙋‍♀️ that used to be me!)

First up, grab some paper and a pen. This part is crucial! There is much science behind writing things out by hand and helping your mind relax. Given that the purpose of this is to help you stop overthinking and allow your mind to relax, this is important.

 Next up, grab a timer (a kitchen timer is great) and set it for 25 minutes. If you're using your phone, set it to 'do not disturb.' It's helpful if this time isn't interrupted.

Now DUMP! You heard that right, start writing - anything and everything that's on your mental to-do list. It doesn't matter if it's for business or personal or something else. Dump it all in one spot.

 Don't worry about what's coming out, don't judge it or try to sort it. We'll do that later.

Okay, your timer has gone off. Take a moment, get up, stretch, shake it out, maybe even have a quick dance party.

Sit back down, set your timer for another 15 minutes and dig deep! Is there anything else lurking? Any other to-dos or things you don't want to forget? Once you're sure you've got it all, you can stop. If your timer goes off and you're still writing, keep going until you're done.

Step 2 - Sort it!

This is where we sort out everything you just wrote out. Grab some additional blank paper and note the following categories at the top of each sheet - Business, Personal, Family, Ideas and Other.

 Grab your master list - all the to-do's you just dumped and start at the top. Sort them out into each of the appropriate categories. Once everything on your master list is crossed off and sorted, take another 5-minute break.

 This is where most people stop and why they don't necessarily get anywhere with brain dumps. Two more steps make this magical!

Step 3 - Prioritize it!

First up, prioritizing the list is key! Most people given a list of tasks will start at the top and work their way down. This is not optimal because there are likely time-sensitive things on your list or things that should have been done already. By prioritizing the list, it means the critical things happen first.

 To help prioritize the list, I'm using an adapted version of Stephen R. Covey's Time Management Matrix from the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Important & Urgent (Square 1)

I like to think of these tasks as 911 or FIRE! If they don't get done, something terrible will happen or has already happened. These are not tasks that have a consequence in 3 months, but rather, they have a consequence in the next week or so.

 These things have to be done and have a firm deadline. They might be crises, pressing problems or deadline-driven projects.

Not Important & Urgent (Square 2)

Delegate these and or create SOP's (standard operating procedures). Yes, SOP's are usually used in business, but they can be used at home. These are tasks or activities that you do regularly, aren't critical but do have a deadline attached. It could be paying bills, cleaning the house, loading and unloading the dishwasher, etc.

 If these are work-related tasks, they might be reports, some meetings, some emails, scheduling social media posts, scheduling newsletters, tasks that could be delegated to an assistant.

 If you don't have an assistant at work, start a list of these tasks and how you do them so that you have the beginning of a duties list for when you're ready to hire an assistant.

 If these are to-do's at home, recruit help! This might be asking your partner to take on some of these items, asking your kids for help, or maybe hiring someone (i.e., housekeeper, personal shopper, assistant, lawn care, plowing, etc.)

Important & Not Urgent (Square 3)

This is where the magic is both in business and at home! The Sweet Spot, if you will. This is where we want to spend most of our time.

 It's a space for doing things we enjoy like relaxing activities, spending time with loved ones (maybe a game night or special dinner), recreation, time with friends, learning for the joy of learning, or something else.

 For business, this is your time to put on your CEO hat and run your business. These are to-do's that include marketing or business development—perhaps working on personal development or coaching. It's also time to invest in business education and learn more about leadership.

Not Important & Not Urgent (Square 4)

Why are you doing it? No, seriously! Why are you doing it? This box is for all the busy work and time-wasting to-dos. They might be pleasant to-do's/activities, but they don't get you closer to meeting your goals.

Seriously consider not doing these items.

 If you're worried about whether something belongs in this category, place it here and wait. Let it sit for a couple of months and revisit it. Has it shifted to square 1, or has anyone asked about it? If the answer is no, delete it.

Step 4 - Schedule it!

This is the critical step that most people miss or skip entirely after forgetting to prioritize things. Now that we have the full list and we've prioritized it, it's time to schedule it!

 Let's start with our 911/FIRE tasks. Get those scheduled asap! Ideally, this square stays empty or minimized to the point that there might be one or two things every few months. If this isn't the case, consider how you can begin to prevent the fires by doing things in squares 2 (delegate) and 3 (the sweet spot) to avoid creating fires in the first place.

 Once these things are scheduled (ideally getting them done in the next two weeks), begin to schedule the tasks in squares 2 and 3. Schedule them based on the due date and priority within the square.

 For the items in square 4, don't schedule those. If you're worried about them, tuck them away and see if they come back up.

 When you're scheduling tasks, it's helpful to schedule 1.5 or 2 times the amount of time you think you'll need. For example, if you think something will take 10 minutes, schedule 15-20 minutes. This creates a buffer for unexpected interruptions and an environment that reduces stress - a win-win all around.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have everything out of your head, on paper and in your calendar, it's time to celebrate! This is a huge accomplishment that will help you stop overthinking and prevent it.

 Take a few minutes a schedule a regular time with yourself each week to do a brain dump to make sure nothing is lurking. Over the next week, take 5 minutes each day to ensure you aren't holding on to items in your head. Get them out, get them sorted, prioritized and scheduled.

I'd love to hear how you do with this! Pop over to Facebook or Instagram and comment on the latest post or send me a message.

 Andrea

PS - if you’re still struggling with overthinking or are experiencing physical symptoms, please book a consultation call to chat about options for additional support

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