Overthinking: When your mind keeps going round and round
Recent scientific studies show that we have around 6,000 thoughts every day. Of these, around 3 per cent are positive and 24 per cent are negative. The rest have no particular effect. We therefore have eight times as many negative thoughts as positive ones. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense, as negative thoughts are intended to warn us of potential dangers and protect us.
Nevertheless, this can mean that negative thoughts have a greater impact on our well-being than positive thoughts do. Taking time from time to time to reflect on one’s own situation and living environment is important for personal development. However, those who constantly dwell on unpleasant thoughts are at increased risk of developing mental health issues. Overthinking means engaging excessively and repeatedly in negative emotions, personal worries or life experiences. This is also referred to as ‘excessive brooding’, which is generally perceived as problematic. Typical examples include playing out ‘what-if’ scenarios, dwelling on the past and worrying about possible negative consequences in the future.
Overthinking means: repetitive, unproductive thinking that leads nowhere.
This encourages excessive brooding
Overthinking every situation and every detail is a phenomenon that is on the rise. There are many reasons for this: concerns about one’s own health, fears of losing status, or a worldview that is prone to crisis. Changes in the world of work or personal traits, such as perfectionism or family influences, can also fuel this cycle of worry. The social pressure to always be successful is further intensified by social media, as this encourages excessive self-reflection and constant comparison with others.
You may be affected by overthinking if:
- Fears and worries take up a lot of your mental space (more than an hour a day).
- You suffer from symptoms of stress, such as increased breathing rate, a faster heartbeat, insomnia, or high tension.
- You are plagued by the worry that you might become seriously ill, either physically or mentally.
- You find it increasingly difficult to distance yourself from negative thoughts.
Professional and personal implications and what you can do about them
Overthinking is a widespread phenomenon that can affect mental health and productivity at work:
The longer the cycle of thoughts continues, the greater the sense of dissatisfaction becomes. Those affected take their work problems home with them, which has a negative impact on their relationships and family life. All of this creates enormous stress, which reduces quality of life and increases the risk of burnout or work phobia.
According to a New Zealand study based on data from over 64,000 people aged between 18 and 81, overthinking is particularly common among young adults and decreases significantly with age. There are clear differences between the sexes. Young women in particular report repeated rumination more frequently than men. This could be linked to the fact that women are taught from an early age to behave cautiously, empathetically and correctly. Furthermore, women are particularly vulnerable to the comparison processes on social media.
The fear of making mistakes means that decisions are often made too late (procrastination) or not at all. However, delays significantly impair the quality of work: instead of investing time in upcoming challenges, thoughts go round in circles without a decision being made.
Excessive overthinking damages both one’s own emotional and physical health and the morale of the entire team. Slow work processes and hesitant decisions disrupt the workflow. They also increase frustration and dissatisfaction among everyone involved. This, in turn, has a negative impact on the working atmosphere.
However, affected employees can learn to overcome their overthinking by identifying the causes and employing targeted strategies to counter it. It is important to take active measures against it at the very first signs of overthinking, in order to interrupt the mental stress cycle at an early stage and prevent subsequent mental health issues.
Case study: Mr W.
Mr W., aged 38, approached Proitera with sleep problems and serious concerns. He is married and the father of a four-year-old child. During the initial consultation, it became clear that he was preoccupied with crisis scenarios relating to work, parenting, society and politics, which he had picked up from the daily news.
The first step in the counselling process is to help Mr W. realise that his constant worrying has little to do with his current life. He is then shown a range of options to help him minimise his tendency to brood:
Focus on the here and now: Autogenic training or MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – MBSR) are methods that harness the power of positive thoughts to restore the balance between calmness and tension.
Set aside time for brooding: Incorporate a predefined time slot for worries into your daily routine, during which these are written down (worry diary). Once the time is up, put what you have written out of sight. This method can help to relieve the mind and increase the sense of control.
Focus on the positive: In your private life, make more time for activities that bring joy and generate positive thoughts and feelings: physical activity and sport, for example, reduce stress and stimulate the production of endorphins, which enhance well-being.
Mr W. opts for the worry diary and a group course in autogenic training.
At the end of the counselling, Mr W. writes to his counsellor by email: “I have realised how powerful my mind is and, thanks to your valuable input, I have learnt how I can and want to use my mental strength.”
I have realised just how powerful my mind is, and thanks to your valuable input, I have learnt how I can and want to use my mental strength.
How you can help those affected to stop the cycle of overthinking
Due to the dynamics described above, those affected often appear somewhat uncertain. In the workplace, for example, this can manifest itself in a critical attitude towards change, driven by a fear of losing security. Sometimes, however, overthinkers also tend to get so bogged down in the details – often with the aim of minimising risks – that they lose sight of the bigger picture.
- Address your observations with the employee in a supportive manner, if possible without further fuelling their cycle of worry.
- Ask how you can work together with the person to boost their self-confidence.
- Offer support with work organisation – for example, with time and priority management.
- Gather positive examples that show the employee what is going well at work.
Support often begins with an open conversation and highlighting possibilities. You are already helping the employee simply by pointing out Proitera’s services.
