Living in the Moment: 7 Ways to Stop Overthinking
Woman standing in the fields embracing living in the moment.
10pm. I make it to bed at a decent time after a long day of juggling competing priorities and a never-ending to-do list. Excited to get some much needed rest, I turn off the lights, put my phone on do-not-disturb and close my eyes.
10:02pm. You forgot to send that email. First thought pops to mind and I brush it aside. Gotta schedule that doctor’s appointment and dishes are still in the sink. Soon, a flood of thoughts come rushing in disrupting my plans for good night’s rest. I toss and turn and pass out at 11ish to a restless night of sleep, waking up feeling weary.
Are you facing a similar challenge or unsure on ways to stop overthinking? You're not alone. The struggle with sleep is widespread, and it's a matter of concern because quality rest profoundly affects your health, energy levels, and overall functionality.
Sleep Deprivation Statistics
1/3 of U.S. adults don't get the recommended 7 hours of sleep in which lack of sleep can be linked to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and obesity. etc...(CDC, 2022)
30% of Americans are sleep-deprived (Postandcourier, 2019)
58% of U.S. workers say they regularly struggle to get quality sleep (Fortune, 2023)
45% of Americans claim that poor sleep has made an impact on their daily life at least once in the last 7 days. (Start Sleeping, 2023)
There's plenty of evidence proving how crucial a good night's sleep is for our day-to-day functioning. Sleep is something that everyone needs, but doesn’t always come easily. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. There are steps you can take to help improve sleep and overall quality of life.
Why is it hard to quiet our minds?
Outside of sleep, we have trouble keeping our attention on one thing - at the dinner table, on vacation, with kids, at school, while driving... generally always.
“I meditate, exercise, and try to follow all the advice to live in the present. All of that has definitely helped, but I still sometimes struggle. Why do we have so much trouble quieting our minds?”
According to Psychology Today, humans are unique because of their awareness and ability to think about the past and future. It is an evolutionary trait that has equipped us to learn, plan, and survive. How we perceive time as “linear and continuous” also causes us to naturally always be thinking about the past, present, and future.
We are programmed to think about the past and plan for the future. Reflection has enabled our survival. On top of this evolutionary trait, we are also expected to be on all the time because of access to technology. I was on a remote mountainous hike once with no one around for miles, but I could still see the latest trending TikToks with a glance at a screen. Unplugging seems impossible.
Like most “impossible” things, learning to quiet our minds is possible when you put a lot of intention behind it, and you build personal systems that enable you to be successful. It is certainly not easy, and we have to be kind to ourselves when we struggle (reminder: blame evolution).
7 Ways to Stop Overthinking and Relax
1) Eliminate distractions
In today's world, there are numerous distractions, ranging from phones and laptops to binge-worthy streaming shows. This overstimulation can make it challenging to quiet your mind and relax. Try putting the electronics away where you can't see them and shift your focus to something quieter.
2) Play music to keep you in the present
Music can enhance concentration and mindfulness. Whether you're listening to it, playing an instrument, or moving to the rhythm, music helps keep you focused on the present moment and can help stop overthinking. It can even help you enter a state of "flow," where you experience a blissful sense of being fully engaged and in the zone.
3) Find an enjoyable hobby
Involve yourself in an activity you enjoy (i.e., learning a new skill set, volunteering, going to your favorite workout class, etc…). If it starts to feel daunting, try starting with 20 minutes per day and slowly adding more time.
4) Mindfulness meditation
Establish a home for meditation practice. While it may feel awkward at first and many people automatically assume they’re not good at it, remember, there's no such thing as being bad at meditation. All you need is 5 minutes, simply close your eyes and focus on your breath. There's no "wrong" way to meditate!
5) Practice self-compassion
Remind yourself that it's okay to forgive yourself for forgetting things or making mistakes. Dwelling on the past can hold you back from moving forward. When you find yourself overthinking, give yourself permission to "turn off" your brain and let go of those thoughts.
6) Set aside worrying time
Allowing yourself a few minutes to worry and have a racing mind, and then telling yourself worry time is over for the day. Setting aside specific time for worrying can make it easier to push worries aside when they pop up unexpectedly, knowing you can address them during your designated worry time.
7) Brain dump
A brain dump is the act of taking all the thoughts flooding your brain and putting it on paper. For instance, you might jot down to-dos as they come to mind on a notepad and then transfer them to your calendar or digital to-do list later. Once those thoughts are out of your brain and onto paper, you'll likely find that you can think more clearly, leading to a quieter mind.
At the end of the day, we are happier when we are present, and we are more productive when we take the time to unplug and quiet our minds. If you slip up from time to time as everyone does, and you can’t stop overthinking about how you need to do a million things tomorrow, that is ok too. You are still perfect just the way you are.
At The Rise Journey, our mission is to combat mental burnout and cultivate habits that promote a quieter mind for a better quality of life. Explore how we can customize guided meditation experiences to meet your personal or organizational needs by visiting our Guided Meditation page. Be sure to check out our Lunch & Learn session, which focuses on addressing wellness and mental burnout.
Book a chat with us to discover more about The Rise Journey and the services we offer.
