MSS #097: Break Free from the Worry Loop: 4 Simple Steps to Stop Overthinking

MSS #097: Break Free from the Worry Loop: 4 Simple Steps to Stop Overthinking

16 Nov, 2024

🕒Read time: 4.2 minutes

🚀 In a hurry? Jump to “The Four Steps to Clear Your Mind” for a reduced reading time of 1.5 minutes.

Worrying is something we all do.

A single thought, concern, or deadline can spiral into a storm of worry, dragging us into a loop of ‘what ifs’ and ‘worst-case scenarios’.

It’s exhausting, unproductive and difficult to escape once you’re in it.

But the good news is that breaking free from the worry loop is entirely possible.

In this newsletter, I’ll share four effective steps to help you regain control of your thoughts and break the cycle of overthinking.

The Science Behind the Worry Loop

Let’s start with a quick look at why this happens.

At its core, overthinking is linked to how our brain processes perceived threats. When you worry, your brain’s amygdala, which controls your fight-or-flight response, is triggered.

It’s part of a system designed to keep us safe by focusing intensely on threats. However, in today’s world, those threats are more likely to be social or work-related concerns than the life-or-death situations our ancestors faced.

The amygdala sends out distress signals, which cause the release of chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline—your body’s way of preparing to respond to danger.

Unfortunately, when the threat is in your mind rather than something tangible, these chemicals only serve to fuel the cycle of worry, causing you to fixate on the problem rather than find solutions.

On top of this, when the brain focuses on worry, it activates the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which filters information to match what you’re focusing on. So, if you’re stuck worrying about a presentation, the RAS will helpfully point out all the things that could go wrong, keeping the worry loop alive.

Now that we understand why this happens, how do we stop it?

Let’s dive into the four steps to break free.

The Four Steps to Clear Your Mind

1. Recognise the Worry Loop

The first step is to become aware of when you’re caught in the loop.

This requires self-awareness—notice when your mind is fixating on the same issue repeatedly and take a step back.

When you realise you’re in the cycle, acknowledge it: “I’m in a worry loop right now.”

Simply acknowledging the problem gives you some mental distance and helps to stop the automatic spiral.

It starts to slow that spiral, as now rather than purely worrying we are saying to ourselves – “Oh, ok I am in worry mode”. We recognise what is happening.

2. Shift Focus to the Present

Worry thrives on future-oriented thinking: “What if this happens?” or “How will I deal with that?”

To break free, you need to shift your attention back to the present moment.

This sounds over simplified, but that’s what is happening.

We know intellectually that the future does not exist, but when we play out future scenarios in our minds, it feels very real. And our body reacts the same way (chemically speaking) to real or imagined events!

I’ve shared several techniques in past newsletters and LinkedIn posts to help you stay present, including mindfulness exercises and grounding techniques.

One simple method is to engage your senses: focus on what you can hear, see, or touch right now, the “5-4-3-2-1” technique: notice five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This helps anchor you in the present, disrupting the worry loop.

I have many more super practical and highly usable ones I share in workshops and coaching.

3. Challenge the Thoughts

Here’s the thing: trying to have a logical debate with yourself when you’re fully embroiled in worry is almost impossible.

When you’re in the grip of worry, your brain is already working in overdrive, making it difficult to think rationally.

What you need are pre-programmed mental habits or simple, effective tools to break the cycle, which is a topic in itself and much easier to do that you may think.

One super simple logic approach is to remind yourself:

“Thoughts aren’t facts.”

This simple statement helps create a mental barrier between your thoughts and reality, reminding you that just because you’re thinking something doesn’t make it true. It’s a simple way of putting a stick in the spokes of your worry wheel.

Another trick is to “schedule” your worry. When you catch yourself spiralling, tell your mind:

“I’m busy right now. Can we set aside time tonight at 9pm to worry about this properly?”

Acknowledging your worry but delaying it often leads to it fading away by the time the scheduled ‘worry time’ arrives, because the urgency has passed.

If you want to learn how to develop these kinds of fast mental habits, feel free to reach out—I can help you programme them into your daily life.

4. Take Small, Immediate Action

The final step is to break the paralysis of worry by taking immediate action, no matter how small.

Overthinking keeps you stuck, but action, even if it’s something tiny, shifts your brain into problem-solving mode.

If you’re worried about a presentation, jot down a few quick bullet points of what you want to cover. If you’re stressing about an email, draft a short response.

The act of doing breaks the cycle of thinking, and as you take action, the worry starts to dissipate.

Why These Steps Work

Breaking free from the worry loop is about shifting your brain’s focus.

The worry loop thrives on fear and fixates on future problems.

By bringing your attention back to the present moment and challenging your thoughts, you change the brain’s pattern, turning down the volume on the amygdala’s alarm system.

The small act of doing something, however minor, shifts your brain from reactive to proactive, putting you back in control.

Summary

Worrying can be exhausting, but with the right tools, you can break free from the cycle. Use these four steps to stop overthinking and reclaim your mental space:

• Recognise the Worry Loop: Acknowledge when you’re caught in the spiral.

• Shift Focus to the Present: Use techniques like grounding or mindfulness to anchor yourself.

• Challenge the Thoughts: Use simple mental habits to stop worrying in its tracks.

• Take Small, Immediate Action: Doing something, however small, breaks the cycle of overthinking.

If you find yourself constantly stuck in a worry loop, these steps can make a real difference. And if you’re ready to take it further, reach out to learn how to build new mental habits that help you tackle worry before it starts.

See you next week. One more thought 👇

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That's it for this week. Thanks for reading, really hope this helped. Contact me if you think I can help you further at [email protected].

Happy thinking.