I’ve been in that restless state where my thoughts run like a hamster on a wheel. My decision-making suffers, my focus disappears, and my sense of peace is nowhere to be found. It’s like a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that keep replaying in my head, with no clear direction to get out of this mental storm. 

When your mind can’t settle, you feel the tension throughout your body, and your emotions become heightened (and more sensitive). It might show up as endless worry about the future, being irritable emotionally, or feeling stuck in a loop of indecision. When left unchecked, this feeling of overwhelm can cause chronic stress to creep in, affecting your health, relationships, and work. It’s all connected to the root issue: an uncalm mind that leaves no room for clear thinking.

From my experience, it can seep into nearly every part of your life. First, you might start over analyzing every situation, causing you to become indecisive because your thoughts are scattered. Second, your relationships can suffer because your irritability or anxiety spills over into conversations, which prevents you from being calm and living in the present moment. Third, personal goals take a back seat because you’re too wound up to figure out what steps to take. When we’re in this state, decision-making feels like a chore, and the ability to focus diminishes. And more importantly, our sense of peace and calm fades away as we stay consumed by racing thoughts that feel unproductive and uncertain. 

One main reason for overthinking is fear: 

- Fear of failing

- Fear of not knowing enough

- Fear of uncertainty

- Fear or missing out (FOMO) 

- Fear of taking risks 

- Fear of making an ‘irreversible’ decision

All these fears can easily morph into procrastination. Rather than face the task, we distract ourselves, letting our worries swirl like leaves in a storm.

To break free, you need a clear plan on how to calm down. One simple strategy is to pause and take a slow, deep breath, and then apply the two minute rule. The two-minute rule is simple: all you do is find a task that takes less than two minutes to complete, and start doing it immediately. For example, if you receive a short email that can be quickly answered, reply on the spot instead of reading it, and still deciding to respond later. The irony is that when you decide to respond later for a two minute task, you’re actually doubling your work by already thinking of a response in your head, then redoing this process in the future (plus you’re adding clutter to your mental to-do list).  

This strategy might sound too easy, but it works. When you slow down your breathing (giving yourself a moment to interrupt the overthinking pattern) and couple it with the two minute rule, you give yourself momentum, certainty, and a stillness that resets your path to move forward. From there, it’s easier to reset and ask: What’s really going on here, and what’s the next small step I can take? Once you pinpoint your next step, taking action becomes less daunting. By rinsing and repeating this process, you are subconsciously showing yourself evidence of actions you are taking, giving you more clarity and confidence. 

Another technique I use to ring in scattered thoughts is to use a “centering object”, such as an idea, image, or even a physical item that serves as an anchor. It could be a mental picture of a peaceful place, a meaningful quote, or something you hold in your hand, like a stress ball.

Think of it as a way to focus your mind on a single thought. No matter how rough and choppy the waves in your mind get, this anchoring object provides a counter-weight that creates internal balance. When your mind starts to wander into worry, you gently bring it back to your center. This practice cultivates self-regulation, allowing calmness to flow from your thoughts, into your emotions, and finally into your actions. When we lack this anchor, it’s easy to drift into scattered thinking, and our actions unfortunately follow suit.

Lastly, I can’t emphasize meditation enough as a way to ground your thoughts. For a long time I was aware of the power of meditation but never bothered to try it because a part of me dismissed it as trivial and a waste of time. But don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. 

Meditation is a practical tool for how to calm down, how to stop overthinking, and how to focus. Consider it your mental warm-up before you jump into the game of daily life. Meditation gives you a space to allow your racing thoughts to exist. It helps to capture racing thoughts, and gives you the room to set intentions and visualize what you want to achieve. In doing so, you reduce stress and guide your mind away from cluttered thinking.

When you meditate, you practice noticing your thoughts without getting caught up in them. Over time, this reduces the noise in your head, freeing up mental space so you can figure out how to take action on your goals. If you’re new to meditation, start small. Even two minutes of mindful breathing can make a difference. Focus on each inhale and exhale, and if your mind drifts, gently bring it back to your breath. With regular practice, you’ll notice your thoughts becoming more organized, your stress levels dropping, and your motivation to act increasing.