The ability to reason and plan is one of the great gifts that nature has given us, but we must keep in mind that rationality is a double-edged sword.

If emotions can cause us to pounce on highly risky projects where there is little or nothing to gain, reason can keep us anchored to the site; it gives us, in short, an excuse to stay in the comfort zone and not only not progress, but create problems that did not exist before.

Ruminating and obsessing over an idea or theme is as counterproductive as it is frustrating, but that doesn’t make us “unhitch” from that habit when there’s something that catches our mind again and again, whether it’s something that worries us (like having made a bad first impression on someone) or the uncertainty of something that awaits us in the future (like the results of a medical test).

Of course, there are issues that deserve a good deal of our attention, but in those cases anything less will lead our thoughts to resolve that situation effectively will lead us to lose the battle of stress and misspent time. Ruminating all the time with a thought about a problem without a solution or about something that is not dependent on us usually takes away more than it gives.

Why obsessing over something weakens us psychologically

These are some extra reasons why you should consider stopping thinking about the same thing all the time and accepting the problems with simplicity and a constructive attitude.

1. It is an emotional alibi

In many cases, we become obsessed with something that, although we could find a solution, we find it very difficult to achieve. In these cases thinking about it all the time acts as an alibi for ourselves; it gives us the feeling that we are doing something to walk in the direction of that goal without, really, doing anything real that increases our chances of success.

Gloating over catastrophic thoughts , for example, is not taking stock of the risks, just as fantasizing about success all the time is not a way to be self-motivated. It simply makes us more obsessive and therefore less able to respond adequately to the demands of the environment. That is why it is necessary to analyze our own thoughts and feelings in order to remove any habit that smells of excuses for not taking risks and reasonable amounts of effort and stress.

2. Limits our productivity

In short, thinking too much is a way of procrastinating , of leaving everything “for tomorrow” (indefinitely). When the time comes for us to react, our mind has to deal with a lot of challenges that come at once, and it acts in a disorganized way; even remarkably intelligent people don’t get out of situations like this.

3. Worsens our mental health

Rumination, which in theory seems comfortable, for postponing responsibilities in exchange for spending time obsessively thinking about something, only creates a problem of haste and stress in the medium term. This vicious circle of reasons to worry about impediments that come our way makes our anxiety levels grow , which increases the possibilities of having a crisis related to some mental disorder. The relationship between the tendency to overthink things and the possibility of developing mental problems has been proven.

4. Causes sleep problems

As a result, rumination and distracting obsessions leave a devastating mark on our sleep habits, which in turn causes many other problems related to lack of rest, distractions, fatigue and memory problems. Not only does it cause us to sleep fewer hours, but also, according to studies, the quality of our sleep is lower , and we spend fewer minutes in the deepest phase of our sleep.

Tips for not thinking too hard and moving from concern to action

If you are interested in breaking the vicious circle of rumination, here are some guidelines you can follow:

1. Create target lists

Prioritize what you really want to do over the rest, so that you are clear about where you should be directing your actions.

2. Organize a mint calendar

Fragment your objectives into smaller subobjectives , if possible on a daily basis, so that you don’t get the feeling that it’s something unattainable (something that would encourage rumination).

3. Follow schedules

It proposes commitments to follow strict schedules. Every time you don’t, leave money in a piggy bank whose contents will be enjoyed by someone else. In this way you will try to avoid possible immediate loss.