1. Treat It As An Experiment
Sometimes when we're trying to make a big decision, we feel like there is a right or a wrong choice, but unless we test it out, we won't know the answer. If there's a way to break down the big decision into a smaller test, it can help us get enough feedback to decide whether to go for it or not. For example, when hiring you could do a trial period before extending a full-time offer. Another example in the marketing space might be to split test two different ideas and see which one lands better instead of trying to decide on your own which one to spend more energy on. By treating decisions as an experiment, you can try more things and you'll end up with the best of all your options. - Nathalie Lussier, AccessAlly
2. Consider Outcomes And Regrets
Whenever I'm weighing a decision, I make a list weighing the short- and long-term pros and cons of doing it and another list of the short- and long-term pros and cons of not doing it. I complete the list with regrets that might ensue because of taking action or not doing anything. I use this to rationally make a decision and find it super helpful in clarifying my options. - Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage
3. Stay Rooted In Your Purpose
It's easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of overthinking a process or decision to death. If I find myself in this vicious cycle, I take a step back, remind myself of the overall goal and then reevaluate the situation from that lens. Does this opportunity help the company? Will it increase sales or make our customer service experience better? Will it benefit our staff? Ask yourself those questions and you'll find it's easier to make a decision than when you're feeling inundated. - Lisa Song Sutton, Sin City Cupcakes
4. Meditate On It
Overthinking is something that many of us have to deal with, but the quicker you turn it off, the better. When this happens and I feel stressed out about a situation, I like to meditate. My surroundings must be quiet and calm so I can feel in tune with that energy. I light a candle, dim the lights, close my eyes and focus on my breathing. Soon enough, the problem seems smaller and it feels easier to tackle. Sometimes our brains hype up a situation so it seems scarier than it truly is. - Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
5. Focus On What You Can Do Today
When making decisions, whether big or small, it is important to know what you can and can't control. We tend to think about everything (including the fear of the unknown) instead of focusing on the things that matter now. Enjoy and live life one day at a time. You'll be less obsessed with the small things and more able to focus on finishing what can be done today. - Daisy Jing, Banish
6. Wait For The Answers Or Ask For Expert Advice
Overthinking decisions personally gets me obsessed. What's imperative is to think it through rationally. You may be on the verge of making the right decision, but fear of failure brings you back. In such cases, take a break from your regular chores. Nature tends to give signals—the key to our questions—if you're willing to ask and receive it. The answers lie in our own atmosphere and we’ve got to be patient enough to understand. Not everyone has the time and patience to wait, so in these cases, ask for expert advice. Someone more experienced can help you think clearly and sometimes they'll provide you with direct answers. - Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz
7. Analyze The Pros And Cons
On one hand, there's always a risk of not thinking stuff through. On the other hand, doing nothing won't help. In situations where thinking through too much may become obsessive, it's important to step away and analyze the pros and cons of the decision. The one with the lesser risk (and usually the one your gut tells you) is usually the way to go. Rather than obsessing over something, jot down the major points of each decision. This process of simply jotting things down helps you see things as they are rather than coming up with what-ifs in your head. Once it's in black and white on paper, it's easier to make that decision and stop obsessing. - Maria Thimothy, OneIMS
8. Write Out Everything That Might Happen
I have a friend who calls this "running laps." When she finds herself obsessing about some detail or worrying about things she can't account for, she sits down and writes out the things that might happen from end-to-end. For example, if she is running an event, she writes down the items that need to arrive at the building where the event is being held, what kind of equipment she will need to find inside the building and how the rooms need to be arranged. She lists out likely things to occur (like some piece of equipment not showing up or finding a defective microphone) along with a couple of possible remedies (a backup piece of equipment or who to call to get one). - Nicole Smartt Serres, Star Staffing
9. Use Your Internal Parking Lot
I'm a big fan of using meditation and an internal parking lot. An internal parking lot is a place where you can hold all of the thoughts that pass through your head or ideas that colleagues come up with that require more time to think through than the time you can currently allocate. I often write these items down on a sticky note and block out time in my calendar when I plan to come back to them. Knowing that you are storing the decision for later rather than ignoring or obsessing over it allows you to re-focus on present priorities. - Lisa Curtis, Kuli Kuli Foods
10. Take A Break And Come Back
I used to always overthink everything. I had to get in the habit of taking a break and coming back to what I couldn't figure out. I tell myself that I just have to make the decision and if it's wrong, we can change directions quickly. You will never learn without making decisions and making mistakes. Taking a brief break or a day to come back to it usually helps me just come to a decision so I can move on. - Kristy Knichel, Knichel Logistics