如何阻止過度思考每件事 九個簡單的習慣

What is holding people back from the life that they truly want to live?

什麼阻礙了人們過他們真正想要過的生活？

I’d say that one very common and destructive thing is that they think too much.

我想說一個非常普遍而且有害的原因:想的太多。

They overthink every little problem until it becomes bigger and scarier and it actually is. Overthink positive things until they don’t look so positive anymore.

他們對每個小問題都過多思考，直到這個問題變得更大更嚴重，然後真正地變成他們認爲的那麼嚴重。過多思考積極的事情直到它們看起來不再積極。

Or overanalyze and deconstruct things and so the happiness that comes from just enjoying something in the moment disappears.

或者，過度分析和解析事情，因此，從享受目前事情中獲得的快樂消失。

Now, thinking things through can be a great thing of course. But being an overthinker can result in becoming someone who stands still in life. In becoming someone who self-sabotages the good things that happen in life.

現在，透徹思考的確是一件好的事情。但是一個過度思考者會變成在生活中止步不前的人、自我破壞發生在生活中好事的人。

I know. I used to overthink things a lot and it held me back in ways that weren’t fun at all.

我知道。我過去常常會過度思考事情，這讓我在道路上止步不前，毫無樂趣。

But in the past 8 years or so I have learned how to make this issue so small that it very rarely pops up anymore. And if it does then I know what to do then to overcome it.

但是在過去的八年裏，我已經學會如何讓這個問題變小以至於以後不再出現。如果出現了，那麼我知道要做什麼去克服它。

In this article I would like to share 9 habits that have helped me in a big, big way to become a simpler and smarter thinker and to live a happier and less fearful life.

在這篇文章中，我想要分享對我非常有幫助的9個習慣，它們幫助我成爲一個更簡單更聰明的思考者，幫我過上一個更愉快、擔憂少的生活。

1. Put things into a wider perspective.

1.用更寬的角度看待事物

It is very easy to fall into the trap of overthinking minor things in life.

在日常生活瑣事中想太多簡直太平常了。

So when you are thinking and thinking about something ask yourself:

所以當你在思考，在考慮某件事的時候，你要問問自己：

Will this matter in 5 years? Or even in 5 weeks?

這事在五年後還要緊嗎？或者在五週後呢？

I have found that widening the perspective by using this simple question can snap me quickly out of overthinking and help me to let that situation go and focus my time and energy on something that actually does matter to me.

我已經發現，從更廣闊的角度和用此類簡單的問題，能讓我迅速遠離想太多的境地，還能讓我順其自然，把時間和精力放在對我真正有意義的事情上。

2. Set short time-limits for decisions.

2.爲做決定設一個短的時間限制。

If you do not have a time-limit for when you must make a decision and take action then you can just keep turning your thoughts around and around and view them from all angles in your mind for a very long time.

當必須做出一個決定或者採取行動時，如果你沒有爲這件事做一個時間限制，那麼你就會一直不斷地在這個問題上打轉，從所有的角度上來觀察它，這將耗費你非常長的一段時間。

So learn to become better at making decisions and to spring into action by setting deadlines in your daily life. No matter if it is a small or bigger decision.

因此學會更好的做決定然後立刻根據在日常生活中設立最後期限作出行動。不管這是大還是小的決定。

Here’s what have worked for me.

這裏是一些對我有用的方法：

◾For small decisions like if should go and do the dishes, respond to an email or work out I usually give myself 30 seconds or less to make a decision.

像我是不是應該去洗碟子、去回覆郵件或者出去鍛鍊這樣的小問題，我常常給自己30秒或者更少的時間去作出決定。

◾For somewhat larger decisions that would have taken me days or weeks to think through in the past I use a deadline for 30 minutes or for the end of the workday.

對一些更大的事情而言，過去要花費個幾天或者幾周的時間來考慮，現在我就給自己30分鐘時間，或者就只是一天工作結束的那個時候。

3. Become a person of action.

3.做一個行動者

When you know how to get started with taking action consistently each day then you’ll procrastinate less by overthinking.

當你知道每天該如何不斷地付諸行動，那麼你不會因爲想太多而耽誤事情。

Setting deadlines is one thing that have helped me to become much more of person of action.

設置最後期限幫助我成爲了一個行動者。

Taking small steps forward and only focusing on getting one small step done at a time is another habit that have worked really well.

小步走向前，只關注每次走的一小步是另外一個很有用的方法。

It works so well because you do not feel overwhelmed and so you do not want flee into procrastination. And even though you may be afraid, taking just a step is such a small thing that you do not get paralyzed in fear.

它如此有效，因爲你不會感到受打擊，因此你也不會在拖延裏到處逃避。儘管你也許會感到害怕，只是走一小步是使你不在恐懼中失去勇氣的一件小事情。

4. Realize that you cannot control everything.

4.意識到你不能控制一切

Trying to think things through 50 times can be a way to try to control everything. To cover every eventuality so you do not risk making a mistake, fail or looking like a fool.

把每件事都想上50遍是試圖控制一切的表現。爲了把握每一個可能性，你不冒險去犯錯，不去失敗，甚至不會表現得想個傻子一樣。

But those things are a part of living a life where you truly stretch your comfort zone. Everyone who you may admire and have lived a life that inspires you has failed. They have made mistakes.

但是這些事情是你生活的一部分，生活中你確實可以感受到舒適的空間。你崇拜的人或者過着激勵你的生活的人也失敗過，他們都會犯錯。

But in most cases they have also seen these things as valuable feedback to learn from. Those things that may look negative have taught them a lot and have been invaluable to help them to grow.

但是在大多數情況下，他們也視這些事情爲值得學習的有價值的回饋。這些或許看起來是消極的事教會他們很多，也是幫助他們的成長的無價的事。

So stop trying to control everything. Trying to do so simply doesn’t work because no one can see all possible scenarios in advance.

所以，停止嘗試掌控所有事吧。做一些不管用的簡單事情，因爲沒有人能夠提前看到所有的可能性。

This is of course easier said than done. So do it in small steps if you like.

當然，這也是說起來簡單做起來難。所以，如果你喜歡，那就分成小步慢慢來吧。

5. Say stop in situation where you know you cannot think straight.

5.在你不能想清楚的情況下對你自己喊停

Sometimes when I am hungry or when I am lying in bed and are about to go to sleep negative thoughts start buzzing around in my mind.

有時，當我餓的時候，躺在牀上的時候或者馬上要睡覺的時候，一些消極的想法就會開始在我腦子裏嗡嗡迴響。

In the past they could do quite a bit of damage. Nowadays I have become good at catching them quickly and to say to myself:

過去，它們確實給我帶來了一些傷害。如今我能夠很好的控制住它們，然後對自己說：

No, no, we are not going to think about this now.

不，不，我們現在不需要想這個。

I know that when I am hungry or sleepy then my mind sometimes tend to be vulnerable to not thinking clearly and to negativity.

我知道人餓了或者困了的時候比較虛弱，想東西也容易想不清楚，還會老往負面上想。

So I follow up my “no, no…” phrase and I say to myself that I will think this situation or issue through when I know that my mind will work much better.

所以我就跟着我那個“不不……”的思路往前走，告訴自己，還是等到腦子清醒些的時候再來考慮這個處境或者這個問題吧。

For example, after I have eaten something or in the morning after I have gotten my hours of sleep.

比如，當我吃飽了之後，或者早上起來睡飽了的時候。

It took a bit of practice to get this to work but I have gotten pretty good at postponing thinking in this way. And I know from experience that when I revisit a situation with some level-headed thinking then in 80% of the cases the issue is very small to nonexistent.

我做了一些鍛鍊使它得以工作但是我變得相當擅長於用這種方法推遲思考。從經驗中我已經明白，當我用清醒的腦子來重新看問題時，80%的問題都不再是個問題。

And if there is a real issue then my mind is prepared to deal with it in much better and more constructive way.

如果真的存在問題，那麼我的大腦已經準備好用更好更有建設性的方法來解決它了。

6. Do not get lost in vague fears.

6.不要在未知的恐懼中迷失

Another trap that I have fallen into many times that have spurred on overthinking is that I have gotten lost in vague fears about a situation in my life. And so my mind running wild has created disaster scenarios about what could happen if I do something.

另外一個我陷入很多次並且促使我過度擔憂思考的困境是在我的生活的一個情況中，我迷失在了迷糊的恐懼之中。所以我的思想天馬行空，編造了很多如果我做了某事就會發生的災難性的情景。

So I have learned to ask myself: honestly, what is the worst that could happen?

然後我就學會了這麼自問：說實在的，到底能有多糟？

And when I have figured out what the worst that could happen actually is then I can also spend a little time to think about what I can do if that often pretty unlikely thing happens.

當我搞清楚了最糟到底會發生什麼，那麼我也會花點時間想想要是真遇上這麼檔子事我該怎麼辦。

I have found that the worst that could realistically happen is usually something that is not as scary as what my mind running wild with vague fear could produce.

我發現那些最壞的打算在現實中真的發生的話，通常是這件事並沒有我因爲模糊的恐懼感而瘋狂的思想所編造出來的那麼嚇人。

Finding clarity in this way usually only takes a few minutes of time and bit of energy and it can save you a lot of time and suffering.

這樣弄清楚通常只需要幾分鐘的時間和一點點的精力，但是卻可以節約你很多的時間和苦惱。

7. Work out.

7.鍛鍊

This might sound a bit odd.

這聽起來可能有些奇怪。

But in my experience working out – especially with lifting weights – can help me to let go of inner tensions and worries.

但是在我的經歷中，鍛鍊——尤其是舉重——可以幫助我驅除內心的恐懼和擔憂。

It most often makes me feel more decisive and when I was more of an overthinker then it was often my go-to method of changing the headspace I was in to a more constructive one.

鍛鍊讓我更有魄力，當我杞人憂天的時候，我就用這個辦法，來讓我的腦子變得更有建設性。

8. Spend more of your time in the present moment.

8.花更多的時間在當下時刻

By being in the present moment in your everyday life rather than in the past or a possible future in your mind you can replace more and more of the time you usually spend on overthinking things with just being here right now instead.

讓你的思想停留在你日常生活的每一個現在，而不是過去或者可能的未來。這樣你能替代並好好利用你過去通常花在過度擔憂，而止步不前上的時間。

Three ways that I often use to reconnect with the present moment are:

我通常用的三個讓我與現在的時刻重新連接的方法：

◾Slow down. Slow down how you do whatever you are doing right now. Move slower, talk slower or ride your bicycle more slowly for example. By doing so you become more aware of how you use your body and what is happening all around you right now.

慢下來。讓你現在做的任何事都慢下來。比如，走慢點，交談慢些或者騎行慢些。這樣做，你會意識到你在怎樣使用你的身體以及你周邊正在發生着什麼。

◾Tell yourself: Now I am… I often tell myself this: Now I am X. And X could be brushing my teeth. Taking a walk in the woods. Or doing the dishes. This simple reminder helps my mind to stop wandering and brings my focus back to what is happening in this moment.

告訴你自己：現在我是……我經常告訴我自己：現在我是X。X也許在刷牙，也許在森林裏漫步，也許在洗碗。這讓我停止走神，將注意力轉移到當下正在發生的事情上。

◾Disrupt and reconnect. If you feel you are getting lost in overthinking then disrupt that thought by – in your mind – shouting this to yourself : STOP! Then reconnect with the present moment by taking just 1-2 minutes to focus fully on what is going on around you. Take it all in with all your senses. Feel it, hear it, smell it, see it and sense it on your skin.

打斷然後重新連接。如果你感覺到你自己將在過度思考中迷失，那麼你就打斷你的想法——在你的大腦中——對你自己喊道：停！然後花個一兩分鐘，重新和正在發生的事情建立聯繫。全身心去做。感受它，聽到它，聞到它，看見它並且感受它在你皮膚上的感覺。

9. Spend more of your time with people who do not overthink things.

9.花更多的時間與那些不會過度思考的人待在一起。

Your social environment plays a big part. And not just the people and groups close to you in real life. But also what you read, listen to and watch. The blogs, books, forums, movies, podcasts and music in your life.

你的社會環境會起到很大的作用。並不是你現實生活中身邊的人或團體。還包括了你讀到的，聽到的，看到的東西。你生活中的博客，書本，廣播節目，電影，博客以及音樂。

So think about if there are any sources in your life – close by or further away – that encourages and tends create more overthinking in your mind. And think about what people or sources that has the opposite effect on you.

那麼，想想你的生活中，不論是遠的還是近的，那些容易刺激你想太多的資源，想一下在哪些人和資源對你有消極影響。

Find ways to spend more of your time and attention with the people and sources that have a positive effect on your thinking and less on the influences that tends to strengthen your overthinking habit.

找些辦法，把你的時間和精力更多地花在後者身上，他們才能給你的思考方式帶來積極作用，而不是靠近前者，那隻能讓你這個想太多的毛病更加惡化。