Author: Chase Holik
Over-thinking can be a blessing for some but can be overwhelming for others.
A lot of times, if you are an over-thinker if you have a hard time with spontaneous decisions and would sometimes prefer that others just make decisions for you. Some of the simplest things, like getting dressed in the morning, can become a daunting task because you think about every possible situation that could occur during the day and how your wardrobe fits in. Overthinking about little things like that can wear you out. Then again, when it comes to a project or a task – you can breeze through them with relative ease. Here are several signs that you are an over-thinker.
1. You Don’t Like Small Talk
This is especially true when you are talking to someone that you don’t trust 100% just yet. A lot of times, small talk can lead to talking about personal things, which you may not want to disclose. Since you have to think about what you’re going to say, you will sometimes avoid small talk altogether.
2. You are Indecisive
If you have to get up an hour earlier in the morning just to pick out your clothes, then you may be indecisive and an over-thinker. Indecisive people make decisions like ordering from a restaurant menu seem like a life-or-death situation. Being indecisive can hurt you in business situations and annoy people in other situations. If you aren’t facing a truly life-or-death situation, then just make a decision and go with it.
3. You Focus on Details
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can get extreme at times. Detail-oriented people tend to be successful, but they can be annoying as well. Thinking about every little detail can prevent unexpected things from happening, but it can also cause issues that wouldn’t be brought up otherwise. Focus on details, but also be realistic as to which details are important.
4. You Need Opinions on Everything
This is similar to being indecisive. If you feel like you can’t do something without getting someone’s opinion, then you are an over-thinker. Sometimes, your first thought when you try on a new shirt is to send a picture to a friend and ask if they like it. If you do that every time you try on something new, then it’s a sign that you think too much. It’s good to get opinions from others occasionally, but don’t overdo it.
5. You Have a Hard Time Sleeping
If you’re like me, then you have a hard time going to sleep when it’s dead quiet in the room because you think too much. I have to go to sleep with the TV on, otherwise, I will lay there for hours just thinking. Sometimes you won’t even realize it, but you’ve replayed the entire day in your head and tried to figure out how it could have been better. There’s a time and place for that, but your bed is not that place. If you find your mind racing about that day’s events in bed, then turn on the TV or listen to some music. It will get your mind off of things and allow you to rest peacefully.
6. You Don’t Let Go
This happens to me in the workplace all the time. If I’m working on a project, I have a hard time letting someone else in to help me because I’m worried that their thoughts won’t match mine. In reality, those situations should be embraced, but an over-thinker would want to keep the project to themselves.
Being an over-thinker can actually be a good thing for business because you may be able to find some pitfalls that others miss. The hardest part for an over-thinker is to realize when they are thinking too hard about something that is trivial. The over-thinker can quickly become annoying in certain situations.
What are your experiences with over-thinkers, whether you are one yourself or if you know some?
