Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life

A non fiction book that could be defined as self help, but I would call it life instructional! This is a genre that I don't typically read, but from a person/author who I love so I thought I would give it a try and I am glad I did. Anne Bogel is known to many for her blog or her podcast or both where she helps connect readers with great books. As a book blogger myself, my goal for my blog is to ramble about books in hopes that readers will connect and find a book that they would like to read. I have followed her career for a bit, so was excited when she announced a third book and then was greatly intrigued when she started speaking about what it would be about - a vastly different direction from her first two. This book focuses on the concept of overthinking and the many different ways in which a person can overthink and then provides tools and skills to help make decision making easier and how to avoid overthinking when it isn't necessary. I found this book to be very helpful. The tools were easy to implement quickly and I loved her personal antidotes that made the skills easier to understand. This is the perfect gift book for the person in your life who may spend too much time pondering and needs to move more things into action mode. This is a book that I could see myself dipping back into time after time to remind myself that overthinking can keep you from doing and enjoying life.

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been telling me that I “think too much.” She’s not wrong. When it comes to mental aerobics, I’m an Olympics-caliber athlete with the ability to twist the simplest problem or idea into more knots than a Cirque du Soleil contortionist. At times, this proclivity for overthinking has served me well, leading me to act with purpose and intentionality. More often than not, though, overthinking has led to frustration, procrastination, and an inability to remain present because my mind is otherwise occupied. In the past few years I’ve made great strides in my battle against overthinking, but I still have quite a ways to go. Which is why I was thrilled when I learned that the forthcoming book from Anne Bogel (better known around the internet as Modern Mrs. Darcy) would be addressing this very topic. And as part of the launch team for Don’t Overthink It, I had the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy! The book’s premise is perfectly summed up in its subtitle: Make Better Decisions, Stop Second Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life. Those are pretty big claims from a small tome, but after reading it, I can say that Don’t Overthink It delivers on its promises. In the book’s opening chapter, Anne defines overthinking as “those times when we lavish mental energy on things that don’t deserve it. Those times when we can’t seem to think about anything else, even though we know our thoughts are better spent elsewhere.” Anne herself is no stranger to overthinking, having had her brain space hijacked by everything from travel plans to grocery purchases. And she knows that her readers can sympathize with this pitfall of getting caught in a loop of unproductive—or even destructive—thought. Overthinking can look like worry or fretting about the small stuff or second-guessing ourselves. Regardless of the form it takes, overthinking is repetitive, unhealthy, and unhelpful, depleting our mental energy and rendering us incapable of focusing on the things that actually matter. Thankfully, we overthinkers are not condemned to a lifetime of mental imprisonment. According to Anne, it is possible to replace negative thought patterns with beneficial ones by following a three-part plan: 1) laying a solid foundation to conquer overthinking; 2) conquering unhealthy thought patterns in the moment and implementing practices that keep us from falling into these patterns in the first place; and 3) learning how to smartly think our way into life’s simple pleasures. In Don’t Overthink It, Anne digs into the specifics of this plan. She shows readers how to monitor our thinking, identifies potential triggers, and lists ways we can avoid them. As someone who has overthought my tendency to overthink, I was familiar with a lot of these concepts; still, I found it helpful and heartening to know that I am not alone in succumbing to these mental pitfalls. I also appreciated the reminder that I get to CHOOSE what to think about and that I don’t have to remain a victim to my thoughts. Just knowing that overthinking does not need to be a chronic condition was freeing for me. Many of the tools suggested in this book involve eliminating thinking altogether through steps such as streamlining decisions (e.g., eating or wearing the same thing every day), outsourcing, and getting clear on our values which brings clarity to our decision-making. I’ve already adopted may of these tools in recent years and can attest to their effectiveness. No matter how much we do to minimize overthinking, it’s bound to happen from time to time. To that end, I found the most helpful part of the book to be the section dedicated to strategies for interrupting overthinking as it happens. I actually made a list of these tips in an Evernote file on my phone, and plan to pull them up next time I find myself mentally spinning. In the weeks since I read this book, my most-used strategy from the list has been “considering a different view” by asking myself “what would I like about this if I liked it? what could I consider to be good here?” These questions quickly snap me out of rumination-mode and redirect my thinking towards solving the problem at hand. I loved the book’s final few chapters on bringing joy into everyday life. Anne models how we can shift our mindset to expect good things from less-than-good situations. She also offers detailed strategies for using rituals to become more mindful, and gives ideas for learning how to embrace abundance through small, simple splurges—something that can be difficult for veteran overthinkers! If you have read any of Anne Bogel’s other books, or are familiar with her blog, you will know that her writing is warm and relatable, balancing personal anecdotes with solid principles and actionable ideas. While this book is more repetitive than I would have liked, it’s still a quick, memorable read that I can wholeheartedly recommend. It would also pair wonderfully with Emily P. Freeman’s The Next Right Thing, which looks at the same concepts from a spiritual/soul perspective.

Analysis paralysis. Rumination. Perfectionism. How do we fight these and so many other types of overthinking? Values-based decision making. Completing the cycle. Simple abundance. Fans of Anne Bogel, her blog (Modern Mrs. Darcy), and her podcast (What Should I Read Next) will be familiar with Anne's skill for bringing universal subjects to an intimate level and helping us see them with fresh eyes. She turns her talent to the subject of chronic over-thinking in her new book, Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life. 'Life changing' is an over-used term lately. But it's accurate for this book. Reading it has changed my life for the better. The thoughts, ideas, and processes that Anne shares in the book aren't highly original; we've heard them before, seen them elsewhere. The genius of the book is that she's brought them all together in one place and presented them in such an engaging manner. The information is both practical and practicable. The chapter on values-based decisions, titled Decide What Matters, has caused a major shift in the way I live my life because I did, after a lot of reflection, decide what matters most to me. This now informs all my choices, though it takes time for it to become automatic. And the chapter on limiting your options to save your sanity, Limit Yourself to Free Yourself, helped me see why having all the options is not always a good thing. “Each small decision requires only a bit of brain power, but the cumulative effect is large.” You may not think you’re an Overthinker. You may not normally be an Overthinker. But the lessons in this book are helpful whether you face chronic decision-making problems or are just going through a season of decision-overload. I highly recommend it.

The subtitle of Anne Bogel’s new book "Don’t Overthink It" gets at the heart of the message: “make easier decisions, stop second-guessing, and bring more joy to your life.” Bogel fills the book with insight and encouragement, highlighting the thought patterns of overthinking, giving practical guidelines to evaluate your own thought processes and strategies for improving them. As an overthinker myself, I was excited to read this book for some perspective. Bogel provides personal examples to illustrate her points and to help you understand the deeper meaning in your own thought life. She gives useful strategies to help you formulate decisions based on your own values and reduce the risk of second-guessing once a decision is made. The “next steps” offered throughout the book are questions to think through, which will provide you insight into what’s important to you and how you can ultimately bring more peace and joy to your life. I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether they are a chronic overthinker or just an occasional one.

Ordered a new book, but received a used book with folded pages, and someone's drive-thru receipt in it.

I received this book through Netgalley because I love Anne's podcast & wanted to support her new book. However, as soon as I started reading, I realized I am definitely an overthinker. Anne's book describes signs of overthinking and gives good suggestions on how to redirect my thoughts when it does happen, and prevent myself from over thinking as often. Some ideas from the book that are helpful to me: 1. Overthinking "lavishes mental energy on things that don't deserve it...living well depends on thinking well about things that matter." 2. "Complete the cycle"- completely finish your task before moving on or getting distracted. Ex. Wash, dry, fold and put away clothes. Deal with paperwork AND file it away in it's proper place. 3. Don't duplicate work. Her example is making a packing list- write it up once, add as needed, but then you just pull out the list each time you travel, instead of trying to remember what you need. -- Clear that mental clutter. 4. Let your values drive your decisions. 5."Analysis Paralysis" - sometimes it's time to decide- even if you don't have ALL the info, you have enough to make a good choice. 6. Shift to an attitude of abundance and gratitude. Buy The Flowers!- if that little thing will bring you joy. Make the choice once- that you will, & don't waste the energy agonizing over it again. 7. Simplify routine decisions: having a signature dish to make everytime u have guests reduces the stress of deciding what to make. I don't read many "personal growth" books, but this was a quick read & helpful. Many of Anne's examples were so like dilemmas I have agonized over myself, so her solutions are also practical & simple.

Thanks to partner NetGalley for the digital ARC of Anne Bogel’s Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life. The book released on March 3. I learned so much from Anne Bogel’s new, brilliant book Don’t Overthink It. (One thing I learned is the likely reason I have procrastinated writing this review: as a perfectionist, I want my review to be perfect, and since I know I can never fully communicate just how relevant and powerful I found the book, I just keep putting off beginning my review. But, I’m writing it. That means progress past perfectionism, right?!) Anne Bogel is, herself, an epic overthinker, and she therefore weaves real-life examples of overthinking and its consequences into her book: “Before long, I’m snared in the too-familiar spin cycle of overthinking, unable to focus on anything else. I know the signs: lots of mental action, none of it constructive, all the while knowing I have better things to do. All my mental energy is consumed by the forecast—which I can’t do a thing about—instead of the things that actually need my attention” (loc 143). She shares one example in which dithering in the grocery store about whether to buy flowers—and, if so, which ones—left her (1) without flowers and (2) without another key ingredient she needed to pick up. So much of her brain power went to overthinking a small, simple decision that she didn’t have the mental space necessary to take care of what she actually needed to do. It’s these kinds of examples, which she uses both to begin each chapter and to drive home points throughout each new principle, that helped me as a reader to see both how relevant this book is and the consequences of overthinking in my own life. Looking back at my galley, I have a highlight on almost every page. There’s a lot to discover here (and there’s joy in the discovery), but I found powerful her advice about perfectionism, about routine and ritual, and about values-based decision making. Anne is great both at helping readers to identify their own overthinking habits and also at offering solutions that we can implement immediately. Her ideas are backed up by research, but the facts never encroach on the warmth that characterizes everything Anne does, whether it’s her podcast, her blog, or one of her three phenomenal nonfiction books. I learned so much from Don’t Overthink It . . . and had so many uncomfortable moments of recognition and reflection and growth. These learning experiences meant that I was experiencing the truth of Anne Bogel’s ideas and writing. I think this book is great both for those who overthink themselves OR who have an overthinker in their lives (I’m definitely going to share this book with my husband!). I highly recommend Anne Bogel’s Don’t Overthink It—don’t dither! Order today.

Not long ago, I learned about a book written on overthinking and it’s perils, a topic I have needed help with. Back in the day when I was working full time and in productive mode 24/7 I was decisive most of the time. My job and life demanded it and my habits allowed for decisiveness. In the past several years as my roles have become more flexible and time more fluid, my tendency has been to overthink most things. I wrestle with decisions that should be easy, I gather more information than necessary, I linger or am paralyzed with choices that are inconsequential. I had inadvertently created a habit of overthinking. In my mind this practice was my new normal. I had been hanging on to overthinking like it was a favorite blanket instead of a practice I can and should leave behind. Enter Anne Bogel. Her style, wisdom, and relatability are as good as gold to me. Her new book Don’t Overthink It shows me (and you) why overthinking is not beneficial and how you can to change. Anne offers us stories with strategies and practices that will give us mental energy and time back. Hallelujah! Some of my favorite ideas from Don’t Overthink It provide strategies for making decisions, asking for help, transforming routines into rituals, and adding daily simple joys. The value of ridding our lives of overthinking is tremendous. Our actions can have a ripple effect, going beyond their impact on just us. Anne rightly reminds us that with each action we take we vote for the kind of people we want to be. Anne Bogel’s book does not disappoint. I invite you to take action by buying your copy of Don’t Overthink It, choose the actions you wish to take from the many suggestions, and keep on your journey to putting overthinking aside and living free.