Student Mental Health Matters: How To Stop Overthinking
Ever wondered how to stop overthinking? Don’t worry, we have too, it’s super annoying – right?
Being an overthinker isn’t anybody’s fault, it’s just often a personality trait that can’t be helped (take it from an expert!)
As a student, you’re probably going to be prone to a bit of overthinking, especially when it comes to assignments and social stuff.
Overthinking can be proper rubbish, and can even stop us from enjoying the finer things in life!
Now, we’re no psychologists or experts, but we’ve definitely been there and got the t-shirt, and after some research, we have some tips for you.
So without further ado, grab a cuppa, take a few deep breaths, and let’s take a look at how to stop overthinking…because mental health matters.
1. Challenge Your Thoughts
It’s so easy to get lost in negative vibes, so much so, you forget what it’s like to feel positive and happy!
You need to acknowledge that some of your thoughts may not be completely rational, and to ask yourself “will this actually happen?!”
Because let’s be honest, your head isn’t going to fall off if you miss a deadline, so try not to worry too much.
Next time you’re lay in bed overthinking, remember to challenge yourself, and stay bloomin’ calm!
2. Learn Mindfulness
Mindfulness may sound a little daunting at first, but trust us, it’s really not! It’s super easy to practice and you can do it in the comfort of your own student accommodation.
With mindfulness, it’s all about shifting attention to your body and to really focus on your breathing.
Sometimes, it’s just much better to stop, take a break, and feel “present” in everything that’s going on.
Headspace is an amazing app to get you started if you’re a little unsure, and there are plenty of videos on YouTube too!
3. Notice When You’re Stuck In Your Head
This point is similar to mindfulness, but you really need to start noticing when you’re getting stuck in your own head.
That way, you can control your thoughts, and that might prevent the overthinking from happening again.
Being stuck in your own head can be pretty bad for your mental health, so challenge your thinking, get grounded and be rational.
Of course, this is totally easier said than done, and if it was that easy, we wouldn’t be writing this blog post!
But you can try, and that’s all that matters.
4. Live In The Moment
Live in the moment. Eat that doughnut. Have that extra cocktail. Enjoy the finer things in life!
Taking notice of the little things when we’re living in a super busy world can often make you feel grounded, and content.
Go for walks, enjoy the scenery, breathe in some fresh air and try to enjoy life as much as possible!
Without getting all meaningful and #deep, we only get one life folks, so let’s enjoy it – eh?
5. Rationalise
It’s super important to rationalise your thoughts before they get out of hand, take it from an expert (that’s me, by the way!)
When you find yourself overthinking, you need to ask yourself, is this actually going to happen, or am I just overreacting?
Of course, who knows what’s around the corner, but nine times out of ten it’s never ever going to be as bad as you think.
6. Positive Thoughts Only
It’s so important to try and be as positive as possible, and we know that’s way easier said than done!
We’re all about positive affirmations, and if you’re not sure what those are, click here for some more info.
Every morning, think about what you’re grateful for to ward off any negative anxious thoughts.
At Homes for Students, we’re all about the positive vibes, and we know that it can be hard sometimes, but you got this.
Focus on the good things and spend time with positive people, we’ve got no time for toxic vibes in 2021!
7. Distract Yourself
Keep busy busy busy, that’s our best advice to you! It’s so easy to fall down a hole of negativity and bad thoughts.
The best thing to do? Distract yourself into happiness! Things like exercise, meditation are really good at distracting the mind.
We’re sorry to say, but cleaning is also a good one too! Which is kind of a win win situation because you don’t want your accommodation being messy!
8. Stop Waiting For Perfection
It’s as simple as really. Stop waiting for perfection, nobody is perfect, and overthinking the idea of being “perfect” is just mega stressy.
Try your best to live in the moment, without sounding too cringe, and don’t look too ahead in the future (or the past.)
Being an ambitious student is of course, fab, but wanting to be perfect is just super unrealistic, so try to get out of that thought process.
We hope you found these tips on how to stop overthinking useful, mental health is such an incredibly important topic that needs to be spoken about a lot more. For more advice on student mental health, visit Minds for more information on help and support. Remember, it’s okay to not be okay.