Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel

I’ve been there. I spend so much time thinking about something, trying to decide what to day, which way to turn, that by the time I’ve made up my mind, it’s too late. I’ve missed the opportunity. And then the next day I waste time beating myself up for not making the decision sooner.  You might resemble that remark too. With that in mind, Anne Bogel’s book Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop-Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life, (Baker Books, 2020) seemed to be just the book that I needed to read, especially during this time when I have way more time on my hands than usual.

                So what does overthinking look like? It depends. It’s different for everyone. It can result in paralyzing fear, an inability to make a decision, a fear of making the wrong decision, even a fear of making a right decision( and then have no excuse for not doing what you know needs to be done).  Maybe it’s spending so much time researching the proper course of action, that you don’t have time to do what needs to be done in a timely manner, and then it costs more in time , money or effort.

                Bogel draws on her own experiences and offers a lot of suggestions for different ways that our brain keeps our body from doing the things it needs to do.  Among her suggestions, are keeping a list of “to pack” things and use it for every trip. This avoids leaving needed things behind, and in many cases helps avoid overpacking.  Or how about making a decision once, and following it multiple times in the future.  Or designate a place in a room to start the cleaning/sorting/decluttering process, get that done—then move left to right.  Or how about this one—realize that some of your friends are really good at (and like doing) some of the things that keep you busy without accomplishing anything, and invite them to help you with that task.

                Simple suggestions that we might all have thought of eventually if we weren’t so busy thinking about what if? 

                Bogel writes with a very engaging style, and this book is full of practical tips, at least one of which will apply to almost everyone.

                I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.  There was no requirement to post positive comments.

                5/5