How to Stop Thinking.

How to Stop Thinking.

Unconsciously or consciously, our brain is always awake and ready to think some more. When we think, we try to make sense and truly understand what's going on around us. The difference between how each one of us has been raised, the things each person has experienced, and how each one of us has been conditioned to believe different things, determines how we respond to our surroundings. This internal response that leads us to try and make sense of the things around us, as well as certain events that need our attention, can be roughly sketched as thinking. So essentially, why shouldn't you think? Thinking is an inherent feature of homosapiens and without it, we wouldn't be capable of functioning independently - thinking helps us reflect on what's good for us and what's bad for us. But when we talk about trying to stop thinking, we aren't saying that thinking is a bad thing, but simply trying to cope with the negative side of it. 

Thoughts are powerful. They influence the way we respond to things, feel about things, and do things. Although, when one begins to think of things that aren't relevant to the present situation the being is in, that's simply a distraction posed by the brain. For example, If you try to study a certain topic in mathematics for your upcoming examinations, but your thoughts keep drifting to an alien concept in science, that's not okay. Not that it's morally wrong, but it will affect you because you are unable to focus all your energy into the concept you're trying to grasp onto. 

This proved that uncontrolled thinking determines your attention span and how focused you can be. 

Another aspect of thinking is overthinking. Overthinking is simply the act of thinking about something to a point where it can be detrimental to your mental health. Studies show that overthinking increases your stress levels, decreases your creativity, clouds your judgment, and leads to ineffective decision-making. Let's take the example of the same concept of mathematics you're trying to understand. You find the concept a bit difficult to grasp and hence aren't able to answer the related sums. You begin to get frustrated and you keep thinking about the fact that you can't solve the sums. You then decide to move on to another concept, but you keep thinking about how you weren't able to understand the previous one. We can see that overthinking and distraction go hand in hand, and when one overthinks, they end up letting it be a distraction.

Understanding these concepts, we can conclude that thinking is extremely useful, but only if controlled. If it goes beyond the prescribed line of thought, it could be detrimental. So how can we control and stop this thinking?   

• The first thing we can try to do is change what we tell ourselves. Instead of burdening ourselves with unnecessary thoughts, we can affirm ourselves that everything is still working out and we have all the support we need, so we can move on from the situation. 
• Studies show that limiting the time we spend on our phones could in fact enhance creativity, decrease distraction and increase our attention span. Our phones are gadgets of distraction, and as this becomes the norm, we start to desire distraction when we do not need it.
• Another age-old remedy is meditation. When one meditates, they're rid of all the negative thoughts plaguing them, and this, in turn, leads to better sleep cycles, better attention and memory, less anxiety and stress, and hence less overthinking. 
• Better sleep -  Sleep deprivation can cause lower quality of cognitive functions and productivity. Bettering a sleep cycle can result in greater attention span and better performance.
• Doing puzzles that help in brain training, such as jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and sudoku can have a great impact on concentration, as per a 2015 study by Pubmed Central.
• Exercising- Daily physical activity can increase both attention span and concentration in just 4 weeks. Aerobic physical activity is a must for all.
• Listening to music- Soft classical music has been proven to increase concentration levels, and music therapy helps reducing anxiety and stress.
• Simply taking a break- Taking a break from an activity you've been pushing yourself to complete helps a lot. A ten-minute break can help boost motivation, energy, and attention. 

Each individual is different and unique in their own way, so some methods might work for some while some might not. It's important to stay patient, change doesn't come overnight. The best each one can do is to be comfortable while doing these activities.  Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates all said that simple focus was the secret of their success, so why not try out a few of these solutions to live a more calm and relaxed life. 

Hope everyone's safe and well in these surreal times!