Overthinking is a Strength
Instead of shutting it off, redirect it to your advantage.
Academic advisors are rarely able to provide the level of support students need, and that’s why so many graduate students struggle.
As your alt advisor, our work together is my top priority! We’ll develop personalized strategies and systems of support so you can make progress at your own pace even when your advisor is no help!
Every morning I turn on my desktop, and it takes a few wheezes in protest.
I am every IT person’s nightmare.
As of writing this post, I have 219 tabs open on my Internet browser. Considering I had at least 500 tabs open during my PhD program, I’m doing pretty well in tab reduction. Now, the number of tabs open in my brain? Who’s to say.
My thoughts rarely quiet down. Especially when I don’t have access to a writing utensil. Like when I’m taking a shower, relaxing in steaming water that is probably only found in hell. As soon as I let my shoulders droop, close my eyes, and let my thoughts flow, BOOM. The idea, sentence structure, wording, etc. that I’ve been looking for.
My eyes pop back open and I start speeding through my bathing routine. I hold onto the thought like a wet bar of soap. Please don’t slip down the drain.
At last, the water is off and I’m in my towel, speed walking out of the bathroom towards my desk to be reunited with my phone.
Fingerprint not recognized.
My hands are too pruney. With a huff, I enter my passcode. Finally, I open my notes app and write down my thoughts with typos galore. It’s an ugly mess, but it’s not lost to the ether. This time, I won the race.
I used to think something was wrong with me because I couldn’t turn off my brain. I always had questions. I’d consider various possibilities that might be connected to my research. To my surprise, it worked out in my favor when I ended up with a transdisciplinary dissertation topic.
Overthinking isn’t a flaw in academia. It’s a strength. But like all strengths, you have to learn to manage it.
Planning ahead only works well when it helps you make progress in the current moment. It’s when you enter the land of what if, that things start to go downhill.
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What if I don’t know what I’m doing.
What if I don’t pass my quals.
What if I don’t pass my proposal defense.
What if I don’t graduate.
What if I…
I was working with a client who is at a point where they know so much stuff they’re starting to question if they even know the basics. I’ve been there before. I know how paralyzing it feels. They were doubting whether they could properly take notes as they explored their dissertation topic. But then they showed me their reference manager and how they organized their class readings. It was all by themes, their own thoughts, their notes, etc. It was beautiful! I immediately recognized the problem.
“I think you’re overthinking it. You’re trying to plan ahead, and avoid future logistical issues. But you can’t prepare for that until you’re familiar with the research. Once you’re familiar with the research, you’ll have a better idea how you want to categorize your notes and thoughts.”
They sat with it for a couple seconds. “You’re right. It’s just been so long since I’ve been in coursework, I wasn’t sure if I knew how to do this.”
“You do know it. I’m here to remind you that you know it. You have the skills. I believe in you.”
As with any strength, there are vulnerabilities in overthinking. But remember, your overthinking will help you in the long run. Your overthinking is the reason you’re here, pursuing a graduate degree. You crave more knowledge because your brain is filled with questions that the people around you can’t answer. You want to be surrounded by other overthinkers. Overthinking will fuel your imagination and creativity as you make progress in your research and writing.
Are you overthinking and unsure how to use it as a strength? Let me know in the comments and we’ll book a free brainstorming session if you’re curious about 1:1 coaching!