Overthinking at Work? Anxiety and Panic Help in Pakistan

That is genuinely exhausting, and it is more common than people admit — your mind keeps running even when you are trying to focus, and that makes every task twice as heavy. Overthinking often feels like a loop: you start thinking about something, then another thought comes, and before you know it you have lost half the day in your head.

Two small shifts to try

• Write it down, then close the notebook. Keep a small notebook or a notes app open. The moment you notice you are stuck in a thought, write one or two lines about it — then physically close the book or switch apps. That small action tells your brain "I have saved it, I can come back later" and often stops the loop.
• Give your mind a short break with your senses. When you catch yourself overthinking while working, pause for 30 seconds and name three things you can see, two you can hear, and one you can feel — like the chair under you or the air on your skin. It pulls you back into the room instead of into the thought.

Overthinking is not a character flaw; it is a habit the brain falls into when it is tired or stressed. The trick is not to fight it but to gently redirect it, over and over. It will loosen with practice, inshallah. And if you ever want to just talk through what is running in your head, Zara is here to listen.