5 Signs You’re Overthinking A Career Decision

Do you experience chronic indecision when it comes to your career? According to a study by the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, overthinking or ruminating can take a serious toll on your well-being. Overthinking wastes time and drains precious energy. Experts agree that thinking too much can negatively impact job performance, cause anxiety, or even lead to depression. Psychologist Barry Schwartz coined the phrase “Paradox of Choice” to describe his findings that, while freedom of choice allows us to achieve objectively better results, it also leads to greater indecision, paralysis, and dissatisfaction. With the coronavirus pandemic, you may find yourself out of a job or reconsidering your current career path. But how can you tell if you are overthinking a career decision?

Here are five signs to watch for so you can stop deliberating and start acting:

You ignore your intuition

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You have difficulty problem solving

Overthinking leads to analysis paralysis. Analysis paralysis describes an individual or group process when overanalyzing or overthinking a situation can cause forward motion or decision-making to become “paralyzed,” meaning that no solution or course of action is decided upon. You waste time thinking about the problem rather than available solutions.

You’re afraid of making the wrong choice

Instead of empowering us to make better choices, our unlimited access to information often leads to greater fear of making the wrong decision. In fact, a study from UC Santa Barbara found that overthinking leads to poor decision-making and judgments. This situation leads to you spinning your wheels and often overthinking a career decision.

You’ve researched your options to death

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You obsess about things beyond your control

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