When I first heard that Anne Bogel was writing a book about overthinking I was delighted and relieved. I have long known that I have a huge tendency to overthink things and question everything, from decisions I need to make to those I've already made. And I knew that her personal touch would make the book easy to relate to and therefore easy to learn from. I started reading my advance copy eagerly and was so happy to find that Anne's book is the perfect introduction to resolving some of these issues. With the help of anecdotes from her own life and research she’s done on the topic, Anne helps readers learn how to think through decisions quickly and effectively, how to look at decisions in new and different ways, and how to create set strategies for tackling decisions based on values and lifestyle. Best of all are the actionable ideas she gives within each chapter and the “Next Steps” sections at the end of the chapters that can help readers think through what they’ve learned so far and how to apply this to their life. I’ve been reading without using these questions so far but can’t wait to go back and read through more slowly, taking time to think through the questions she asks to help focus my attention on what I can do differently. All in all, this is a wonderful addition to the library of anyone who struggles with overthinking or who likes to read about ways to make life’s decisions easier and more meaningful.

I wasn't sure I needed to read this book. I don't see myself as an over thinker, but Anne's words hit home and showed me the truth. I do overthink things, often to the point of not doing them. With the strategies outlined in this book, I am more aware when I start to overthink and have been able to let go and just do what needs to be done.

Anne Bogel is best known for her lifestyle blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy as well as her ultra-popular podcast for readers, What Should I Read Next?. She is a book whisperer, a lover of decaf coffee, her dog Daisy, and of course, books. She has written books on her love of reading, reading people’s personalities, and now a book on overthinking, or how to stop doing it.

I feel like this book was written for me at the right time. I’m a classic overthinker. I’m the kind that will wake up at 3:00 AM and rethink or replay a prior conversation, an event, or a situation I was involved in. I will stew about a decision that needs to be made….no matter how small or large (including if I should just get up and go to the bathroom or if I can wait until my alarm goes off) that decision is. I like getting lots of opinions for others and that usually only create more overthinking rather than less. These situations and more are what Bogel addresses in her newest book.

In probably her most popular chapter, Bogel addresses the overthinking that happens at her favorite Trader Joe’s. If you aren’t familiar with TJ’s, they have the loveliest bouquets of flowers and the cutest plants at the store’s entrance. The best part is those flowers and plants are very reasonably priced. You can get a bunch of daffodils for $1.99 or a beautiful bouquet of various stem flowers for $4.99. But, Anne, like many of the rest of us, talk ourselves out of getting the flowers. Yes they are lovely. Yes they are cheap. Yes, I know exactly what vase I would put them in when I get home. But, yet, we don’t buy them because they aren’t a necessity, they aren’t what I came to the store to get, those flowers are not on my list. But, Anne says, #Buytheflowers. Treat yourself once in awhile and bring the joy home. Maybe for you that joy isn’t flowers, but a dish of ice cream, or a car wash, or a bottle of wine. Whatever it is, it’s okay to say “Yes” to the flowers. In fact, I have taken this advice and I recently bought some of my favorite pens in some new fun spring colors and not surprisingly, I smile every time I use them.

I resonated with Bogel’s chapter on decision fatigue. I have felt like I couldn’t make one more decision when we were remodeling our house. I remember feeling that way about choosing the menu for our son’s graduation party. Our minds make hundreds of decisions a day: what time to get up, what outfit to wear, what to have for breakfast, what route to take to work, which book to read next, which email to answer first, etc. I could go on and on with the amount of decisions to make every single day. Most of these sound pretty simple, but sometimes the amount of decisions we have to make can be overwhelming, no matter how simple. Bogel offered examples of having only a capsule wardrobe to simplify the choice of what to wear each day. Eating mostly the same food for lunch every day also alleviates one daily decision. Removing these daily decisions can help us make the bigger decisions not feel so overwhelming.

I appreciated Bogel’s idea that your morning ritual sets the tone for your whole day. So, if your routine involves overthinking, you are robbing yourself of the peace of that morning routine. I related to this idea when I was listening to negative, difficult, or hard-to-listen-to books in the morning. They were books I wanted to read/listen to, but their heavy tone set my day off in a way that wasn’t pleasant and caused me to start the day feeling tense. I now save those books for a different time in my day and try to start the day listening to books or podcasts that make me happy.

These are just a couple of the many tips and highlights I took away from reading DON’T OVERTHINK IT. Even if you don’t feel like you overthink decisions, there are still many takeaways from this book. Each chapter ends with a series of “Next Steps”, featuring deep-dive questions to ask yourself. You can write your thoughts in the space provided in the book or take your answers to a journal. Either way, it gets you thinking deeper about that chapter’s topic and how to change the process that drives overthinking.

This is not the type of book that I can read quickly.  It IS the type of book that I read in small spurts and stop to contemplate as I read.  I spent a lot of time chasing ideas and making comparisons in my head to my own life situation.  I consider this a good thing as most times with self help books I spend my time saying "Been there.  Tried that."  This book not only suggests what to do but gives you such good real life examples of why that you come to a greater understand of your own dynamic.  With understanding comes the opportunity to fine tune your response and start to change these habits in tiny ways that stick. That is what makes this book a true self help book that needs to be digested slowly to be effective.

Guys, I’m pretty sure Anne can read minds…

I’m a worrier and have always been one. I thought I was getting better at it but then I read Don’t Overthink It and realized that I was lying to myself because Anne was talking about her overthinking problem and was describing me almost EXACTLY!?!
What I love about Anne’s writing style in all her books is that she gives you the science and research without it ever being dull or droning on, but she also gives you real, concrete examples. You know what the best part is? Anne gives you tips and tools to help you realize what you are doing and to help you stop the cycle so you can enjoy your life!
As a perfectionist who always agonizes over making decisions out of fear of being “wrong”, Don’t Overthink It asks some tough questions but also gave me answers to help me be kinder to myself. Every little decision should not be life altering! You can make smart, practical decisions quickly and not beat yourself up over them for days afterwards…who knew? 
Thanks, Anne, for giving this perfectionist some breathing room!

A well written, well planned and presented book on over thinking. Are you guilty of over-thinking? Most likely in some area or another! And if you think you're not just be aware of yourself for a day and see. I found myself debating whether I'd roast or put the chicken in the crock pot for today's meal. Too much mental energy expended.

With wonderfully real examples Anne Bogel depicts the over thinking that many of us engage in (from time to time) and gives us tips to manage this little habit that robs us of energy and time. In one place it had me chuckling out loud. Anne doesn't spare herself.

It's a book I'll dip into again, exploring some of her references as well.

What a great remedy for the overthinker! Many times we don't realize how much we overthink the mundane. This book offers a glimpse into various ways that we are overthinking our lives. It's a short, yet sweet, guide through the steps we take each day.

Great Book. Well written.   I never thought I was an over-thinker, just a worrier. While reading this book I was able to put myself into the examples and learn some new techniques for stopping the madness that is over-thinking.  I did find some of the examples and chapters a bit long. At times the author seemed to too many examples to define a point she was trying to make. But overall I found the book easy to read and very thought-provoking.  I would give it 4 stars. I definitely recommend the read!.

Anne talks to you like a big sister or good friend. She know the struggles and wants to help. As a woman I spend a lot of time overthinking. But that is not living our best life. If you want to live your best life than you want to read this book. Finding the patterns that keep you prisoner is going to free you and Anne is going to show you those patterns. I think that Anne manages to breakdown the multiple ways that we do overthink things and I know at least one of these things will resonate with you.

Bogel could not have timed this book any better. The release of Don't Overthink It occurred during the corona virus scare of 2020. Even people who are usually free from anxiety and overthinking have been prone to panic with the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic and the president declaring a National Emergency. Bogel provides simple, specific tools for managing the tendency to overthink even the most basic decisions. Each chapter has a place to write what your next steps will be with thoughtful prompts. I encourage chronic over thinkers to purchase this book!

Don't Overthink It sounds like an Anne Bogel book as you read it, which is a wonderful thing if you're a reader of her blog and/or a listener of her podcast. It feels like you're having a chat with a close friend about living a life free from ruminations that suck the joy out of life.  This is a short and practical book packed with ideas to try and space to reflect on how these ideas will look in your own life. This is a great choice for anyone who feels like they spend too much time in their head rather than doing the things that make them happy or improve their surroundings. Even if you don't think about yourself as an overthinker, reading this book might help you in your relationships with others who do overthink or get you thinking about how to better align your behaviors with your values and priorities. There's not necessarily a lot of new information here, but the beauty is in how it's put together and explained like a curated set of suggestions from a friend.

How do I even begin to review a book with so many nuggets of wisdom, that if I listed them all I’d re-write the entire book? 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this book is only for overthinkers. At its heart,  it’s a book to help anyone live a more joyful, abundant life. I read my e-galley once for an overview and now will go back through and slowly read the hard copy I pre-ordered and put these nuggets of wisdom into practice. 

Anne is one of my favorite bloggers/podcasters and this book is pure gold. The book is written in Anne’s trademark easy-going, conversational style. I was delighted to receive an e-galley and be a part of the launch team. 

This book will be on my keeper shelf! Excellent!

I so enjoyed this book! Anne Bogel gives practical and freeing strategies for overcoming overthinking. From completing the cycle (aka finishing what you start) to letting go of perfectionism and realizing that (many times) the goal is to get a result, not the best possible experience. To be quite honest, I’d never really thought about the connection between overthinking and striving for perfection. Also, Anne writes a lot about living from our values. If we have a clear hold on our values, what we care about, on what we spend our valuable time and money, we can better make intentional and trustworthy decisions. Decisions that reflect those values, that reflect who we are and who we want to be. I highly recommend Don't Overthink It!

I am such a fan of Anne Bogel's podcast "Whwt Should I Read Next." I enjoy her platform and how she interacts with her guests. I knew that as a writer she would also create content that I enjoyed. I didnt realize just how much I would not only enjoy it, but need it. 

In this book Bogel is a dream. She really gets in your head and let's you know that you're just fine doing things the way you're doing them. She does then give tips on how you can prevent some everyday nuances from ruining your entire day.

Basically take a breathe, light the candle, buy the flowers, and stop overthinking it. I loved this one! I will buy a copy for all of the women in my life.

I am incredibly indecisive and a classic over thinker. This book is exactly what I’ve needed. I have been a longtime fan of Anne Vogel’s podcast, but I hadn’t read one of her books. The real life examples and concrete, usable advice are not only refreshing, but somethings I have needed in my life. I don’t typically like to re-read books, but this is one I will go back to because of the practical advice. It has truly helped me in my life. I am a huge Anne Bogel fan!

I really enjoyed Anne Bogal’s new book, “Don’t overthink it”.  Reading it made me feel like I was talking to a friend who was giving practical and actionable advice about how to get more enjoyment out of life. 

In one of my favorite chapters Bogel talks about creating rituals. “Elevating something to ritual status doesn’t require much; it’s all in the way you approach it.” This made me realize that switching out my big mug for one of my pretty tea cups is worth the effort and elevates a routine to a ritual, which makes me happy.

I loved this book so much! When I heard Anne say what her latest book was about, I was counting down the months until I could get my hands on it. I am a major overthinker and this book has been a game changer for me. Don’t Overthink It is filled with excellent examples, thought provoking questions and easy to implement advice. You won’t find this book to be a preachy and it certainly won’t make you feel bad about how much you overthink things in your own life. Instead, it is like sitting down with a cup of coffee and chatting with a friend who knows what it feels like to overthink things, to have perfectionist tendencies or suffer from decision fatigue. Anne Bogel gives examples from her own life that I related to so well. Each time I picked up the book to read, I was excited about the direction it was taking me and how I was able to put her advice to work in my own life immediately. I am not someone who typically writes in my books but I found myself highlighting half of the book! It’s already helped me make positive changes in many areas of my life. I am permanently keeping a copy on my nightstand for easy reference when I need it. It’s that helpful!

“Don’t Overthink It” will help everyone who analyzes everything to the point of feeling frozen. This book will give you the tools to let go and feel productive, peaceful and happy. I love that the focus is on the everyday moments of life. The book will assist you in turning habits into rituals, deciding which decisions to put on auto pilot and reframing failure, among many other things. Anne Bogel shares personal anecdotes, which strengthen each point, from splurging on an experience at a unique restaurant with her family, to giving money and a granola bar to each homeless person she meets. Purchase this book and start on a new path to not overthinking.

Generally speaking, I am not usually a big fan of self-help books but Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel really resonated with me.  In her newest book, Anne discusses various ways we mentally beat ourselves up and how we can stop doing this in positive ways.  Since Anne is a fellow overthinker, her story about procrastinating with unpleasant tasks and then later trying frantically to find lost paper work in the middle of the night made me feel like we were two peas in a pod.  She writes, "When we put off doing something we don't want to do, we keep the unpleasant thing right in front of us for much longer than we need to."  I have never looked at my procrastination in this way and I felt my overworked and sometimes exhausted mind get a big hug from her advice. I  also suffer from what Anne calls "Analysis Paralysis" and tend to avoid making decisions when faced with many options.  Her Next Steps at the end of every chapter give readers a way to take action and to move forward past old and sometimes detrimental  habits.  I think that people who suffer from anxiety, negative thinking, procrastination, and self doubt would find a lot of truth and hope in this book.

In this concise, engaging read, Anne Bogel explores overthinking, how it keeps us from living our best life, and how we can change our thoughts and stop overthinking.  My advice? Don’t rush through this book! So much terrific information! Give your mind time to digest it! I think some dark part of my mind has known for years that I am an over thinker, but reading this book helped me to understand that not only am I not alone, I am understood! Having shed the shame of overthinking, Anne helped me to reflect on my life, values, and habits. Before reading this book, I probably could have told you I overthink things, but I would have been hard pressed to name one specific instance of overthinking. As I’ve been reading I have uncovered countless ways, big and small, that I have been overthinking and am finally able to apply practical steps to stop the cycle. In some cases, I have been putting off decisions for YEARS, and I now have the courage to move forward. Normally, I would say that personal improvement books were well out of my reading wheelhouse, but I have been a fan of Anne’s blog and podcast. I trust her, and I wasn’t disappointed. She brings the same down-to-earth, relatable style to her writing and reading this book felt like having a good cup of coffee with a trusted friend! Thanks, Anne!