sometimes thinking harder just makes me more stuck

when i’m stuck on a stressful decision i’ve learned that staring at the same laptop for another 2 hours usually doesn’t help me.

i used to think i just needed to think harder, open another tab, write another note, make another pros and cons list, reread the same thing again and again.

but after a while i’m not really thinking anymore, i’m just looping around the same thoughts in a more stressed state.

lately when i notice that happening i try to leave the screen completely. sometimes i go play basketball, walk outside, get some sun or just do something that has nothing to do with the decision for a while.

weirdly i often come back with a much clearer answer, not because anything about the problem changed, but i think getting out of the same environment also gets me out of the same mental state.

i’m starting to think some decisions don’t need more thinking, they just need a bit of distance from the problem.

curious if anyone else does something similar when they notice they’re stuck in a loop.