Anne Bogel unpacks what it means to be an Overthinker, but more importantly, gives strategies for addressing the personal roadblocks that block our ability to make decisions. Reading this book seems like having a chat with a dear friend over coffee. I felt like Anne was talking directly to me as she discussed perfectionism, values-guided decision making, and being good to myself so that I can be good to others.

Thanks to partner NetGalley for the digital ARC of Anne Bogel’s Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life. The book releases on March 3.

I learned so much from Anne Bogel’s new, brilliant book Don’t Overthink It. (One thing I learned is the likely reason I have procrastinated writing this review: as a perfectionist, I want my review to be perfect, and since I know I can never fully communicate just how relevant and powerful I found the book, I just keep putting off beginning my review. But, I’m writing it. That means progress past perfectionism, right?!)

Anne Bogel is, herself, an epic overthinker, and she therefore weaves real-life examples of overthinking and its consequences into her book: “Before long, I’m snared in the too-familiar spin cycle of overthinking, unable to focus on anything else. I know the signs: lots of mental action, none of it constructive, all the while knowing I have better things to do. All my mental energy is consumed by the forecast—which I can’t do a thing about—instead of the things that actually need my attention” (loc 143). She shares one example in which dithering in the grocery store about whether to buy flowers—and, if so, which ones—left her (1) without flowers and (2) without another key ingredient she needed to pick up. So much of her brain power went to overthinking a small, simple decision that she didn’t have the mental space necessary to take care of what she actually needed to do. It’s these kinds of examples, which she uses both to begin each chapter and to drive home points throughout each new principle, that helped me as a reader to see both how relevant this book is and the consequences of overthinking in my own life.

Looking back at my galley, I have a highlight on almost every page. There’s a lot to discover here (and there’s joy in the discovery), but I found powerful her advice about perfectionism, about routine and ritual, and about values-based decision making. Anne is great both at helping readers to identify their own overthinking habits and also at offering solutions that we can implement immediately. Her ideas are backed up by research, but the facts never encroach on the warmth that characterizes everything Anne does, whether it’s her podcast, her blog, or one of her three phenomenal nonfiction books.

I learned so much from Don’t Overthink It . . . and had so many uncomfortable moments of recognition and reflection and growth. These learning experiences meant that I was experiencing the truth of Anne Bogel’s ideas and writing. I think this book is great both for those who overthink themselves OR who have an overthinker in their lives (I’m definitely going to share this book with my husband!). I highly recommend Anne Bogel’s Don’t Overthink It—don’t dither! Pre-order today. :)

“When we harness a values-driven decision-making process, we can proactively allocate our resources for the things that matter most to us.”

I love Anne Bogel’s books, Modern Mrs. Darcy blog and podcast, so when I heard she had a new book coming out, I preordered it as soon as I could. As a preorder bonus, I received a digital copy.

As a recovering perfectionist and procrastinator, Don’t Overthink feels like it was written specifically for me. This is more than just a book that helps over-thinkers stop overthinking. It encourages the reader to think about what matters most to us, what our “core values” are, and how being mindful of them can make big and small decisions a lot less stressful.

Anne shares real life anecdotes about the times in her life that she has found herself overthinking, what the consequences were, and how those decisions would be easier thanks to the techniques outlined in the book.
The concepts are not new ones - finishing what we start, being mindful, focusing on abundance and gratitude - but they are presented as a reminder of how we can make decisions while being tuned into what matters most to us.
I highly recommend this compulsively readable, beautifully written book.

I love Anne Bogel and her podcast What Should I Read Next, so I eagerly pre-order all her books. Grateful to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this one early!

I don't feel I often struggle too much with overthinking, but I still appreciated this book and the strategies it provided. Anne uses personal examples throughout the book that are easy to identify with. And I love a good "next steps" section at the end of a chapter--that almost guarantees I'll come back to the book when I need it. When I get my physical copy, I'll be putting book darts in all the places I think I might return to in the future.

This book was so useful! I can be a chronic over thinker (aren’t many of us?) and the tips and strategies in this book have helped already. One night, during the time I was reading this book, I was sound asleep. At 1230 am loud construction woke me up. I would normally get mad and stew over it (like I could somehow control it) but instead, I got up, used the bathroom and promptly put in my ear plugs. I was back asleep within minutes. I love that this book provides me this tips like this that are actually effective. You aren’t going to want to miss this book!

I have followed Anne Bogel for a long time through her blog and podcast and read her two prior books and am a true fan. I have been so excited about this book simply because it has a beautiful cover, but also because I am a lifelong overthinker. I have to say that it truly lived up to my expectations. It is a quick read but my favorite thing is that it is full of practical and easy to follow advice. A lot of books of this type identify a myriad of problems that we face but do not offer any solutions, yet Anne has a way of stating concrete strategies with humor and transparency so that we can feel good about ourselves, enjoy beautiful flowers and surge forward with a plan to make our lives easier and more fulfilling. I love a book that offers meal planning, wardrobe management, travel packing advice and the encouragement to purchase beautiful flowers all in one place. Thanks, Anne, you have done it again.

I enjoy reading "self-help" books, and I wasn't sure if this book would help me because I did not consider myself to be an "over-thinker." Turns out I am one and I just didn't know it yet!

Anne Bogel writes in such a friendly and accessible way, and her stories, insights, and suggestions are so practical. I found myself immediately applying some of Anne's suggestions and I've already saved myself some mental energy. So thankful!

My only critique of this book is that I wish it had been longer! :)

My favorite Anne Bogel book to date. This book was so readable and practical. I lost count of how many times while reading I kept nodding my head saying "Yes! Yes!"

Even if you don't think you're an Overthinker... Read this! Most likely you will have an Aha moment. And next time I'm at Trader Joe's, I'm buying myself the damn flowers for my desk.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful and useful personal growth book from Anne Bogel. As someone who constantly overthinks every decision, from what to serve for dinner to where to go on vacation, I needed Anne's words and helpful suggestions to stop overthinking and to take action!

I especially loved her discussion of your values influencing your decisions. One value we have as a family is to expand our children's world through travel so we have made taking big trips a priority. While in the moment, it's easier and cheaper to just stay home, I need to remember that this is one of our top values to spur me to pack the bags and plan the trips.

Anne's description of every day decisions with even the smallest of consequences, like her grocery store flower story, makes this book relatable and practical. Next time I am in the grocery store, I am buying the flowers!

(Posted to The History Mom's Goodreads account)

I preordered this book, but I’m also so thankful to Baker Books for the early eARC of Don’t Overthink It. I truly think this book will be life changing for me.
I have been an over-thinker my entire life, worried about how others perceived me and whether or not I was doing the right things. When I saw that Anne was writing a book about overthinking, I knew it was a book I needed to read!
Throughout the book Anne discusses reasons why we overthink and she includes actionable strategies to help get a handle on overthinking. The writing made me feel like I was having coffee with a friend, a friend with great advice and experience!
This book is perfect for anyone who has ever been stuck in a cycle of rumination or analysis paralysis - I wholeheartedly recommend it! I’m even getting a copy for my high school classroom!

“By changing your thought life, you can fundamentally change the way you experience the world.” - Anne Bogel, Don’t Overthink It.

This book was clear, concise and full of useful tips and tricks to stop overthinking before it starts. I really appreciate that she looked at this subject from many different angles and gave suggestions for how to change. You can tell this is a topic that is very personal to the author as she shares her own experiences with overthinking and how she managed to get her thought life under control. If the title intrigues you, just buy it! Don’t overthink it :)

This book, Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing and Bring More Joy to Your Life by Anne Bogel met me right where I am at. I apparently have a “high need for cognition” and Anne’s practical conversation about how overthinking can actually rob me of the joy and beauty of the world around me is really hitting home. While her tips and research may not be earth-shattering, they are grounded, incredibly relatable, and do-able. This is one of those books that I’ll think back to on a regular basis.
Also, don’t let the pink cover scare you! Females are definitely a big part of the target audience (which is statistically supported!) but if you’re a person with a brain you can benefit from the content of this book.

I loved Anne Bogel's other two books and actually picked this one up, not because I thought it applied to me, but with the intent of sharing it with my daughters. Boy, was I wrong! It doesn't just contain tips and advice for chronic overthinkers who frequently find they have analysis paralysis when trying to make a decision as I had thought. It is much broader than that and has so many useful pieces of wisdom and relatable anecdotes on perfectionism, second-guessing decisions made or actions taken in the past that you find yourself coming back to over and over again, as well as advice on finishing tasks you start so you don't have to return to them later to "close the cycle". There is something for everyone in this book. Anne's writing style makes you feel like she is there in the room having a conversation with you like you're lifelong friends. I highly recommend this book and will no doubt be gifting it to many friends!

I knew my husband was an overthinker, but I now realize I’m one too!

“Overthinking takes different forms. Sometimes it looks like worry... Sometimes overthinking looks like fretting about the small stuff... Sometimes overthinking looks like second-guessing ourselves.”

After defining what overthinking is, Bogel gives practical advice and tips on how to overcome overthinking. Her stories are so relatable, and her advice is totally doable!

I can’t wait to give copies of this book to my girlfriends (and my husband)!

Thanks to NetGalley and Baker Books for providing an ARC of this book. Reading it has only secured the fact that I’m officially purchasing multiple copies of this book. It’s a book that you put in a girlfriend’s hand and she absolutely will thank you for it. Don’t Overthink It is about overthinking and the struggles women have with making quick and satisfying decisions. It has so many thought provoking questions (the thinking that makes you self aware - the good over thinking) and practical tips to help women become more efficient in their daily lives and ultimately less stressed/overwhelmed as a result. Can’t wait for my hard copy to reread.

Hi, my name is Julie, and I have a tendency to overthink. Prior to reading this book, I would have said I am really thorough when making a decision- 'overthinking' wasn't part of my vocabulary. Having read the book, I realize I am a classic overthinker. I can drive myself and my family batty with my multiple scenarios and possible outcomes (so many considerations and factors!). Apparently being really thorough might be code for overthinking- especially when it starts to feel not so good.

I immediately started using some of the strategies in this book and they immediately helped me with some of my decisions. For example, there is a chapter on values and using core values to help make decisions. I recently read another book that talked about identifying personal core values (mine are connection and contribution) and aligning my behaviors, both personally and professionally, with those values. Anne Bogel goes one step further- she and her husband have identified core values as a couple and as a family and those help make their decisions. That is genius for me. It has already sparked several thoughtful conversations with my husband and has helped us plan as a family more successfully for travel sports (we are currently in ski season).

Trust me, you will find tools and ideas that will help you make decisions- even if you don't consider yourself an overthinker. I am looking forward to having a physical copy of the book. I plan on reading through slowly with both a pencil and my journal in hand. There are three sections composed of four to five chapters. Each chapter concludes with some reflective questions about the chapter topic- perfect for journalling. The above example was from just one chapter- I am having the same a-ha moments with each chapter topic and am excited about the progress I am already seeing in decreasing overthinking (just identifying it is helpful).

Thanks to NetGalley and Baker Books for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that I feel was written just for me. And not only that, it feels like I'm having a conversation with a good girlfriend when I'm reading it. Anne's writing style is calm, clear and personal, all while providing information and anecdotes that are applicable to so many situations. We learn what overthinking really is and how it manifests in our lives, and get practical steps for how to handle it. I found myself in many of the pages of this book, thinking "Oh yes, I do that!" The tools Anne provides are already making a difference in my life, and I can't wait to share this book with friends. And now I can finally stop worrying that I should apologize to my prom date for leaving him to hang out with friends 30+ years ago :)

As soon as I heard the title of Anne Bogel’s new book “Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More joy to Your Life”, I knew that I would like it for two reasons. First, I am a huge fan of Bogel’s blog and other books, and second, I am an overthinker.

The conversational style that Bogel uses in her “Modern Mrs. Darcy” blog, shared stories, and next step questions make her newest book so much more than a self-help book. It’s like a refreshing conversation with a friend. From the introductory quotes to the closing benediction, it is full of passages to highlight for future reference. “Don’t Overthink It” can be read cover to cover or used to refer to specific topics through the three-part structure and individual chapter headings.

I highly recommend “Don’t Overthink It”. Even if you do not believe that you are an overthinker, you will enjoy this refreshing read plus you will find the tips about a variety of topics including managing analysis paralysis, taking time to make time, choosing what to think, and streamlining decisions helpful.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Baker Books, and the author for providing an ARC of this book.

In an age of information overload, decision paralysis is an absolute epidemic, disguised as "research". In her latest release, Anne Bogel guides her readers through the mire of overthinking in all its overwhelming angles. One of my favorite aspects of the book was each chapter's "Next Steps" questions to move the reader toward application and action steps. As someone who regularly struggles with overthinking under the guise of perfectionism and research, I immediately messaged my family to recommend this book!

"When we assume we can't, it's guaranteed we won't. It's true that some of us are naturally more decisive, more laid back, or more confident than others. Some of us are more inclined to overthink. But that is the starting point, not the last word. That is where we begin, not where we're destined to end up." Anne Bogel, Overthinking

I've read many books on mindfulness before so much of the beginning sounded and felt very familiar. It was slow for me to get into it because it was like a “review”. However, just because you know it doesn't mean you need to learn it. As I went on I started to appreciate the more grounded fresh perspective on mindfulness.

The chapters on habits and rituals were the best ones for quoting and sharing with my audience and repeating to my clients. I loved reminding them of the power of eating the same thing for breakfast and wearing the same things, aka a signature style.

I loved reminding them that perfectionism and overthinking are at the heart of the “all or nothing” thinking that gets in the way of a living a healthy happy life.

I loved the last section on living from a place of generosity. I think we get stuck in trying to do the right thing that we don't do anything. Valuing kindness and compassion always wins and there is value in doing something, no matter how small it may seem to us. By illustrating the power of knowing who you are and acting accordingly, the book ends on a powerful note.