How to Stop Overthinking Your Graphic Design Process: 7 Key Strategies That Actually Work

Jul 1

Overthinking can be a crippling issue for many graphic designers. It can drastically reduce creativity and productivity, mess with your sleep, and put a strain on client relationships.

If you work as a freelancer, understanding how to overcome this mental barrier is crucial. Not only will it help you speed up your process, but somewhat paradoxically, you’ll find yourself producing better work.

In this guide, we’ll explore seven science-backed strategies that can help you silence negative thoughts and unleash your full creative potential.

1. Set Decision Deadlines

One of the most effective ways to combat overthinking is to set strict decision deadlines. This approach helps you avoid getting bogged down by endless deliberation and keeps you moving in the right direction.

By setting specific time limits for different types of decisions, you force yourself to make a choice and move on, rather than going back and forth without making a concrete choice.

For small design choices, such as selecting colours or fonts, give yourself 30 seconds. Trust your initial instinct and commit. These can always be adjusted later if you’re not happy.
For medium decisions, like adjusting a layout or choosing between design concepts, allocate 30 minutes to evaluate your options.
For larger decisions that impact the overall direction of a project, give yourself up to 30 hours to gather necessary information and make a well-informed choice.

2. Give Yourself Fewer Options

Choice paralysis can be a significant contributor to overthinking. Paralysis by analysis, it’s sometimes called.

But by limiting your initial options, you can streamline the decision-making process and focus more on execution. Reducing the number of choices you have to make can alleviate the anxiety associated with making that one, perfect decision.

Start by setting clear parameters or boundaries for your project. For instance, use a pre-selected colour palette or stick to a specific design template if possible. When you work with an established brand, you’ll likely already have guidelines to work from, so the simplification is much easier.

Setting parameters from the start not only saves time but also ensures consistency in your work. By simplifying your choices, you create a more straightforward path to follow, which can help you stay focused and productive.

Reduce choice paralysis by limiting options: Start with a pre-selected colour palette or template to minimise the overwhelming number of choices.
Stick to a predefined set of design rules: This can help you stay focused and reduce unnecessary dithering.

3. Start Stream-of-Consciousness Journaling

Journaling, or simply just writing down your thoughts, is a powerful tool to clear your mind and organise your thinking. A stream-of-consciousness approach allows you to capture your raw ideas without overthinking them. This technique involves writing down whatever comes to mind without censoring or editing your thoughts, which can help you process and release mental clutter.

Grab a pen and paper or a word processor, and start writing about your design project, work, or any other concerns you have. Don't worry about structure or coherence — just let your thoughts flow. Continue writing until you feel a sense of clarity or relief.

I find doing this on a computer or phone is the most effective, as you may find that you think far quicker than you’re able to physically write. Additionally, if you then want to organise what you’re thinking, it’s way easier to move things around on a digital medium.

This exercise can help you identify patterns, uncover new ideas, and reduce the mental load that contributes to overthinking.

Grab a pen and paper: The tactile nature of writing by hand can be particularly therapeutic.
Write without thinking: Let your thoughts flow onto the paper without censoring or editing them.
Continue until your mind feels clearer: This process helps to declutter your thoughts and can provide clarity on your design direction.

Bonus: Here are seven steps you can take to improve your mental health as a graphic designer.

4. Use the Mel Robbins 5-Second Rule

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins is a simple yet effective technique to overcome procrastination and overthinking. The idea is to count down from five and then take immediate action. This technique works by interrupting your thought pattern and pushing you to start working on your design project right away.

Whilst it was developed for business owners who need to make tough decisions, the same rule can be applied to graphic design – and really anything where you need to make a choice.

When you catch yourself overthinking, use the 5-Second Rule to break the cycle. Count down from five and then begin the task at hand, whether it's starting a new design, making a decision, or revising an existing project.

This approach helps shift your focus from thinking to doing, which can significantly boost your productivity and reduce anxiety.

Put action over thoughts: When you catch yourself overthinking, count down from five and then immediately start working on your design.
Take immediate action: This interrupts your thought pattern and propels you into productive activity.

5. Practise Flow State Activities

Achieving a flow state, where you are fully immersed and engaged in an activity, can help prevent overthinking. Flow state activities require complete concentration and involvement, making it difficult for your mind to wander into the territory of overthinking.

Prioritise activities that help you enter a flow state, such as sketching, brainstorming, or working on design elements without judgement.

When you are in a flow state, you’re entirely focused on the task at hand, which can enhance your creativity and, more importantly, reduce the chances of overthinking. This immersive experience can lead to breakthroughs and innovative solutions, reducing the tendency to overthink.

Prioritise activities that induce flow: Activities like sketching, brainstorming, or working on a piece of design without judgment can help you enter this state.
Fully immerse yourself: When in a flow state, your focus is so intense that overthinking becomes impossible.

Learn four methods and techniques for getting into a flow state here.

6. Try Hormozi’s “85-Year-Old Self” Exercise

This imaginative exercise helps you gain a different perspective on your design decisions by consulting with your future self. By envisioning yourself at 85 years old, you can tap into a wealth of hypothetical wisdom and hindsight, which can provide clarity and reduce anxiety.

Open a Google Doc and imagine having a conversation with your "85-year-old" self. Ask questions about your current design challenges and listen to the advice your future self might give.

This exercise can help you see your decisions from a long-term perspective, easing the pressure of immediate perfection and encouraging more thoughtful, balanced choices.

Open a Google Doc: Imagine having a conversation with your "85-year-old" self.
Speak back and forth: Alternate between your current self and your future self, asking questions about your design decisions.
Gain a new perspective: This exercise can provide valuable insights and reduce the anxiety of decision-making.

If you find this a little awkward (fair enough!) you can make use of AI to help. By using various “act as” prompts, you can get Chat-GPT to take on the role of an expert, whom you can then talk through your ideas with.

7. Utilise Bezos’ 70% Rule

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos advocates making decisions with around 70% of the information you wish you had. This principle can be particularly useful in design, where waiting for complete certainty can lead to endless delays and missed opportunities.

Accept that not every choice will be perfect, but understand that starting and iterating is more productive than striving for unattainable perfection. Learn to love the iterative nature of design, using feedback and revisions to refine your work over time.

Make decisions with 70% of the information: Don’t wait for perfection or complete certainty. Start with what you have and iterate as necessary.
Embrace the iterative process: Design is inherently iterative. Use feedback and revisions to refine your work rather than striving for an unattainable perfect decision on the first try.

Conclusion

Once you gain control of your thoughts, you'll find yourself feeling more creative, productive, and ready to tackle any project.

These seven strategies will help you stop overthinking and unlock your full potential as a graphic designer. Keep in mind that everyone is different, and some of these may work for you, and some may not.

Experiment with different techniques to see which are most effective!

Learning not to overthink is a highly important lesson you need to learn if you want to be a freelance graphic designer… and here are four more lessons of freelancing!

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