Your brain is trying to “solve” or “defend” against what happened. But instead of resolving it, it keeps the loop going. Knowing this is key you’re not broken, your mind is just stuck in problem-solving mode. Write it down: Before bed, take 5 minutes to dump every thought about work/colleague onto paper. Tell yourself: “I’ve stored it here, I don’t need to carry it into bed.” Set a worry time: During the day, give yourself a 15-min slot to think about the issue intentionally. When thoughts pop up outside that time, remind yourself: “Not now, I’ll think at 7 pm.” Surprisingly, this works because the brain trusts it’ll get its turn. Body before mind: Do slow breathing (inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6). Long exhales calm the nervous system faster than just “trying to think positive.”
Next Steps
Before leaving your desk, write tomorrow’s tasks. This tells your brain: “It’s handled, I don’t need to replay it.”
4–2–6 breathing (inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6, repeat 5 times).
Health Tips
When you get thoughts in office- when thoughts pop up, say to yourself “office tape playing again.” That tiny distance reduces their grip. jot down the thought on paper, then tell yourself “I’ll return to this at 7 pm.” Your brain calms once it knows the issue isn’t lost.