How many times have you caught yourself ruminating interminably about that blind date you have coming up, that big presentation you're scheduled to deliver at work in a few weeks, or that doctor's appointment you've been pushing back for months now? Overthinking can have corrosive effects on us. Not only does it build anxiety, but it can negatively affect our sleeping routines, eating habits, relationships, and self-esteem. And the worst part about it? Overthinking solves nothing. Sure, a little angst is healthy, but brooding over things that have not yet come to pass won't in any way affect the outcome. Most people will admit to dreaming up doomsday scenarios in their head that never even come to pass. Our negative thoughts, in effect, can run rampant. This can trap us in a vicious cycle that can be very difficult to come out of. When you're anxious, you lose your zest for life. As is the case with depression, you may turn down others' invitations to ...

There's no question that planning is an integral part of lives. We schedule everything from meetings at work to haircuts and dentist appointments. But did you know that scheduling leisure activities like happy hour can actually make them less enjoyable? According to a series of 13 studies from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, leisure, once scheduled, becomes more like work. That causes people to become less excited by and even resentful towards such scheduled leisure. In the end, people enjoy such activities as going to a movie and grabbing a bite to eat much more when they're unscheduled. It makes sense that we would derive less pleasure from activities we've jotted down in our planner or smartphone calendar. Think about it: We've all made plans ahead of time, only to blow them off because we weren't in the mood or just didn't feel like standing up and getting dressed. On the other hand, if a friend proposes that you g...

We don't always get back what we put into things in our lives -- our jobs, our friendships, our relationships -- at least not immediately. When it becomes apparent that someone no longer fits in your life, it's best to let them go. It can be hard to come to terms with the fact that someone who thought you'd spend the rest of your life with didn't turn out to be the person you envisaged. The same goes for an individual you thought you'd be lifelong friends with. Whether you or the other party is to blame for a faltering relationship, sometimes trying to make it work only results in deeper resentment. It is very difficult to part with something we've invested a lot of time and energy into -- something we assumed would last indefinitely. This can also be applied to jobs. Many of us have grand plans of staying in the same company for many years, if not our entire working lives. However, quarrels with our bosses or coworkers, unfulfilling/unchallenging ...

If you had a choice between acquiring more time or more money, which one would you choose? For many of us, each seem in short supply year-round. Still, I would opt for the former. I think the expression "time is money" is dead on. With more time, I could find ways to get more money, whether that means staying later at work or getting a side job. Those who don't have as pressing a need for more cash can use the additional time for hobbies, or spend it with friends and family. Parents, in particular, regard free time as a luxury, especially during the kid's first few years. For those of you on the fence, maybe this tidbit will put things in perspective for you: Time is the only thing in this world (other than our lives once we die, of course) that we can't get back. All that time wasted in bumper-to-bumper traffic or waiting at doctor's offices? That's irretrievable. There's a reason we make such a big stink about getting older and seeing the...

As cliché as it may sound, I have found this maxim to be true: "Failing to plan is planning to fail." Granted, none of us are perfect. We all make mistakes that ultimately serve as valuable learning experiences. What's more, some of us plan and still end up with less-than-desirable outcomes. But far too many of my friends have wound up in difficult situations -- from grappling with poor career choices to navigating tumultuous relationships -- that could have been avoided had they only planned ahead. Here are a couple of reasons why we might fail to plan our decisions carefully: We're impulsive : We act in the moment without carefully considering the consequences beforehand. We're lazy : There's a reason why psychologists have dubbed human beings "cognitive misers." Naturally, we try to expend as few mental resources as possible. We're emotional: Whether we're happy or angry, our emotions often get in the way of reason, leading us...