Every Thursday I share three useful things to help you turn overthinking into expert thinking. Below are this week’s picks. This edition is a bit longer than usual, as it's brought to you by me & ChatGPT!

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1.

Strange. Sometimes uncomfortable. Refreshing. Motivating. Insightful.

A client reminded me the other day about what a coaching conversation can be like. I wrote a post about it on LinkedIn. Then, before I hit send, I asked ChatGPT to do the same. Here's what we came up with:

2.

I also asked ChatGPT to create a Medium article about how to stop repeatedly checking your finished work. The text below is the story it came up with. See my version following for a slightly different take, from the perspective of a human overthinker.

Repeatedly checking your finished work can be a sign of perfectionism or a lack of trust in your abilities. It can also be a waste of time and energy, and can prevent you from moving on to other tasks. If you find yourself repeatedly checking your work, there are steps you can take to break this habit and increase your productivity.

1. Set a specific time for checking your work. Instead of checking your work every few minutes, set aside a specific time for checking and reviewing it. This can help you to limit the amount of time you spend checking and allow you to focus on other tasks.
2. Make a checklist of things to check for. Before you begin checking your work, make a checklist of the specific things you need to check for, such as grammar, spelling, and accuracy. This can help you to focus on the most important aspects of your work and avoid getting sidetracked.
3. Check your work once, then move on. After you have checked your work using your checklist, resist the urge to check it again. Instead, move on to the next task and trust that you have done your best. If you notice any mistakes later, you can correct them then.
4. Ask for feedback from others. Another way to stop repeatedly checking your work is to ask for feedback from others. This can provide you with valuable perspective and help you to identify areas for improvement. However, it’s important to remember that feedback is not a reflection of your worth as a person, and to not take it too personally.
5. Seek help for perfectionism. If you find that you are unable to stop repeatedly checking your work despite your best efforts, you may need to seek help for perfectionism. A therapist or coach can help you to identify the underlying causes of your perfectionism and develop strategies for overcoming it.

In conclusion, repeatedly checking your finished work can be a waste of time and can prevent you from moving on to other tasks. By setting a specific time for checking, making a checklist, checking once and moving on, asking for feedback, and seeking help for perfectionism, you can break the habit of repeatedly checking your work and increase your productivity.

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Some useful tips in there, thanks, AI bot! Here's my take on the same topic:

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3.

This exploration of content has got me thinking about the nature of overthinking — maybe it's a bit more nuanced than we realise?

How metamodern!

Meaning, like ChatGPT, perhaps our ability to deep dive through information and summarise what's relevant is just a form of deep processing? After all, overthinking and deep thinking are the exact same skill set, just applied differently.

When comparing human deep thinking to AI “deep thinking”, one thing I notice is that ChatGPT is excellent at explaining concepts and processes in a clear, simple and logical format. However, it struggles with conveying experiences and subjective realities. That's where our deep thinking shines!

Speaking of subjective realities, I'm interested in yours…

So, tell me, who did it better*, me or ChatGPT? Reply and let us know.

At your service,

Kim (and the Robots)​

PS. What does ‘better’ even mean?

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​Kim Witten, PhD - Transformational Coach & Research Consultant

Hello! My name is Kim Witten and I’ve spent four decades overthinking absolutely everything. I’ve turned this ability into a superpower to get stuff done and now my mission is to help others do the same. Read more about my journey​

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