How to hack your brain for better focus
How to hack your brain for better focus

How to hack your brain for better focus in 2024

The world stopped down in 2020, just after I gave birth. Quarantine, while challenging, worked out unexpectedly during my pregnancy. I was attached to my newborn and spent hours feeding or pumping. With my full-time employment as a psychiatrist temporarily suspended, I found myself stuck in a dull routine. At first, I went to entertainment, watching too much Love Island which kept me distracted and active. However, when my Hulu access was unexpectedly cut off, I was forced to sit alone with nothing but my thoughts. And that’s when my path to improved focus began.

Embracing Boredom as a Superpower

In the beginning, I was stuck. My Hulu wasn’t working, and I didn’t have the energy to find another diversion. The days were empty, and I was incredibly bored. Yet, something wonderful began to happen. My brain, which had felt dull and weak, began to come alive again. I started thinking imaginatively, brainstorming ideas, and discovering new ways to spend my time. From boredom, I began developing mental health content, and before long, I had a million followers, a book deal, and a number of other fascinating initiatives. All of this accomplishment began with one moment of boredom.

The Power of a Reset

As I thought about, I discovered what had caused this massive shift: boredom had given my brain time to reboot. In today’s fast-paced world, we are continuously distracted. The modern brain is grasped in a million different directions, leaving us tired and unable to concentrate. But when we allow ourselves to slow down, something extraordinary occurs.

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The Default Mode Network: Your Brain’s Secret Weapon

When you’re not actively engaged in a task, your brain activates the default mode network (DMN). This is the area of your brain that is active when you are daydreaming, spacing out, or at rest. According to popular assumption, this downtime is not wasted. It’s when your brain can absorb information at a deeper level, recall memories, and solve issues creatively. Essentially, this is when your brain starts working behind the scenes.

For persons with ADHD (like me), connecting with this network can be very transformative. ADHD brains frequently struggle to turn off the DMN and completely engage in tasks, making it difficult to stay focused. However, by allowing yourself to have moments of rest and mind wandering, you can strengthen your ability to focus in the long run.

How Multitasking Undermines Focus

An often misconception is that multitasking allows you to get more accomplished. In truth, multitasking depletes your brain’s resources faster. Instead of focusing on one job, you quickly switch your attention from one to another, reducing the brain’s fuel, oxygenated glucose. This causes brain fatigue and an endless process of reduced focus.

The Key to Focus? Letting Your Mind Wander

To break the pattern of distraction, allow your brain to relax. Using the DMN helps you solve problems more successfully. Some of the greatest thinkers, such as Einstein, were daydreamers who enjoyed letting their brains move around. Daydreaming is an essential component of creativity and innovation, although most of us fight to bring ourselves out of it.

So, how do you consciously access this brain power? I advocate a method known as brain babble. It allows you to express yourself freely and without restrictions, which helps you engage with your unconscious mind. Begin with any object or idea and let your brain to jump from one idea to the next, similar to free association.

Brain Babbling in Action

Consider a phone as an example. I might begin with the word “cell” and let my thoughts leave to genetics, DNA, cavemen, and even Michael Jackson’s moonwalk. The idea is to let your associations run freely and without judgment. This activates the hidden portions of your brain, allowing you to come up with new thoughts and insights while returning to a task.

From Surviving to Thriving

In the current world, we rarely allow ourselves to feel bored. We have a variety of entertainment and distractions at our fingertips, and while this may appear to be beneficial, it is actually inhibiting our brains from performing properly. Allowing yourself moments of mindlessness allows you to regroup and return to your duties with more clarity and focus.

Mindlessness is not about wasting time; it is about allowing your brain to recharge. We frequently come up with breakthrough ideas during these periods of relaxation. If you can learn to combine intense work with intentional mental breaks, you’ll be able to uncover a powerful approach to improve your brain’s focus and creativity.

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Conclusion: The Balance between Focus and Rest

To fully realize your brain’s potential, you must balance focus and rest. Allowing your mind to wander is just as crucial as remaining concentrated. Next time you’re stuck, take a moment to let your mind wander, daydream, or simply sit in solitude. When you return to the task at hand, you will most likely be more focused, creative, and productive than before.

In the end, mindlessness may be the secret to mindfulness. By embracing dullness and allowing your brain the rest it requires, you will be better prepared to face and survive in the demands of modern life.

 

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