How can you combat mental fatigue?
Come on, let's test together what level of mental fatigue is. Which of the following statements describe you?
“No matter how much I sleep, I have a hard time starting the day with an open mind.”
“I really want to read, but I can never focus long enough.”
“Actually, there are a lot of things I want to start with, but I can't find the strength to take the first step.”
“Every time I try to rest, I immediately think of things to do.”
If at least two of the four items above describe you, then you should put everything aside and read this article with all your attention. Because today I'm talking about how to combat mental fatigue with minimal effort.
What is mental fatigue?
When our mind is tired, actions such as focusing, thinking and making decisions that we can easily do under normal conditions are difficult. Our performance worsens, our productivity decreases.
Mental fatigue and physical fatigue
Dealing with physical fatigue is relatively easy compared to mental fatigue. When we run, our legs shake and we stop. After a long day of standing, we immediately lie down on the sofa. After carrying heavy bags, we know that we shouldn't put too much strain on our aching arms. On the other hand, when our minds are tired, we do not treat ourselves with such understanding. No matter how tired our minds are, we continue to look at the phone's notifications. We go on with our lives without caring how much our increasing screen time actually tires our minds.
As a result of the studies, we know that our brain secretes the hormone dopamine in every notification that comes to our smart devices. Dopamine is a hormone that gives us the feeling of reward. Every stimulus we receive in the form of a notification is perceived by our mind as a reward. With the effect of dopamine, our screen time gradually increases and our mind continues to work without ever having a chance to rest. Because of this reward mechanism, it is very difficult to fight our mental fatigue.
Why do we feel guilty when we try to rest?
The addiction that dopamine creates in our brains is not the only reason to fight mental fatigue. Today's perception of toxic productivity also complicates things. In a world where constantly producing, reading, working and creating a surplus value, doing nothing is equated with inadequacy, inadequacy and even failure.
When we do nothing, the message that we are actually doing something wrong and incomplete is repeated so persistently that after a while we begin to believe that it is true. And in the end, we do not enjoy standing or lying down and resting.
Why is it important to do nothing?
How surprised would you be if I told you that doing nothing is all too important for learning, making decisions, and solving problems? You didn't misread. Our minds need to do nothing to digest what they have learned, make sound decisions, solve difficult problems, and develop certain skills. This is exactly why we find solutions to our problems in the shower, find the most creative ideas while looking at the ceiling, and reinforce what we have learned while sleeping.
This event is basically about a process called “diffused mode of thinking”. When we focus on a job or look at the notifications on our phone, our minds continue to actively process the incoming data. In this process, where our attention is focused on data processing, our mind actually closes itself to all information coming from outside. Later, when our mind stops actively focusing and wanders randomly, it goes out of focused thinking mode and goes into diffuse thinking mode. And at the same time, it increases our likelihood of problem-solving skills, creativity, and seeing the big picture. In other words, during the processes where we feel guilty for not doing anything, our minds both rest and automatically switch to a mode that is very useful for us.
How to combat mental fatigue?
Now you have learned the importance of resting your mind without doing anything. Let's see what you can easily do to combat mental fatigue...
Put the phone in do not disturb mode. Turn it off for a few hours if possible. Spending time away from digital devices is the best way to relax your mind nowadays.
Go to the park, the seaside or a green area and watch the nature. Look at the colors around you, feel the coolness or warmth of the air. Take care of street animals, if any.
Take a warm shower. Let the noise in your mind flow with the warm water. Do not rush to get ready after the shower. Don't start planning the rest of the day in your head. Never look at technological devices.
Try guided meditation or do breathing exercises. Remember, the goal here is to completely free our minds. Our mind will choose the way it is used to and start thinking about something. When you notice, gently direct your mind to your breath.
Try keeping a diary. Without a goal, a direction, a rule, write what comes to your mind for pages. Let your mind dump its rubbish on paper.
Have a good sleep in a quiet environment. If you can't sleep, don't answer the phone. If you want, take a relaxing tea bath for your eyes or a refreshing mask for your face. Turn on soothing music and just lie in bed.
Get a hobby that doesn't involve looking at the screen and doesn't require much effort. Knit, cook, paint or calligraphy just for relaxation.
Make sure you give your body the value it deserves. Drink enough water and make sure you eat a healthy diet.
Don't be too hard on yourself and create rest breaks for your mind. Remember that a 20-minute break in the middle of the day will positively affect the rest of the day.
And finally, stop being a perfectionist. Treat yourself with self-compassion and be compassionate.
