You know that draggy feeling you get when you hit the afternoon slump? You’re tired, can’t focus, and that’s when many of us reach for our phone C for a mindless distraction. But when we’re having trouble concentrating, social media won’t help. According to Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author of “Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less,” this is why.
"Humans have developed this idea we're like sharks and have to keep moving or we die," he explains. “Constant distractions, like scrolling through your Instagram feed, prevent your mind from naturally wandering, which scientists believe is linked to problem-solving, memory consolidation, and reflection.”
So when your brain doesn’t get a chance to pause, it can get clogged up “like a computer that has too many programs running. And you’re left feeling more tired and wired than before. But next time you’re feeling mentally exhausted, instead of scrolling through your phone, try one of these science-backed ways to boost your energy fast.
- Take a break every 90 minutes - Our daily energy cycles in bursts of around 90 to 120 minutes. So use that as a guide to take a short break every hour and a half to let your mind rest, reset and refocus on what’s next.
- Try "bookending" - Energy coach Sean Hall advises that in order to avoid feeling burned out, we “do a task that does energize you before and after one that doesn’t.”
- Blink - According to a Japanese study, when we blink, it wakes up part of the brain called the “default mode network.” So when you’re staring at a screen for a long time, make sure you’re blinking to fight fatigue.
Source: My Domaine