Understanding our capacity is the key
If we don't listen, the body has to scream.
My head was burning like a fire. I felt it will explode any minute. Like an old laptop that is overheated.
After a whole day of mental work, my software was not functioning anymore. I wanted to put my head in a freezer to cool down.
I didn't feel my tasks were too challenging. I didn't feel I have too much on my plate. And yet, I couldn't manage.
I had these episodes in the past, but I never gave it too much attention.
This time I questioned my therapist.
It turned out that I was constantly overloading my brain.
To be precise, I was not giving myself enough cognitive rest.1
I've been used to engaging my brain even during my leisure time for years. Reading psychology and behaviour books, writing, catching up on what is happening in the world, or listening to thought-provoking podcasts. My brain was always busy - reading, analysing, and planning.
For years this worked. I felt the day was well spent if I learned something new. If I solved something. If I've contributed to the world.
But I haven't noticed that this default mechanism was not working all the time. That it didn't work when I was stressed, tired, restless, worried, or anxious.
Even when I wasn't at my optimal functioning, I always returned to my default behaviour.
I was ignoring all the signs the body was giving me and I kept on pushing my brain until it was about to explode.
Those habits that I once treated as beneficial to my growth were now causing my mental overload and burnout.
If we don't listen, the body has to scream.
I had to do a serious inventory of how I function.
I reviewed all the leisure activities on my schedule. Where and when do I really switch off my brain? When do I allow myself to just do, not think?
During cognitive rest we allow ourselves to wander or zone out.
But I realised that even during activities I considered beneficial for cleaning my head I still entertain my brain. Because activities like walking my dog, running or doing yoga are now so automated on a body level that while I exercise I simultaneously focus on cognitive work like planning or analysing.
Resulting in my brain barely ever completely switching off.
This was an eye-opener.
I noticed that activities like rock climbing, partner dancing, playing pool, going to concerts, or swinging like a kid that once provided me with the needed rest by letting my brain fully engaged in the bodywork, were now missing. Even things like cleaning my flat and ironing clothes I reduced to a minimum, thinking they are just eating my precious time.
Wrong.
Without allowing my mind to rest, and without changing my daily habits, I was potentially running into burnout again.
Moreover, if we are not at optimal functioning (stressed, anxious, in transition), the need for mental downtime is even more pressing.
I had to rethink how I spend my leisure time and work breaks. Allowing for more cognitive rest throughout the day and getting in sync with the needs of my brain in the current context.
I've learned that
Switching off the brain is not nice to have. It's a must-have.
Mental downtime helps our brain become reenergized and better able to deal with challenging tasks. It also boosts our creativity and problem-solving capacity.
It's necessary to change the narrative around our mental break.
Many times the constant urge that something needs to be finished, or achieved is blocking us from switching off. Taking downtime is not shameful, it's necessary for our optimal functioning. Once we are back into our optimal we can perform at our best.
Taking rest has to be intentional.
Not all leisure activities are true downtime, in the cognitive rest sense. True mental rest means we are not engaged in focused cognitive work and it needs to be intentionally planned in our daily schedule.
So now I'm being more mindful about the signs my body is giving me to take a rest, accepting that it's needed and being intentional about planning mental breaks.
Including micro mental breaks to my work schedule, restarting mindfulness practice and planning ahead intentional time offs.
And it already works.
By giving my brain enough downtime during my leisure it's serving me better when I need it the most. Like writing this article. ;)
I'm curious about how taking a mental break works for you. What are some of the “brain-off” activities you engage in? And how do you plan them?
Let me know in the comments. :)
Wishing you enough mental breaks in your day so that you can function at your best.
___
Adela <3
“Cognitive rest occurs when you are not actively engaged in a task that requires a lot of attention. During these periods, your brain engages the default mode network (DMN). This is just a fancy way of saying that your brain’s energy is no longer being exerted on conscious tasks. Basically, your mind is allowed to wander or zone out.” (Cognitive Rest: Learn Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime)