“The enemy is our chattering brain, which, if we give it so much as a nanosecond, will start producing excuses, alibis, transparent self-justifications, and a million reasons why we can’t/shouldn’t/won’t do what we know we need to do.” – Steven Pressfield
My brain fogs quite a lot. My job, being writing, is ‘creative-brain-heavy’. It relies on imagination, non-finite solutions, research, and clarity of communication. Therefore, unsurprisingly, my brain often turns to mush, and I struggle to advance in whatever I’m writing.
I find this very frustrating. Brain fog grinds my day to a halt and not only means that work doesn’t progress, but that feelings of stress, frustration, and anxiety become part of my day.
It is because of this that I have had to come up with various ways to de-fog my brain. I don’t doubt that I am not the only one this happens to. I also know that different things work for different people. However, if you are looking for a few new fog-clearing techniques, perhaps some of mine will be useful to you.
1. Switch Projects
I am never without multiple projects. On top of that, each project will be in a different voice, on a different subject, or for a different purpose. If I am wiring something and come up to a block, it is only worth me trying to push through it for so long before I am simply wasting time. I may as well use that time on a project in which I can move forward more easily than frustratedly stare at a blank page waiting for a problem to solve itself. I switch projects. And most of the time, when I eventually come back to project one, what seemed elusive now, miraculously, seems easy.
2. Eat. Drink.
So often I find my brain turning to mush, and don’t contemplate the possibility that, perhaps, I just need some more fuel. A snack. Something with protein or sugar. A drink. Perhaps with caffeine. But often hydration is just the ticket. It seems obvious, but its worth checking whether you are sufficiently sated if you are struggling to think.
3. Entertain Yourself
It often helps me to do something that entertains me. Something that puts my mind in a happy or inspired place. Maybe, if my project is a comedy project, I’ll watch a bit of a funny movie or an episode of a sitcom. Maybe, as I am now, if I’m writing a children’s book, I will actually read a few chapters of a children’s book. Not only do I enjoy these things, but they sometimes spark some fresh ideas about what I am working on.
4. Disengage the Foggy Portion
Writing, in my case, or whatever it is you are stuck on, uses only a particular part of the brain. Go and do something that engages a different bit of your mind. Going for a walk will do that. Doing chores will do that. Exercise will do that.
5. Consider When Your Brain Works Best
Some people are great at working late at night. I know that my concentration is at its very best first thing in the morning. If there is a task that I’m really stuck on, I will likely leave it and come back to it first thing the next day. The same task will often take me a third of the time at 6 am than it would at 8 pm. So really try to be conscious of when your brain works at its most efficient and try to plan difficult tasks accordingly.
By Chris Thomson
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