5 Ways to Clear Your Mind and Become Productive Again

Have you been having a hard time keeping your attention, making decisions, and remembering new things lately? Or maybe you keep losing your keys, forgetting important meetings, or leaving the bathroom light on? Or are you unable to concentrate on your work, so you suffer from low efficiency?

Perhaps the whole point is that we are constantly in the "On" mode: scrolling through the news, checking social networks, doing work tasks, participating in Zoom-conferences and immersing ourselves in online shopping. It is no wonder that after a whole day in front of the screen of first a smartphone, then a computer or laptop, and then a TV, we experience stress and fatigue from information overload.

If unbearable fog in your head prevents you from focusing on important matters and ruins your life, try one of these tactics.

1. Consciously Consume News

It doesn’t matter what sources you read and what topics you are interested in, scary messages are inevitable. Newspapers, TV programs, and social media feeds are all set to capture attention, and bad or scandalous news has no equal in this. But you should be careful: negativity can shake our mental well-being and not in the best way affect how we make decisions.

To avoid unpleasant consequences, be careful about what kind of news you read and how often. If this morning you have already read not the most joyful message, do not watch the evening news. Or try limiting your time on social media to ease feelings of loneliness and reduce anxiety. And it is better to regularly take a break from gadgets. This way you can fully concentrate on your work.

2. Go in for sports, it is better - in the fresh air

Physical activity improvesM. Angevaren, G. Aufdemkampe, et al. Physical activity and enhanced fitness to improve cognitive function in older people without known cognitive impairment / Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews our cognitive abilities, while sitting for a long time without a break bindb. Chandrasekaran A. J. Pesola, et al. Does breaking up sitting improve cognitive functions in sedentary adults? A mapping review and hypothesis formulation on the potential physiological mechanisms / BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders with their deterioration, as well as with changes in the brain that leadP. Siddarth A. C. Burggren, et al. Sedentary behavior associated with reduced medial temporal lobe thickness in middle-aged and older adults / Plos One to dementia.

This does not mean that you need to turn into a person who gets up at 5 in the morning and goes for a run with a smile. Even a small load can give a good result. If there is a park or other open space near your home or work, take regular walk breaks. Research confirmM. G. Berman, J. Jonides, S. Kaplan. The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature / Psychological Sciencethat nature has a positive effect on our cognitive skills.

3. Maintain social connections

UK scientists studiedJ. Ingram, C. J. Hand, G. Maciejewski. Social isolation during COVID-19 lockdown impairs cognitive function / Applied Cognitive Psychology the impact of isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic on our mental abilities. It turned out that they improve significantly when we have the opportunity to communicate with others.

Write to your parents, gather in a cafe with friends or spend a quiet evening with your loved one - and you will feel much better.

4. try new things

You probably have friends who are always busy with different hobbies. They draw, learn to play the piano, study French, write poetry or make unusual crafts.

It's time to take their example. Research proveE. R. Oby, M. D. Golub, et al. New neural activity patterns emerge with long-term learning / PNASthat learning new things helps maintain brain health and positively affects the formation of neural connections.

Of course, if you are already loaded, you should not take on even more. Add something new to your daily life little by little, like trying unusual recipes or taking different routes to work.

5. Be kinder to yourself

If you've already tried everything you can, but the fog in your head still won't dissipate, don't beat yourself up. We live in an extraordinary time, so show yourself a little more compassion. Forgive yourself for small mistakes, like losing your keys again or arguing with your boss.

If your condition turns into a real depression, contact a specialist. It will help you deal with emotional problems and return to a productive mode.

It is important to learn to accept the fact that right now we may not be the best version of ourselves. Maybe it's completely out of our control. But if we start to notice what "feeds" our brain and makes it work with pleasure, then we will finally be able to dispel the fog and continue to move forward.