Overcoming

A helpful guide for when your mind is too loud

Everyone’s been there at one time or another, we want to complete a task and for some reason our brain is telling us “no” There’s no apparent reason why we shouldn’t be able to complete the task but nevertheless, there’s something in the way, blocking the progress.

I was alone for a lot of my early years. In fact, a lot of my earliest memories consist of me, myself, and I staring out the window waiting for my parents or grandparents to come home. Nevertheless, I’ve always had a predisposition to be hyperaware of my thoughts. Because of this, and my fascination of neuroscience, I got thinking about why we get mind blocks.

We’ve all heard the advice- just do the task for five minutes or starting is the hardest part, but I want to know where the block comes from in the first place. What I have deduced is that we are all in an unprecedented time where attention is a commodity and it’s causing rapid changes to the chemical structure of our nervous system. This isn’t to be a fear mongering fact it simply is the modern day norm. Because of this, I have found it extremely helpful to remind myself that this is all an experience.

If there’s a block I’m experiencing, instead of stressing about it I take a step out of my mind and evaluate my environment. In the same way that our bodies maintain homeostasis to stay healthy, our brains should work in a similar matter to help us be productive. The conflict arises when we place ourselves in situations that threaten that homeostasis or make our brains think that we are not in a state to be productive.

When I find myself in a block, I ask myself what I am doing that is causing my brain to be in distress and therefore prohibiting my productivity. This has been immensely helpful to get through dealing with procrastination especially. If I am not well rested then I cannot study. If I haven’t eaten enough then my brain doesn’t let me push myself harder. If I can’t get through housework then I haven’t taken any time for myself.

Replace the blocks with solutions. Help your brain feel safe by fulfilling your needs and creating a peaceful environment that allows you to thrive.