How to achieve more by doing less
Have you ever found yourself stuck on a problem? Do you spend your day ruminating on one issue? Does it feel like a broken record, thoughts going around and around in circles?
“Shall I go out tonight or have an early night? Which school do I choose for my child? Do I eat the chocolate cake or practise self-control?”
How much time is spent on ruminating thoughts or unsolved problems?
Let me introduce you to 3 mind-blowing techniques to help you find solutions quickly.
It’s almost hard to believe this since we are taught from a young age to work hard, keep at it and don’t stop until you achieve your goal. Have we been misled down the wrong path?
Can doing less actually achieve more?
Before I dive into the techniques, let’s do a quick run through of our five types of brain waves and their roles.
Types of Brain Waves
Your brain is a bustling hub of electrical activity. This is due to the fact that the cells in your brain, called neurons, use electricity to communicate with each other. When a group of neurons sends an electrical signal to another group of neurons, we call those brain waves. Brain waves are measured by frequency, which is cycles per second, or hertz (Hz), and they range from very slow to very fast.
Delta — This is the slowest type of brainwave. This occurs during dreamless sleep.
Theta — This comes next when you’re sleeping more lightly or when you’re extremely relaxed.
Alpha — Your brain produces these waves when you’re not focusing too hard on anything in particular. Whatever you’re doing, you’re probably feeling relatively calm and relaxed. It’s responding to activities like meditation and rest that can reduce your stress levels and help you feel calmer.
Beta — You’re wide awake, alert, and focused. You’re going about your activities of daily living and making decisions. This is when your brain produces higher-speed beta waves.
Gamma — This is the speediest of the different waves. You’re actively involved in processing information and learning. You’re concentrating and solving problems.
Now here’s the fun part.
Here are 3 techniques that can help you find solutions quickly.
1. Mind wandering
Taking time off from a task and beginning to daydream places you in a theta brainwave state. A person who is driving on a freeway, and discovers that they can’t recall the last five miles, is often in a theta state — induced by the process of freeway driving. This can also occur in the shower or even while shaving or brushing your hair. It is a state where tasks become so automatic that you can mentally disengage from them.
When in theta, you are prone to a flow of ideas.
The academics, from the University of Tübingen in southern Germany, were keen to find out why, despite being the only species capable of sitting still and thinking to themselves, humans are generally reluctant to make use of this talent.
Psychologists who studied a group of more than 250 people encouraged to engage in directionless contemplation or free-floating thinking said that the activity was far more satisfying than the participants had anticipated.[1]
They also revealed that — as previous studies have demonstrated — losing yourself in your thoughts can aid problem solving, increase creativity, enhance the imagination and contribute to a sense of self-worth.
2. Sleep
In a 1993 study at Harvard Medical School, psychologist Deidre Barrett, PhD, asked her students to imagine a problem they were trying to solve before going to sleep and found that they were able to come up with novel solutions in their dreams. In the study, published in Dreaming (Vol. 3, №2), half of the participants reported having dreams that addressed their chosen problems, and a quarter came up with solutions in their dreams.
“We’re in a different biochemical state when we’re dreaming, and that’s why I think dreams can be so helpful anytime we’re stuck in our usual mode of thinking,” Barrett says.
Researchers have found that getting less than six hours of sleep each night is one of the best predictors of burn out. Working too much is also associated with low morale, depression, substance abuse, sleep deprivation, relationship breakdown, and disengagement at work. Over time, your productivity suffers.
What’s more interesting is the non-arousal state.
When an individual awakes from a deep sleep in preparation for getting up, their brainwave frequencies will increase through the different specific stages of brainwave activity. That is, they will increase from delta to theta and then to alpha and finally, when the alarm goes off, into beta.
If that individual hits the snooze alarm button they will drop in frequency to a non-aroused state, or even into theta, or sometimes fall back to sleep in delta. During this awakening cycle it is possible for individuals to stay in the theta state for an extended period of say, five to 15 minutes — which would allow them to have a free flow of ideas about yesterday’s events or to contemplate the activities of the forthcoming day. This time can be an extremely productive and can be a period of very meaningful and creative mental activity.
Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison also relied on half-sleep moments to chew over big ideas.
3. Meditation
This is my favourite. In particular, alpha meditation.
Alpha waves naturally increase when you close your eyes, are daydreaming or in a relaxed state. They are the first stage of a bridge between the subconscious and conscious mind and can lead to deeper levels of healing, health, happiness, creativity and success.
Alpha meditation can be used to unlock solutions for issues that you will not find in your conscious state.
Benefits of alpha meditation include better sleep, creativity, reduced depression and anxiety and above all, an increased ability to solve problems.
In a 2015 study, researchers found evidence that they could trigger a surge in creativity if they specifically focused on enhancing alpha waves.
There are many resources online for guided alpha meditation. I follow the Silva method. Meditation practice is a personal journey. So, it’s vital you find a method that resonates with you.
The results are mind-blowing. Daily practice for just a week can produce phenomenal results.
Which method will you try today?
I am a functional medicine family doctor, podcaster, educator and blogger. I love sharing tips on how to be and stay well. Contact me here. In the meantime, check out my free resources below.
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Disclaimer: This is general advice only. Please see your healthcare professional if you are suffering from stress and anxiety.
