How to Overcome Mental Fog-Clog-Block
Making the most of Procreativitination — creative procrastination
When I am writing or working on a project, I lose the sense of time and reality. I transcend to a parallel reality and I love it! There were occasional times where I experienced mental-fog, but I would still sail through these times. In fact, I called them times of Procreativitination — creative procrastination. I used to pass my time browsing web, Netflixing, engaging in altruistic activities, and, at times, waiting for the deadline to approach.
Lately, I realized that my Procreativitination was turning into problematic procrastination and it became not-so-nice feeling now. This began to worry me, and I tried doing what I do best: troubleshoot and write!
Name it to Tame it!
I started with labeling my mental state and here is my list:
- Writer’s block
- Reviewer’s block
- To-do-list block
- To-do to-do list block
- Thinker’s block
- Learner’s block
- Being block
Not sure if it was helpful. But I realized, when I tried to write, my Mental Fog quickly, transformed from Fog to Clog becoming a Mental Block! And then came an awakening moment: Fog-Clog-Block!
The brain as a Trash Bin
Interestingly, I came to a very ironic realization; this Fog-Clog-Block time is the time when I will get superb ground-breaking ideas that I quickly want to jot down in my unticked to-do list.
Although these ideas would excite me once, now it would also become a sense of self-loathing and self-criticism. I started wondering if these ideas were trash, and my brain was turning into a trash bin. I felt, too many ideas were crashing up the system! I was confused about how long do I give in to this Fog-Clog-Block time? Or is there an ideal space or tools that I am missing to further cut down by distractions?
Rested Brain
So here I was, listing down what is the ideal place for me to write! My comfortable, well-fed, well-rested Brain!
My quick memory scan showed some images that I was not sure I was looking for. But I realized this: I have written while I was traveling to Multan at my friend’s wedding, and after attending 2 functions, I excused myself for the third one to stay back and write at her house, in her very room while she was getting married.
It increased my confusion. These places are certainly not very comfortable places for writing! Then what is it?
Tools
I then tried looking for what writing tools I need. After a quick scan, I realized that there are tools that I think I need, and then there are tools that I need.
Tools I need: Laptop, headphones, an exclusive playlist, and Grammarly.
Tools I think I need: Internet, perfect workstation, laptop cooler, Ph.D. in English Literature, and my lost notebook that apparently had solutions to every block that I experience.
When I say the Internet, let it be clear that I have enough literature in my three cloud drives for a year to spend on an island without the Internet and still be able to write. My drive is updated with what has just been published. At this moment, while you are reading it.
Confusion to Comprehension
I, by no means, offer a solution or tell you something that you do not know. In fact, if you are reading this, probably you are doing what I do during my Fog-Clog-Block time. But hey, let’s be honest here, all the COOL stuff that we have read is during this trash collecting time.
I have realized that pushing myself to write and work on projects at such times is counterproductive. I believe, some kindness to one’s self and setting up a deadline for Fog-Clog-Block time is potential help. Resisting it makes it only worse. Here is what I have to say:
- Make a Treasure Box out of your Brain Trash!
- Make your Mindless Browsing, your Wealth!
- Make your Fog-Block-Clog time, your Brain Update!
