Your Mental Treadmill is Making Your Brain Fat and Slow
Get off the treadmill and onto the trail
Our brains naturally create routines and habits so that we can go on autopilot and avoid decision fatigue. It’s extremely important and equally dangerous.
You already know this. I don’t even have to tell you that routine is the killer of time. You feel it when 7 pm hits and you think “where the hell did my day go?”. A week from now you won’t even remember what you did that day. Nothing happened. Wheels turned, but we didn’t go anywhere.
Over a long enough period, this way of living puts us in a wild funk. We become depressed, anxious, and full of regret. Where did my years go? Why haven’t I accomplished anything I wanted to do? It ruins our relationships as we slowly turn into sad sacks of constant mental fog and negativity.
The routine that saves our brains from complete exhaustion also destroys our chance at spontaneity and life. And the worst part? It doesn’t even matter because you still feel brain-dead at the end of the day! What a crapshoot!
Your brain needs to get off the treadmill and onto the trail. It needs fresh air. It needs to feel the breeze and smell the trees. It needs sunshine and gravel.
I’m not talking about taking a vacation or going skydiving, but rather injecting practical spontaneity into your everyday life so you don’t go insane.
Here are some of the best ways I know to do this:
Go somewhere new
Especially if you work from home. Take your laptop, pack it up, and go. Not all the time, just once or twice a week. It can just be a different room in your house if you want! Doing this will kick your brain out of autopilot as you are forced to re-think the way you work in this new environment. You’ll hear new sounds, smell new smells, and get a fresh perspective.
Exercise
I cannot stress this enough. Exercise is so important for actually feeling good and productive. It is instant gratification that also pays out in the long term. Exercise releases endorphins in your brain that make you happier. Exercise boosts your self-esteem and helps you sleep better. It also clears out your mental fog so you can think about problems more effectively. And those are just the immediate benefits! If you want to be happier, healthier, and more clear-minded, exercise as often as you can, whatever that looks like for you.
Say “no, but…”
Don’t waste your life doing things you do not want to do. I’m not talking about cleaning and dishes, you need to do your dishes and keep your house clean. But say “no” to outings that you do not care for or offer another option. Protect your time and save it for things that light you up. If you don’t want to go out to the bar with your friends for the third night in a row, just say “no, but what about…”
Example: “I’d rather not go out to the bar tonight, but do you guys want to come over and bake an apple pie?”
Opt-out, but also suggest something else. A hike, a home-cooked meal together, a game night.
You don’t have to go do things you don’t want to just because your friends invite you to do them. Switch up the narrative or just opt out and do something that excites you.
Build something
This is maybe my favorite way to get off the treadmill. Go on Pinterest, find something you can DIY, and do it! Get your butt to the hardware store, buy some tools, screws, and lumber, and build something! If you work at a computer all day, getting dirty and building something tangible with your hands is an absolute game-changer. If that’s not your thing, do some gardening or arts and crafts projects! Just get your hands dirty with something! You’ll be so glad you did.
Cook a new meal
This has been HUGE for me in the last year. There’s a good chance you make yourself 2–3 meals a day. We spend a lot of our lives cooking and eating. It’s very easy to go on autopilot here and just eat the same four things over and over again. It simplifies the shopping list but destroys your creativity. Find a new recipe that excites you! Go shopping specifically for this special meal. It’s so fun to try something new in the kitchen and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I try to do this at least twice a week. Last night I made fried plantains for the first time, it was so fun and delicious and cost me less than $3 to do.
These are just a few things that have helped me switch up my day-to-day to help keep my brain off the treadmill without quitting my job and living in a van (heavy eye roll).
If you have any other suggestions please drop them in the comments!
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