Remember the 90s? Dial-up screeching, floppy disks clicking, and the ever-present worry that your computer was about to implode from trying to run too many programs at once?
I can only imagine my grandchildren listening to me wide-eyed one day when I tell them how part of my weekly routine used to involve defragmentating and optimising my PC so that the bloody thing didn’t seize up and refuse to work.
Luckily, IT development means we don’t have to do that any more for personal devices, but sometimes we forget our brains work very much like those old school computers in that they need a little help at times to remain efficient.
Just like those clunky 90s computers, our minds have a limited amount of working memory to juggle all your thoughts at once.
Trying to brainstorm ideas for a new product or service, interspersed with responding to someone’s “urgent” email, thinking about what to buy for lunch whilst simultaneously scrolling through social media is like opening a hundred browser tabs on a Windows 95 machine – things are bound to get slow, crashy, and you’ll probably feel the smoke starting to plume from your ears.
Here's the thing: multitasking is a myth. Our brains can't truly focus on multiple tasks simultaneously. Instead, we're rapidly switching between them, like a stressed-out waiter in a room full of grumpy clientele all demanding to speak to the manager. This constant context-shifting is exhausting and leads to errors, missed details, and the overall feeling of disappearing up your own backside.
So, how do we avoid becoming human Blue Screens of Death? (It still sends shudders through me when I think of the number of times I forgot to save my work and got Blue Screened!)
Here's how you can defrag and optimise yourself:
- Focus on One Thing at a Time: Pick a task, give it your full attention, and finish it before jumping to the next. Imagine your brain as a laser, not a bloody disco ball.
- Take Breaks: Just like a computer needs a reboot, our brains crave downtime. Step away, stretch, do something mindful like seeing how many red things you can spot out of your window, or simply take a walk.
- Prioritise Sleep: A well-rested brain is a sharp brain. When you’re sleeping, your brain to consolidate memories and information, just like a computer defrags its hard drive.
- Feed Your Brain Right: Your brain thrives on nutritious foods. Ditch the junk and load up on fruits, vegetables, and brain-boosting oils.
A little mental maintenance goes a long way. So, don’t wait until you get the Blue Screen - close those unnecessary browser tabs (both literal and metaphorical), take a deep breath, and give your brain the care and attention it needs.
Of course, if you want to go for a full service on your noodle, you can book a coaching programme with me, possibly even treating yourself to a glorious 1:1 coaching retreat to get an instant lift.
email me if you’d like to know more.