You're Brilliant On/Off Switch
Prepare for focus OR disconnect at at end of the day in 90 seconds
Focusing our attention in a specific direction encourages our brain to activate the region which will help us the most.
One of my favourite true stories is the one of John Taylor. He invented the automatic on/off switch on electric kettles. Before John Taylor’s invention you had to remember when to turn the kettle off. And because the human brain is fallible we sometimes forgot to turn it off and it kept boiling and boiling. Wasting water and precious energy.
Think how much energy this one invention has saved. There are approximately 28 million households in the UK. Let’s say half own an electric kettle and then boil it once a day. That’s just under 5 billion boils a year. How many of these would have been forgotten about just for a few minutes without the automatic on/off switch? One simple change can reap significant rewards.
Is there a switch like this for humans which can help me focus? Yes
Is there a switch like this for humans to help me disconnect at the end of the day? Yes
By controlling what we look at we can improve how we feel. We can influence our brain to give us the resources we need to achieve a specific aim.
Do a comparison now. How does each of these images help you feel?
Do we spend our attention each day on images that help us, or images that hinder us?
Technique to Aid Focus
1.Warm up - take 4 Breaths; inhale, pause, long slow exhales
2.Look at this dot here and attune your breathing to it’s movements. As the dot grows bigger, slowly inhale, pause when it pauses and gently exhale as it gets smaller. It’s automatically timed to stop after 1 minute.
‘Concentrating on a dot requires the engagement of executive control processes in the brain, which regulate attention and inhibit distractions. When we focus on a specific point, the brain's attention networks, including regions in the prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex, become activated. These networks play a crucial role in directing and sustaining attention over time.’
In other words focusing on the dot and slowing our breathing activates our logical computer brain and strengthens our attention muscle.
Try once a day for the next 7 days. Its a 2 minute investment. I’ve found it most useful after lunch when I often find it harder to focus in the afternoon.
Technique to Aid Disconnecting
1.Warm up - once your working day has finished, move your laptop out of sight/ get changed, move to a place where you can see a view of the sky and any surrounding nature.
2. Take 2 x 4 breaths with your eyes open and look off into the distance at a part of nature. This could be clouds, trees, grass, hill in the distance etc.
You can do this practice looking out of a first floor window, however I've found it most effective going for a 5 minute walk in the park and then pausing to look at the trees and blossom close by and then the sky, clouds and trees in the distance.
‘Research has shown that exposure to nature, even through visual stimuli alone, can reduce physiological markers of stress, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. When we gaze at nature from a distance, we may experience a sense of calmness and relaxation, which counteracts the physiological arousal associated with stress.’
In other words letting our attention wander on nature helps calm our chimp brain, releasing mental and physical tension.
Try once a day for the next 7 days. Its a 2 minute investment. I’ve found it most useful in the morning to lift mood before the working day has started. Or when my working day has ended and I’m often feeling self critical. I make sure to do the above practice before I get sucked into other ‘jobs’ around the house.
Final thoughts
I was watching La La Land again last week and was struck by one scene in particular. Near the start Emma Stone’s character is experiencing setback after setback at her auditions. Her friends invite her to a party, she’s reluctant but they convince her. The party is ok but she leaves early. As she makes her way back to her car she discovers its been towed away and she has to walk all the way home. As she’s walking home she passes a restaurant and hears a piece of music which calls out to her. She has to go in, captivated by the music Ryan Gosling is playing at the piano.
As I was watching this scene it struck me that all of us have hidden parts of ourselves. Parts we find hard to express, parts we find hard to nurture. The music connected with something deep within Emma Stones character which meant a great deal to her. Maybe something like this has happened to you. This recognition. Maybe you’ve just noticed it as a fleeting moment or sensation. My belief is that there is important information there. Something to guide us.
This delicate scene was yet another reminder to listen to what’s going on within us. When we make the time to pause and acknowledge what we are really feeling we begin to notice more of these subtle moments in our lives. Our behaviour becomes more responsive and less reactive. We find the courage to go towards what matters most.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” - Jack Kornfield
You are a good person, doing your best. That’s enough. You give some much energy to others, you deserve a moment for you today.
P.S
- After Joy and I reframed the problems submitted the video ended up being 40 mins long. I made another attempt at a shorter video but didn’t think this was useful enough to share. My next step is to try an audio only version. In the meantime, if you were one of the people who submitted a difficult situation and you’d like some help please reply to this message. You are not alone.
- Whole days walking in nature by yourself? One Day author David Nicholls on the peculiar pleasure of long, soggy solo walks read here
- Give someone a hug today. Touch can reduce pain, depression and anxiety, say researchers read here