My brain has been in somewhat of a loop thinking about why I - as an extension we, don’t do those things that we know are good for us.

I offer prospective solutions, but I am faced with a barrage of further questions and roadblocks that prevent my mind from putting into words just what is preventing me from doing what I know must be done.

It is tempting to stay in bed longer, to keep scrolling on my phone, to turn on the TV, and to relax. One part of my brain is telling me that these things should be avoided and take up time that could otherwise be spent doing something productive.

What is productive? Well, productivity in the sense that we initially think of has been kidnapped and ravished by corporate types and businesses who would metaphorically whip you for sitting down and taking a break, or for not getting up at 5am.

Yet, at the same time, we all know how bad it is for us to spend time doomscrolling or sitting watching endless series on Netflix. It is as though, like a lot in our world at this time, both sides are presented as extremes and so the inclination is to fear both - not knowing what side to come down on and not knowing what side is better. Of course, in the context of the wider world, one side is definitely worse, and I will never be quiet on that opinion (and I find the premise of not being honest about that hugely troubling and not reflecting the pure reality of what is going on), but that is a topic for another day.

I know the dangers of doomscrolling, of wasting my life endless taking in shallow information, and yet I do not want to be a slave to productivity for productivity sake. I know the benefit of rest, and I know that people say that if you are enjoying something, then what is the issue.

And here lies the dilemma in my own questioning of why don’t I do what is good for me when I know what to do? - I cannot take it as simply one question, it is a myriad of dilemmas and further points to ponder.

So, what is the truth?

I guess the first thing to put to bed is the idea of doomscrolling vs productivity - both are victimised, and frankly both are wrong.

Brain Rot

We spend far too much time on screens and simply filling our already tired brains with pointless information and scaremongering. Brain rot is the appropriate term, because that is what it is.

The two main arguments in favour, is that 1) if it’s enjoyable then it’s fine, and 2) we all need a rest.

Alas, this is difficult for many to hear, but life is not about being enjoyable. In the same way life should not be about being happy, a task’s enjoyment level is not a good determinant of it’s value.

Something enjoyable can be inherently bad for us, and more than likely and more importantly, time spent on that “enjoyable” task can spent elsewhere. Quick fixes of dopamine numb us to the true enjoyable things in life and kills our abilities to focus for any prolonged amount of time.

Of course, being happy or enjoying something is good and I don’t mean this in a way of saying that life needs to be a punishment; but those things that are good for us, spiritually, intellectually, physically, typically require some sort of challenge.

Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi described flow as an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best. It is the state that we enter when we become so absorbed in a task that we lose track of time. Flow is highly correlated with both subjective well-being and psychological well-being - making it a significant driver of happiness. Csikzentmihalyi’s research suggests that individuals who experience flow regularly tend to develop greater self-esteem, concentration, and long-term life satisfaction, even if they report less immediate “fun”.

The key to entering a flow state relies on challenge, and balancing that challenge with one’s skill level. It is argued that achieving flow state for one’s life would be the ultimate goal for meaningful life.

That’s to say, meaningless tasks, brain rot, doomscrolling, do nothing for us. Which leads me onto point 2), these activities are not rest.

The bombardment from social media, TV, or even the news, actively engages our brains and hits it with crap (for lack of a better word). It induces anxiety and causes are brains to constantly be turned on; seeking every last suckle of that dopamine teat. The algorithms are created to take over all of your attention and time. You may be sitting doing nothing, but you are hooked into the machine; and you are the product.

Productivity

Productivity has been kidnapped by corporations and businesses to the point that we almost see it with the same sort of distrust of social media, and it works in the same way.

It holds us down and absorbs our energy for corporate gain. It thrives on keeping us tired, sapping our energy to be used for business gains.

The issue with the popularised productivity is not the idea of being busy or completing tasks, but the end product and its extremities. If social media is a constraint that bleeds us dry whilst we’re strapped down, the productivity fad is the treadmill that sweats it from us. Under both, our attentions and time are being siphoned from us.

Both take our time. And this is where we really get caught out.

We forget that our time is limited. We tell ourselves than an extra 30 minutes on our phone is fine - because half an hour is nothing. It does not stop us from doing anything in our days - it’s fine.

The average life expectancy in the UK is around 80 years.

80 years 960 months 4160 weeks 29200 days 700800 hours 4204800 minutes 2522880000 seconds

And you will never, ever, ever get any of those seconds, minutes, hours back. Once that time has been spent, it’s gone.

The average screen global screen time is approximately 6 hours and 38 minutes a day.

Here’s the scary part, you are not 80; and there’s a good chance you won’t reach 80. Those timers will not stop, and you never quite know if it’ll jump to 0.

Scary

I would suggest that the truth lies in the direction of your time and energy.

Productivity is not a bad thing when time is spent improving ourselves, helping others, or spent living meaningful and purposeful lives. Of course, it can be difficult to then decide what tasks are worthwhile, which can be paralysing in its own right, and I apologise for putting that out into the world.

Resting, also, it not bad. Resting is integral to our health; sleep is probably the most important thing to help our health. But resting should be exactly that - rest. It needs to be time spent allowing our brains to relax and recover. We must remember that our brains are separate to our bodies - they are still working over top even if you are sat still. Rest needs to be purposeful time spent where our brains can either shut off, or at least operate in a smooth harmonic motion. And that is difficult.

Our lives are busy and the world is noisy. Have you ever laid in bed at night with the window open and become acutely aware of how noisy it is outside? Cars, people, businesses. Perhaps you zone it out, but your brain is still processing that noise - all the time, and that requires energy.

Worrying about your work emails? Have a busy commute? Feeling anxious about the news? Comparing yourself to others, subconsciously or not, on social media? Energy.

So why don’t we do what we know is good for us?

Deep down, we know what is good for us. We know that exercise is good, we know drinking plenty of water and eating healthy is good, we know that connecting with others is good, we know that learning keeps our brains active and is good, we know that challenging ourselves is good and how amazing we feel afterwards. We know that taking care of our health and personal hygiene is good. We know, without any further overcomplication, what is good for us.

We also know what is bad for us. And whilst we seemingly justify those bad decisions, oh it’s just one bottle, oh I can sleep more tomorrow, oh I can start the gym next week, we know what is bad for us.

We want to lead meaningful lives, and we want to improve ourselves and be the best that we can. Insecurities and doubts perhaps paper over those desires, but I’m yet to meet someone who could not honestly tell me that they don’t have an inherent drive to live a meaningful life and want to be the best person that they can.

So why don’t we do it?

I think, even if I did not have an answer before writing, the words itself have uncovered a solution. It is overwhelm.

We are drowning in information and doubt, that we feel overwhelmed. We are not in tune with what we really want or need for ourselves because our attention is constantly being fought for, whether by the modern world around us, social media and corporations, the news, other people, our own anxiety and fears.

We are even then overwhelmed further by our own questioning and doubts. We question, much like I have questioned, well is it really that bad, or perhaps well what is good for me?, and even if you come out the other side with the desire to shut out the noise and to give in to your soul desires, it then becomes a okay, so what is the best thing for me to do?.

What is the solution?

I don’t know, I’m just as overwhelmed as everyone else. That is the truth. I am struggling in the modern world because my brain is always turned on and I cannot escape the barrage and assault on my senses.

I suppose, if I looked at it logically, the first step would be minimise the overwhelm by quietening the noise. Remove social media, cut down on screen time, avoid watching TV, ignore anything that is trying to compete for my attention, and take control of where my focus and time is spent.

Once the noise and overwhelm has been reduced, it would be about spending time on activities that genuinely help me and align with my purpose. Of course, this adds a further step of having thought about your purpose and what is meaningful for you. I believe that we all have something within us that intuitively we know if something aligns with what we’re meant to be doing. It might not be something we can put into words, and perhaps it will be a little inconsistent, but I think that we should better trust our intuition and voices that come from deep within us.

And perhaps it would help many to simplify (which is another essence of reducing overwhelm).

If it helps, I have put together a very basic task list as a way to get moving forward. I hope that it helps to reduce some overwhelm, and whilst I’m not expecting it to be a quick fix, I’m sure that it can be the start of a system or a new set of values to help you feel less overwhelmed and feel more aligned with your purpose:

1. Limit distractions - reduce screen time, reduce TV, cut out people who do not benefit your life or who cause unnecessary drama.
2. Do basic self care every day - brush your teeth twice a day, shower, wash your face.
3. Eat well - say no to processed food where possible, and eat more fruit, vegetables, and protein. Cut out snacking, and have consistent meals.
4. Drink more water
5. Do something for your body every day - exercise every day. Even if it’s a walk, or a light stretch - do something.
6. Do something for your mind every day - do something that challenges your brain; a puzzle, a sudoku, learn a language, read
7. Do something for your soul every day - spend time with a loved one, draw, paint, write, read, sit and watch the birds, anything that feeds your soul
8. Sleep well - try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. Make a bedtime routine that includes turning your phone off (see number 1), have a nice warm shower, read a book, go to bed feeling relaxed. When you wake up in the morning, get up without looking at your phone, and have a glass of water.

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