Are We 'OVERLOADING' Our Brain?

 

Are We 'OVERLOADING' Our Brain?  Good question.  Despite the incessant proliferation of mobile apps and tools [both for personal and business], some of us [OR probably many of us?] would still end our days feeling either overwhelmed, overloaded and seemingly LIKE 'mentally spent'.  Problem is, many of us [and that does include moi] frequently [and wrongly] think that it's all because of OVERLOAD [either at work or stuff that keeps us thinking] BUT alas, researches managed to debunk and disprove that misconception💚💛💜

To my shocking surprise, researches proved that this all boils down to the way we use our brains.  To borrow the jargons from the experts, many of us heavily rely on one key region of our brain called PREFONTAL CORTEX [PFC], that region responsible for the high-order functions like focus, planning, even self-regulation and decision-making.  Sadly though, experts say that the PFC has its limitations💥💥💥

Apparently, our PFC region fatigues quite quickly,, struggles with overload and is highly sensitive to distraction and even stress.  Very bluntly, the experts declared that in most cases, we are NOT running out of time.  Instead, we're running out of 'cognitive bandwidth'.  BUT this is something we CAN'T be guilty of because according to the experts, this is NOT our 'personal failure' BUT instead a systemic 'design issue'.  Apparently, we've structured the way we work in a way that demands that 'nonstop' performance from a part of our brain NOT meant to run continuously❌❌❌

Problem is, the environments we live in now would, from time to time,nudge us toward distraction, fragmentation and even urgency [Does that sound familiar?  WHERE almost anything we decide to do seems urgent and rushed?]  BUT often unconsciously though.  And WHILE there have been some proponents of individual techniques like breathing OR even time-blocking, the experts would debunk again that myth that  willpower alone can indeed 'rewire' our system.  Instead, we are encouraged to go way beyond individual hacks and start redesigning the environments we live, LIKE those 'spaces' that drive our attention, our behavior and even our own collaboration😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  Taking a lift from the experts' advisories, they now tell us that the FINAL FIX for this issue ISN'T just putting more FOCUS or more GRIT but instead, it's learning to leverage the whole brain, including powerful BUT underutilized systems like that 'default mode network' [DMN] which supports integration, creativity and insight and that so called 'salience network' WHICH detects the relevance and even emotional nuance and helps distinguish WHAT feels urgent versus from WHAT is legitimately important.  The not so obvious upside highlighted by the experts is that WHEN we are engaged strategically, these systems will help us become even more innovative, more emotionally attuned and even be capable to make better decisions [even under pressure].  So, ARE WE OVERLOADING OUR BRAIN dude???