#hack your brain

[kaiderlou]

Taking Back Your Brain: tips from a medical student

I have a confession to make: I am incredibly terrible at looking up from my phone and engaging in real life. Like bad bad. Like I struggle to get through a lecture without getting on tiktok bad. So here are all the things I'm plotting and planning to take back my brain from the greedy fingers of tech billionaires who have commodified my attention span--hopefully some of this will help you too!

1. Recognizing WHY I'm reaching for my phone as much as I am

the hidden truth behind our declining attention spans : This video really helped me reframe the way I think of my reliance on social media. I encourage watching it, but if you don't have the time, here's the breakdown:

We live in a world that is designed to distract us. Media and tech as a whole have gotten continuously better at grabbing our attention. It grows their platform, it makes them money, and they are investing money into research to invent new tactics to distract us.

What cues us to reach for our phones? Leonie shares in her video that she does so whenever she has a negative thought, and I agree. The nature of short form content promises quick distraction without having to commit to a long holiday from whatever task is at hand (though it always ends up happening). I'm working on confronting whatever uncomfortable thing is prompting me to reach for my phone, rather than giving in and creating a cycle of dependence.

2. Utilizing zones

Designate zones for each different "mode" of life. Don't shit where you eat and don't work where you sleep. Have a space for studying, socializing, sleeping/leisure, etc. and don't mix them. This prevents you from mixing cues. When you're in your work zone, it signals to your brain that it's time to go into work mode, making it easier to focus.

This is the idea behind sleep hygiene too! Keeping your room or even just your bed reserved only for sleep means that when you enter that zone, it cues your brain that it's time for sleep.

3. Mindfulness practices

There is very little I resent more than being told as a busy student that the reason I'm burnt out is because I don't practice mindfulness (it's definitely not because the system is rigorous and asks too much of us, right????) but unfortunately, they might be right.

Mindfulness helps pull you out of the muck of what's happening inside your head and into the present moment. It has been so helpful with pulling me out of my anxiety and makes me feel like I'm actually living my life, rather than avoiding it. Instead of diving headfirst into my phone or maladaptive thinking, I'm grounded in the reality of the present moment.

In the same vein, feel your feelings. It can be uncomfortable, but running from them only works for so long. It takes more and more energy to avoid them until something finally gives. Feel the sensation in your body, be aware of it, then let it pass. Getting comfortable with doing this will eventually replace the avoidance tactics you've picked up, like endless scrolling.

4. Fill your free time with productive things

This doesn't mean don't rest. Rest is productive. But you have to actually rest and do things that are regenerative, not doomscroll.

Take the time to grow in ways that interest you. Do things for your body, mind, and soul. For instance, I like lifting weights, reading/watching video essays/seeing movies on topics I'm curious about, topics that make me think (balanced by fluffy books that DON'T make me think), and praying/reading my Bible. Growth is good for you, your brain wasn't made to be stagnant.

5. Be kind to yourself and your brain

Sometimes kindness looks like cutting yourself some slack, but sometimes it's having the discipline to do something now so you aren't kicking yourself down the line. This is the biggest principle that I live by and it helps me reframe doing the hard things. The hard things have to be done regardless, it's just a matter of under what circumstances. Wouldn't you rather do them when they're easier than when you're fueled by panic? Take care of future you

Anyways, these are the things I'm going to be focusing on with my dedicated STEP 1 study period fast approaching <3

[fromkenari]

Okay, but, like, I hack my brain by taking time to put at least one set of clothes to the side in the bathroom because I work in an office and can get away with only changing clothes every day and skipping the shower for most of the week if I need to. I treat it like I do my pill boxes, which have to be refilled sometime between when I take my last pills on Saturday night and my pills on Sunday. Sometimes I don't get to the morning and afternoon pills on time on Sunday because my brain can't handle it until Sunday evening, which is usually fine, and then I go grab fresh jeans for the week, a shirt, underwear, and socks and leave them visibly near the bathroom (in this case on the edge of the washer by the bathroom door) so when I get up on Monday morning, I see the clothes on my way to potty and then I feed the cats, choke down something for breakfast (yay blood sugar issues that make me have to do this), take my pills, and by then I'm a little more alert but my clothes are by the bathroom so I can go get undressed and make the big decision: how much hygiene am I going to do today? Some days, I only have spoons for changing clothes, putting old clothes in the hamper, and getting a new set of clothes to leave by the door. On other days, I split my spoons into teaspoons and will be like, "Well, maybe I'll rinse off," or "Yes, I'll brush my teeth," and then wait to see if the other teaspoons exist to complete a shower with soap followed by toweling off and lotion for my dry AF skin. Or I reach for the floss before brushing my teeth, which greatly increases the chance of using mouth rinse. Some days, literally all I can do is change clothes and brush my hair. Also, I try not to go longer than 14 days on washing my hair, but I do wait at least a week on it because it does not need to be washed more than that because I don't do anything to it but maybe a volumizing mousse after I've brushed it. The less you treat it as "I must commit to ALL THE STEPS" and instead, treat it as "we'll cross that bridge maybe" with each step and not admonishing yourself for not doing a step that day, the easier it is. Also, just because you did a step yesterday means you have to do it today, and (!) self-affirmations, especially spoken out loud, greatly help over time. There is psychological research that they work and all but also I know it from practice even though I felt ridiculous doing them at first. Also, if you're unsure of what self-affirmations to use, Google for them or ask someone you trust to help you out, which I had to do because gender dysphoria is a huge problem for me.

showering:

pros: you get to feel clean. you get non greasy hair, non oily feeling skin, it just in general makes you feel better, more energised, refreshed.

cons: there are so many steps. oh my god are there so many steps. before getting into the shower there are steps. during the shower there are steps. and once youve gotten out of the shower? guess what!!! more fucking steps!!!!!!!! UGHHHH

[httyd-art-requests]

Do you think we could get an Ace dragon? :P Maybe a Stormcutter or Nadder but whatever you think would fit

I always thought Nadders and Scuttleclaws might be related species, and since Aces and Aros are very much brothers in arms...

Dragons #93 / #94 - Ace Nadder / Aro Scuttleclaw

(I talk in tags!)

Requests are currently closed!

[specialagentjazzy]

okay here's how mike afton can still happen (delusional)

alternatively - so, Mike's dreams are canonically hiding something?????? hiding what????? hiding WHAT

[chipmunkweirdo]

(A typical morning at the Seville residence.)

SIMON: Why are you leaving the dishwasher hanging open?

ALVIN: So I remember to unload and reload it after I finish the laundry.

SIMON: Seems…unnecessary.

ALVIN: I know how my brain works. I can utilize its strengths and weaknesses to my advantage. Don’t mess with my system!

SIMON: Okay….Okay.

THEODORE: When did we get a dishwasher? I always do the dishes by hand like a chump!

SIMON: (sighs) Last year, Theo. We got it last year.

THEODORE: Whooooah.

DAVE: Alvin, if you aren’t using it, close the dishwasher up, PLEASE.

ALVIN: I can’t! It’s my system!

[madcatnobody]

It sucks how there’s a lot of technology that could actually really benefit disabled people. But since they involve hooking up a computer directly to your body/brain, people have to say “oh no but then the government/corporations could control your movements/perceptions!” and they’d be right

[salty-an-disco]

btw, if you’re wondering, I just like to change up art style when it feels like I’m losing steam to get myself smth somewhat ‘different’ to draw while still doing smth familiar lol

[hikeyzz]

good morning i can't stop thinking about my gf telling me my body was made to be worshipped as she kissed down my stomach and thighs end me end me end me end me end me end me en

[nightmare-from-heaven]

Brain says "Looking at far thing? = no immediate danger. Oy, stress, we stand down now."

So, de-focus your eyes or look far away (it's a similar muscle action), like at far clouds, or maybe the moon. Alternatively, close your eyes and *imagine* being in your body, looking through your eyes at the farthest horizon, or at the moon.

You'll feel the eyeball muscles relax. See if you can manually relax them even more. Keep that for like 30 seconds and notice what starts to change in your shoulders and stress body. It's neat.

[rraveboy]

what song from the SEOS soundtrack has the best remixes and why is it always Nerves

[divine-nonchalance]

Our brains are like computers, we can change the software, we can train our biological electromagnetic intelligence to serve us happy, wise, truthful, peaceful, loving, creative thoughts.

Invite them in, the entire infinite universe is filled with them.

Affirmation:

I accept wise, truthful, peaceful, loving, creative thoughts. I am in control of what I accept. I am the master of my thoughts. I am choosing to focus on thoughts that serve my wellbeing and the wellbeing of everyone around me.

Say this out loud, or whisper them, every day when you wake up. Memorize them. If you like. This is how we program our minds to work for us in a benevolent way.

[prettyflyshyguy]

Doctors hate her! Local woman makes brain turn tv show obsession into original character obsession with this one weird trick.

[reminiscentrainclouds]

I'm happy to hear that. The hamster just did a flip

Yay!!!! Woohoo!! That hamster has some sick moves, I'm so proud..

[blu-engineer]

I WAS FINALLY PRODUCTIVE TODAY CHAT

[marblebees]

I got tired of Character AI getting so repetitive and slow with its prompts and story threads so i literally just wrote down an outline of how i would make the story better. In frustration, it got me to do my own fully original writing. Lmao