Mikkelwilliam/Getty Images
Is there anything more tedious than the endless drive to make every waking moment more productive? “If I save ten seconds on a process that happens ten times a day, that’s a minute and 40 seconds saved a day,” a productivity guru recently said. time magazine, to take just one example. “In one year, ten hours have been saved.”
If that sounds exhausting, the good news is that there are plenty of reasons to avoid putting ourselves under such relentless pressure, not least as we look at the latest neuroscience of how the brain regulates focus. “Take control of your brain’s master switch to optimize the way you think.”
It has to do with a small cluster of blue neurons in the brain called the locus coeruleus. According to new research, this structure acts like a gear lever that sets the pace of our brain’s processing. In Gear 1, the mind can roam freely; At Gear 2, we are very dedicated and attentive; and in Gear 3, we are hyperalert and quick to respond to a crisis.
What several experiments have now shown is that moderate locus coeruleus activity – Gear 2 – is the optimal state for many types of cognitive activity. It increases our concentration, it also enables the kind of thinking needed to solve problems. Gear 3 can be useful when we are faced with an emergency, but it reduces the ability to think analytically or creatively.
Indeed, it may be foolish to insist on driving the engine of thought at ever greater speed
Crucially, the locus coeruleus can easily kick into Gear 3 whenever we’re under pressure. If we are constantly pushing ourselves to achieve more and more in a limited amount of time, we may be stuck in this overwhelming and exhausting brain state, which will reduce the quality of our output in the long run.
With this in mind, it may indeed be foolish to insist on driving the engine of thought at ever-increasing speed. What is often overlooked is the need to give your brain plenty of opportunities to kick back into gear. For high-quality thinking, contrary to much productivity advice, downtime can be just as productive as work.
Topics:
