I burnt my lunch because I was not actually paying attention to what was happening on top of my stove. I am not the only one who has noticed an inability to focus. Researchers have found that when we multi-task we are actually wasting, not saving, mental energy. We are only able to devote our attention to one task at a time.

When we try to juggle several things at one time, just like juggling, we are actually only holding one task in the grasp of our attention at a time, quickly switching from one to the next to the next. Switching our attention from one item to the next takes some time, especially when attending to complicated tasks.

I know multi-tasking is not assisting my productivity and I am working to focus more on whatever task is at hand. Unfortunately, my attention span is not always cooperating. Instead of Facebook or Google Reader, I am challenging myself (and you) to find healthy distractions when your brain needs a break from focusing on the task at hand. Rather than re-engaging my brain on something new, I can allow myself to rest mentally by engaging myself physically. The next time you need a break try stretching, sit-ups, push-ups, jogging, preparing a healthy meal, splitting snacks into serving sizes, or other household chores.

(Via Thaindian.com)

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Healthier Distractions

Other lesser known brain foods include brightly colored produce high in antioxidants, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, prunes, and my favorite blueberries. Whole grains and whole grain products such as bread, rice, and pasta contain B vitamins and magnesium which assist normal brain and nerve functioning.

Feeding your brain can increase your mental energy. Mental capacity is what we use to organize our lives. When your mental energy is low, you’re likely to become more forgetful, distracted, and have difficulty thinking and completing tasks. Maximum mental energy is derived from oscillation; changing channels mentally permits different parts of the brain to be activated while others rest and can facilitate creativity. This sounds like great news for multi-taskers, but I am still skeptical about how productive multi-tasking really is. It is important that we stimulate different areas of our brains, learn new things, challenge ourselves, and expand our horizons.

How we function in each area of our lives can have a big impact on how we function in the others. To live to your full potential, you want to develop the greatest energy capacity possible in each key life area. When you are thinking more clearly, you can feel more confident and find life more enjoyable. When you have more mental energy, you are less likely to become exhausted by that long meeting which then tempts you to grab something from the snack machine. When you are thinking more clearly, you will find that you have more time for the things that give your life meaning.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Healthy Brains Come From Healthy Food