We’ve all experienced the stress of reaching the day before an exam without having studied enough, or nearing a work report deadline without having dedicated the required time. It’s the moment when pressure makes us race against time, hoping to compensate for the lack of dedication throughout the period. The brain can be trained to avoid this.
How the Brain Works When Stimulated
Regardless of whether it works or not, this practice is not a good long-term strategy for learning and productivity. It’s something we all know from experience. However, it’s a mistake we often fall into continuously. The reason is that when we start working, a process known as “neuronal discomfort” occurs in our brain. That is, a feeling of unease arises that pushes us to constantly change activities.
In an environment where distractions abound, it’s easy for work to be constantly interrupted by them, causing us to continuously shift focus. These distractions act as an escape route from neuronal discomfort, but with two significant costs:
- unproductivity.
- procrastination.
Neuroscience research shows that shortly after concentrating hard on an activity, neuronal discomfort disappears, and we can pay sustained attention to the task without the need for initial effort. However, this type of attention cannot be maintained for a long time, and that is why studying the entire course in one night is not useful for learning.
Dr. Barbara Oakley, a professor at Oakland University, explains this phenomenon with the following analogy: if a person wants to develop their muscles, they logically won’t go to the gym for an entire day and do hundreds of repetitions. Muscle development is a gradual process that occurs by alternating periods of training and rest. In the case of the brain, it happens similarly through two types of thinking: focused thinking and diffuse thinking.
The Brain and Focused Thinking
Focused thinking is the mechanism we use when we intentionally concentrate on a task. It is characterized by being inflexible and is usually associated with activities for which we already have prior knowledge. For example, if we are solving a mathematical equation, even if this particular equation is new to us, it is assumed that we have a basic knowledge of mathematics, which is supported by previously formed neural pathways.
The Brain and Diffuse Thinking
The second type is diffuse thinking. This is a more relaxed style, where different brain areas are activated that do not respond to previously established connections. For this reason, this type of thinking is very effective when performing new tasks, as it allows for more creative solutions by connecting different brain areas in new ways.
It should be noted that it is not possible to be in both types of thinking at the same time. For this reason, neuroscientists recommend that, when executing tasks, whether they are related to memorization, analysis, or any other activity that requires sustained attention, it is useful to alternate long periods of focused thinking with short periods of dispersion.
Similarly, this strategy is effective when there is a stagnation in problem-solving, so it is advisable to switch from focused to diffuse thinking in search of new, more creative solutions. To do this, it is necessary to take a brief pause from the task we are performing, allowing the mind to rest, which will activate diffuse thinking. Afterwards, we will return to focused mode with new alternative solutions.
Earlier I mentioned procrastination. It’s a concept popularized in recent years that describes the tendency to postpone tasks as a way to escape neuronal discomfort. Procrastinating is a short-term solution with very poor results. What we leave undone does not disappear; on the contrary, it remains in our mind as a pending activity and has the potential to generate stress and feelings of frustration. Additionally, being an escape route for the brain, it is easy for it to be repeated enough times to become a habit, gaining the necessary strength to keep us away from our goals.
The Solution to Procrastination: The Pomodoro Technique
That said, let’s move on to the solution. There are different self-discipline methods; in this article, I will talk about the Pomodoro technique. Its creator was the Italian Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, who named it after “pomodoro” (tomato in Spanish) because he used a tomato-shaped timer.
What Does the Pomodoro Technique Consist Of?
This technique consists of alternating moments of intense activity with moments of rest. Cirillo’s proposal is 25 minutes of concentrated work followed by 5 minutes of rest. He suggests that we observe the complete task, calculate the number of pomodoros we need to finish it, and get to work.
It is very important that these periods of sustained attention are completely free of interruptions, such as incoming email messages, calls, and other distractions. Another rule is that pomodoros should not be divided. That is, if we schedule 25 minutes, we should not stop at 10 and then do 15, but rather the period must run uninterruptedly. In addition, he proposes that every 4 pomodoros, a longer break of about 20 minutes should be taken.
We can also adapt the technique as we observe which time extension is most suitable for our performance. Some people find work periods of 45 minutes or an hour, with breaks of 10 or 15 minutes, for example, more productive.
The most interesting thing about this tool is that, apart from its effectiveness in activity planning and establishing disciplined habits, it allows for the activation of our two thinking processes. With this, we manage to be productive while training our brain without overloading it, allowing learning to consolidate, as well as finding creative solutions to our problems.
Now that we know the two thinking systems and an effective way to put them into practice, we can take action.
The Value of Contextual Therapies
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