The default mode network runs through the midline of the brain. It “lights up” when the wandering mind is active.
The “futurising” mind,
The “self-reflecting” mind,
the “distracted” mind.
When we think about stress and anxiety, we again notice that there is a future element. It’s not “here,” it’s “coming.”
It’s “up there.”
A distracted mind can be a stressed mind, and a stressed mind can be a distracted mind.
Yet we know that the mind, and physiology are linked. Our underlying hormonal system and energy production can directly influence our moods, emotions, thoughts and behaviours.
This is helpful because often when we “fight distraction,” we focus just at the mind level. Just in the “performance” zone. We can be beating ourselves up, when really, we may also just be in a stressed state physiologically.
If energetic resources are low and the physiology is stressed, it makes perfect sense that it’s hard to “be present to the task at hand,” when your system might be craving food that supports energy production, movement, or open spaces.
Of course the mind will be elsewhere (and typically, sleep will be poor)
If we are after “focus” then, what tools do we have to not just work at the “performance” level (scheduling, task blocking etc), but also at the physiological level?
What ways can you bring energy to your entire system in order to allow the nervous system to finally relax?
