Today's Activity: Managing your (Cognitive) Energy

From constant notifications and zoom meetings to full email inboxes and multitasking between different digital collaboration platforms: our connected lifestyle requires and consumes significant cognitive resources, forcing our brains to tirelessly process information. This consumes a lot of cognitive and mental energy. 

Because we only have so much cognitive capacity before we need to replenish, understanding how we can optimise where we spend our time and energy is key to promoting wellbeing and productivity in a digital world. 

Today’s Activity: 

  • Choose a task and commit to it without any digital interruptions for a set period of time (25-50 minutes) Turn off notifications from your desktop and place your phone out of sight during this time and take a 15-minute break after before you continue working. Observe how this focused approach impacts your mental clarity as well as your productivity.

  • Observe your energy level throughout the day. When do you feel less productive and mentally focused? This could be a sign you need to take more breaks. How could you incorporate more time to replenish your cognitive resources throughout the day?

Alex’s Strategy: Alex began using a timer to work without any distractions for 45 minutes and took short walks or meditative breaks every couple of hours. 

Maria’s Technique: Maria designated specific times for email checking and social media, rather than continuously responding to new emails and messages coming in. 

Take a look at Chris Bailey’s Ted Talk to learn about how to get your brain to focus:

Day 5

Welcome to

More ways to manage your cognitive energy in a digital world:

  • Controlled Tech Time
    Set specific durations for using digital devices and stick to them. Be conscious of when and how you use technology throughout your day.

  • Mindful Browsing
    Be deliberate about your online activities. Avoid endless scrolling and choose content that adds value and doesn’t deplete your mental energy. If you find something interesting that doesn’t add to the task you are working on right now, save it for later with tools like Pocket.

Remember:

  • The goal is to use technology as a tool that serves you, not one that drains you. Paying attention to how you feel throughout the day as you interact with digital devices can profoundly impact your wellbeing and productivity. 

See you on Day 6!