Mental performance

January 20, 2006 6:22 AM

Whatever challenging and demanding mental tasks one has to perform, whether intensive games, tests, or problem saving, it just so happens that on some days the brain functions better during others. I am looking for tips on things to do to help keep a person's brain sharp, so that he feels "in the zone" during mind-intensive activities.
posted by gregb1007 to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Obviously, getting sufficient sleep and eating healthy are going to help. I've also found that there's an optimal amount of caffeine that I can drink -- a bit more than on a typical day, but not too much -- that gives me that extra cognitive spark.
posted by i love cheese at 6:30 AM on January 20, 2006

Response by poster: i love cheese and others, what is an optimal mount of caffeine.. I find that sometimes i go overboad and that the excessive caffeine makes me feel tired, though jittery. This is not meant to make caffeine the focus of the question, so please respond to the general question too..
posted by gregb1007 at 6:35 AM on January 20, 2006

I think the optimal amount differs greatly by person... personal tolerances, body chemistry, size, etc.

For me, I focus best when I'm listening to tunes... and it needs to be headphones, not with a stereo... it really helps me get "in the zone". Obviously not all that useful for things like exams, but when it comes to assignments and (now) work, I do much better and generally avoid getting distracted more when I'm listening to music...
posted by antifuse at 6:40 AM on January 20, 2006

I find using a pair of ear defenders helps me. Music used to work, but for some reason doesn't anymore.
posted by teleskiving at 6:45 AM on January 20, 2006

Taking small sips of very cold water.
posted by lampoil at 6:56 AM on January 20, 2006

Get you caffeine consumption down and your water consumption up. Try to keep your blood sugar level on an even keel -- no spikes means no crashes. Also, just to reiterate, plenty of sleep.
posted by jjg at 7:04 AM on January 20, 2006

You can try to plan your work day so that you're doing the most important stuff in the morning, which is, on average, the best time to focus for most people. Avoid tasks that require mental energy around 2:00 p.m., as there tends to be a pretty dramatic dip at that time. I find if I nap for a half hour at 2:00, I'm able to get a lot more mileage out of the rest of the day.

There are some days I just can't focus no matter what I do. These can be some of my most creative days if I "go with the flow" and follow my energy wherever it leads me.
posted by lisaj32 at 7:15 AM on January 20, 2006

Here are some techniques used by athletes, musicians, and other peak performers that should help. You'll find you can apply them to many areas of your life:

First is the ANSWER sequence:

Awareness of anxiety, tension, or negative thoughts. Tune into your mind and body and keep aware of any rising tension.

Normalize breathing. When the pressure is on, force yourself to take slow, measured breaths.

Scan for areas of muscular tension. Contract your tense muscles and then relax them, visualizing the tension leaving them like an emptying balloon.

Wave of relaxation. Take a long, deep breath and feel a wave of relaxation wash over your entire body.

Erase thoughts of the past and future. Focus on the present moment. Vividly imagine your ideal outcome and believe in it, then return your mind to the moment and let the outcome take care of itself.

Reset your posture and smile. Trust in your ability, focus on what you have to do, and enjoy yourself regardless of outcome.
posted by driveler at 7:22 AM on January 20, 2006

Another is visualization and self hypnosis:

- Sit in a quiet, comfortable place and close your eyes. Take several deep breaths until you are completely relaxed.

- Visualize the the place where you will perform. Imagine it as vividly as possible and use all your senses: see the place, hear the sounds, etc.

- Now visualize yourself performing the activity perfectly, exactly how it will appear from your point of view, again imagining all aspects of it as vividly as possible. If you feel rising tension or a lack of focus, back up to breathing and relaxing and start over. Do this until you imagine yourself performing the task perfectly from beginning to end, completely relaxed.

- As you do this, repeat to yourself that you will do well, that you will be confident, that you will be relaxed, etc.

- When you're done visualizing, focus on your breathing again and gradually bring yourself back to the present.

After doing this several times, your focus and emotional state during the real-life performance will begin to approach the ideal states you've imagined for yourself.
posted by driveler at 7:33 AM on January 20, 2006

Exercise your brain just as you would exercise your body. Do the crossword at lunch, or solve a sudoku on the bus on the way to work. Read for pleasure. Have a hobby that has some mental component -- that kind of thing. You'll be sharper when you need to be, much as you'll be able to run when you need to if you keep in shape.
posted by solid-one-love at 7:53 AM on January 20, 2006

Personally, I'm sharpest:

- in the morning.
- well-rested
- not hungover or dehydrated (sip water often)
- having had a good but not overly-heavy meal the evening before and a light breakfast with tea in the morning
- undistracted by any background noise. FOr example, I cannot understand people who claim that listening to music helps them concentrate. I either have to listen to music or do something else. One or the other. Because music is too distracting for me. Because it matters to me so much. This is just a personal thing.

As general advice for staying sharp mentally I second those who recommend puzzles and mental exercises. Read something demanding occasionally too. I believe there's hard evidence that minds stay acute longer when regularly exercised.
posted by Decani at 8:16 AM on January 20, 2006

Some answers here.
posted by Gyan at 9:10 AM on January 20, 2006

With regard to the optimal caffeine question, I've discovered my own target caffeine zone through a bit of experimentation. One day I'll have a bit more caffeine than ususal, and assess the effects. Another day, I'll add even more, and so on. It is important to skip a few days between tests so that you don't affect your tolerance level. For me, I'll have about 8oz of coffee, and when I want to be extra productive, I'll kick it up to 16oz.

If I drink much more I get jittery. It is something of an art. For example, I have learned that Starbucks coffee has a higher caffeine level than normal coffee, and must adjust levels accordingly.

As others have mentioned, it is helpful to know what time of day you are most productive and take advantage of that as well.
posted by i love cheese at 10:52 AM on January 20, 2006

Try giving Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience a read. It's very accessible, and gives a good explanation of what optimal experience is, so you can devise your own activities/exercises.

The Wikipedia version.

posted by mrmojoflying at 1:32 PM on January 20, 2006

In addition to all the good stuff above, my experience is that as soon as you say, "on some days the brain functions better...", you're giving yourself an excuse for not performing, because it's probably just one of those days.

After ten years of playing in a band, I've noticed on many occasions that on days where if I wanted to practice at home, I would have said "I'm not in the mood, I'm tired, I'm distracted or sick", I could still get up and play as well as ever.

Therefore, I don't accept this rationalization, and you probably shouldn't either. It's worth the effort to prove it to yourself by watching how you perform in various situations, and try to find some examples of where you did well in spite of being tired, stressed out, afraid, or whatever.
posted by sneebler at 2:38 PM on January 20, 2006

Vitamins. Ultra-Mega-Vitamins. Esp B complex.
posted by grateful at 7:27 PM on January 20, 2006