Everyone has it. This Lazy Brain was “programmed” for survival purposes. As such it is very difficult to overcome. I can hear people thinking now: Is he calling us “lazy”? Yes, I am. And it is natural.
What is lazy brain?
What do I mean by “Lazy Brain”? Humans tend to go with what works. Once we have figured out a solution to a problem, we tend to revisit that solution for the same problem. If it worked before, then it will work again. Unfortunately we use this same way of thinking for everything. Because of the lazy brain, we make the situation fit the solution we have learned.
So, why don’t we take the time to come up with new solutions for each situation? It requires work. Our brains are constantly working. The harder we think, the more energy is consumed. This is where surviving comes in. If energy is a limited resource, our survival depends on conserving as much energy as possible. This idea of conserving energy goes way back in time. Yes, thousands of years. Only recently, the past 200 years or so, have we had the ability to obtain food (energy) without having to work hard.
Old habits die hard
Unfortunately humans require much longer than 200 years to change a lot of their habits… especially those involving survival. You would think if we only have to drive to the store, a few minutes away from our comfortable house, not using a lot of our own energy in the process, we would change our patterns of behavior. No. This is not how humans work. We rarely acknowledge our base instincts. Those run on automatic pilot. I refer to that as System 1 (Click on the link for my thoughts System 1 gets in the way) Since surviving is automatic, we don’t engage our brains to be different. We survive each moment as it comes. If we have already formed a solution to a problem, we go with it.
How do we get rid of lazy brain?
So how do we get out of lazy brain mode? With great effort. We must consciously think of new ways to solve each situation. Do the brain exercises. Read. Learn from everything you can.
A method I use is to ask myself: can this be better? How can I make this better? Do this faster? Is there another way? Just keep asking yourself these questions. It helps that I like to learn. I try hard to not get “stuck”.
Of course, this does not apply to emergency situations. You don’t want to take the time to solve those. If you have an immediate solution, use it. Survive that moment. Before emergencies happen, take the time to learn. Imagination is required to anticipate “what can happen”. Going down that rabbit hole can be exhausting. Yes, your brain is working overtime, using up your energy.
Get in shape
Another way to help overcome lazy brain is by being as healthy as possible. Eating well will let the body know it has the resources to survive. Planning your meals. Keeping the “right” foods in the house. These let the “primeval” brain know you don’t have to worry. You have the extra resources to do extra work. (Including thinking)
Who knew that being healthy or getting in shape could lead improved brain functioning. Only the young have that excess energy to bounce and be imaginative. Isn’t that the last time most of us were free to think? When we were young? That freedom was being away from “Lazy Brain”. We weren’t worried about surviving. We just wanted to live. That’s a good state to be in.
