The mental escape of work

Ever been so deep into your work that everything else just fades away? No stress, no worries. So much so that you left all your concerns behind?

But then you get home, kick off your shoes, sink into the sofa… and suddenly your brain wants a word. Not the friendly kind either. More like a noisy neighbour who doesn’t take the hint.

You sit there thinking, “Oh, come on, can’t I just switch off for a bit?”
But nope. The more you try to relax, the louder your thoughts get.

Sound familiar?

Here is the thing. There is actually a bit of science behind this. It is called functional anticorrelation. Yes, I had to look it up too.

Your brain has two main systems that are constantly taking turns. One is the Task Network and the other is the Default Node Network. TNN and DNN if you like the abbreviations.

When you are working or focusing on something, the Task Network steps in. It blocks out distractions and lets you concentrate. Your brain does not care if you are writing a report or chasing a wild boar. It just knows you are doing something important.

It is survival mode.

But as soon as the task is done and you are no longer busy, the DNN switches on.

Its job is to go through your memories, sort out thoughts, process the day and plan ahead. It is trying to stop you from making mistakes later on.

It only kicks in when there is nothing else happening.

You just call it overthinking or stress and anxiety... caused by a rush of all the thoughts that were bothering you.

And the worse possible thing you can do is to drown it out. That’s like putting your head under water because you don’t like the view. Doesn’t solve much.

The answer?

Teach yourself to process these thoughts. Let them pass through. They're not there to ruin your night. They're only there to help you survive.

Tea helps, too. Always does. 🙂