How to Operate Your Mind More Efficiently

Your computer. Your coffee maker. The toaster. Clocks. Televisions.

All of these are examples of appliances that you probably have plugged in, even when you’re not using them.

The fact that they are plugged in means that they are using energy, even if they are not turned on and actively in use.

This is called phantom energy.

It’s similar to how open apps on your phone use battery power and to how open browser tabs use bandwidth even while in the background.

Logistically, you can only look at one tab at a time. Even if you have multiple tabs open side by side. You look at one then the other.

Your mind works in a similar way.

An efficient mind focuses on one thing at a time.

An inefficient mind has numerous tabs open in the background even though logistically it can only focus on one at a time.

The more we flit back and forth between open tabs in our mind, the less efficient we become.

All the tabs in the background are energy leaks.

Usually those tabs are filled with worries about various aspects of life, most of which we can’t control.

Whatever tabs are open in the background consume precious bandwidth that keeps us from remaining fully present and focused on what we are doing or who we are serving.

They also drain energy resources from the things we most want to do.

How to Stop the Energy Drain

To stop the drain you must first be aware of the “open tabs” in your browser and what they are.

Here are 3 steps to stop the energy leaks.

(1) Slow down and create pockets of stillness. You can’t evaluate what’s in your open tabs when you’re trying to go full speed ahead.

(2) Bring awareness to what’s happening under the surface of your mind. You may be attempting to focus on one thing, but what’s going on in the background?

It often helps to write down all the things that are looping through your mind. This makes it concrete, and can help stop the looping thoughts.

(3) Choose when to focus on those background tabs. Awareness creates choice. Once you are aware of the energy leaks you get to decide if you need to give any attention to them at all.

Is it serving you to constantly be refreshing those tabs in the background?

If you do need to give them attention, do you need to do it right now?

Of course your mind might not easily let them go. Two things can help:

Writing down what’s occupying your bandwidth can help get it out of your head.

Once you’ve written it down, schedule a time to return to those background tabs when you can give them dedicated focus.

Knowing you have a dedicated time to give focus to your worries often helps your mind let them go for now.