Autumn is the time of year when the daily temperature in the Northeast United States can span 30 degrees (Fahrenheit). At this time of year, my car often greets me in the morning with a layer of condensation and spots, making it difficult to see.
Turning on the defogger or opening the windows slightly are both simple solutions to clear the view out the front windshield. But it takes a few minutes for this to kick in.
I used to sit in the car and wait for the window to clear before I started driving, but I’m often on a tight schedule to get to the gym.
To be honest, I also know that if I sit and wait, I’ll get distracted. In the morning, I need to keep moving.
I’ve realized that as long as I can see “enough,” I can start driving to the gym.
Within a mile, the windshield is fully clear.
My brain usually takes a little longer clear the fog, but the same principle applies here too: just get moving.
Read: How to Work With Brain Fog
The Windshield is a Metaphor
In case it wasn’t obvious, the windshield is a metaphor.
Once I get to the gym, I apply the same principle to my workout.
I know that if I sit around trying to come up with a plan or “feel into” what my body wants to do that day, I’ll putter endlessly.
Even if I don’t yet have clarity on my workout plan or my body doesn’t quite feel ready, I turn to my go-to warm-up routine to get moving.
Movement generally clears the brain fog so I can focus on my work.
When the brain fog is particularly thick and heavy, I continue to apply the same principle when I start to work.
If I’m feeling writer’s block, I just start typing. I find a way to get words on the page. I don’t worry about whether my writing doesn’t make sense or if ideas come out in the the wrong order. I know that getting the gears going will eventually cause the cobwebs to clear.
You can take this principle to every part of your day. When you start to stall because you’re lacking clarity on a direction, just get moving on something.
Movement is Medicine
Whether you need to clear to fog from your windshield or your brain, whether you need a balm for stiff joints or a stiff mind, or whether you need to clarity on a direction or some traction on your next task, movement is the best medicine.
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