Julie Hoang’s Reviews > The Brain at Rest: How the Art and Science of Doing Nothing Can Improve Your Life > Status Update

Active rest and exercise is a huge key to improving our brain.

Sex is part of active rest

Playing is a necessity.
- action games boosts decision making
- games boost memory
- increase social empathy and interaction with cooperation games
- provides a sense of achievement and escape from everyday pressure
- 1 to 2 hours a day
8 “play” personalities: the collector, the competitor, the creator, the director, the explorer, the joker, the kinesthete, the storyteller

Phytoncides lower stress, etc

Nature is part of our recovery and calmness.

Return to nature

Walking outdoors in green space to help relax and tap into our default system

Brain inclined to move away from monotonous task to thoughts that offer greater intellectual and emotional satisfaction.

Wander even if satisfied similar to a neuro reset.

Just thinking -> trained to be tedious but realistically is satisfying
Tricked into be focused hence “idle aversion”

1. 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest
2. Time-block (no task switching or multitasking)
3. Implement email rules -> specific times for reading and answering emails.
4. Establish criteria for work meetings.

Mind wandering can enhance you mentally and physically.

“Incubation effect” - occurs during a period of diversion or detachment to a challenging task leads to insight/solution.

Unsymbolized think

Rest is needed.

Notifications cause a hit of dopamine and keeps our executive system constantly on.

Rest is needed or else medical conditions take over you.

ADHD is a disease just a different normal on how one links things together

Our brain switch between active and rest.

When overworked, you start to notice things break down starting from sensation.

1. 20 min of nothing but just breathing
2. Intermittent breaks to refresh.
3. Long walks
4. Bath before sleep