the surprising benefits of contrast

how embodying our primal nature can reduce burnout, improve focus, and cultivate zen

my attempt at AI generated art

these days, there is always seemingly too much to do with too little energy.

managing energy levels while ticking off todos on our running list seems to be a challenge all of us face, but what if i told you there was a way to get more done by doing nothing?

for the past five years i have been in the software industry with only a couple weeks of personal time-off each year (for which i’m grateful); but i’ve come to the heartbreaking realization that taking extended time off to recharge, relax, and recover is not going to happen.

on the surface being a productive member of society while also taking care of our mental health can appear juxtapositional— but nature shows us that it is indeed not the case.

nature does it best

it may be surprising, but one of the prime examples of mastering balance can be observed on the plains of africa. lions can be seen either lounging with their pride or chasing down delicious zebras with little in-between; they are hunting, or recovering from hunting.

this inspires a similar ideology surrounding how modern human-beings operate and what we consider to be “productive”.

what is productivity?

productivity has become a buzz word over recent years, but here i’m using the term to encompass the efficiency with which we accomplish and execute whatever we deem important in our lives. it doesn’t necessarily mean “starting a company” or “becoming an entrepreneur”, but if you choose to apply these lessons to that, please do.

for me, productivity means getting done what i want to in a reasonable time, with the least amount of effort

oscillation

this fall i’ve decided to hit the books again by pursuing my master’s degree in mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling. it’s been an incredible time thus far, but managing full-time school with full-time software development has left me with little room for distraction (let alone time to eat!). therefore i’ve been intrigued by the challenge of getting dialed-in while simultaneously developing the calmest, most down-regulated nervous system i’ve ever had.

to me this wasn’t possible until i discovered Rian Doris and his explanation of oscillation: intentionally moving between states of intense exertion and periods of recovery (not relaxation!).

recovery is not relaxation

when i’m exhausted from exerting effort, my go-to has been to lay on the couch, open my favorite app and doom-scroll until i forget who i am.

i’m “relaxing” right? shouldn’t i be able to jump back into work after taking such a break?

wrong.

even though it might have provided an initial escape from the pressures of exertion, relaxing by watching Tik Toks, texting non-stop, throwing on Netflix, or self-medicating with your vice of choice all have the guise of relaxing you, but aren’t the same as active recovery.

active recovery is when we inhibit the external stimulus and allow our mind to catch up with itself; therefore replenishing precious neurotransmitters we have spent during the exertion phase

essentially, we need to do nothing.

mindfulness

this is where mindfulness comes in. despite the incessant clickbait title bombardment on social media and unwarranted ubiquitous advice in wellness circles— it’s an essential part of being human; as necessary to the health of our nervous system as oxygen is to our lifeblood.

it’s imperative that when we are not exerting effort, we are recharging. we can use mindful techniques such as being in nature, modulating our breath, moving our body, and meditating to down-regulate our nervous system and keep our body calm.

my favorite ways of recovering are

• outdoor walks— even if short; get sunlight, fresh air, and your blood moving

• corpse pose— lie on the ground, close your eyes, and hang out with your breath for 5 - 10 minutes

• exercise— calisthenics, long-distance running, yoga

• breath-work— 5 minutes of 5 second inhales followed by 5 second deep exhales

• dozing— similar to corpse pose above, but this is a state between sleep and being awake. lie down, be with your thoughts, and listen to things happening around you without forcing yourself to sleep

sprint, don’t jog

this brings us to our counter-part: exertion.

after you’ve recovered satisfyingly and your brain has rejuvenated it’s stores of “focus-chemicals”, it’s time to exert effort by sprinting.

when chasing down prey, lions don’t jog— they sprint full-out until the mission is complete and their hunt is successful.

pick an assignment, task, or whatever moves the needle for your productive goal that is achievable in 60 - 90 minutes, remove all distractions (i enjoy using Apple’s Focus modes for Do Not Disturb & Work), and enter a state of flow; working solely on your chosen task until it’s complete.

a common mistake i’ve made is to “jog”. i work for a few minutes, get stuck, check my phone, see a text, respond, come back, and realize i forgot what i was working on. by the time i remember what i was doing, ope- i get another text…

a helpful mindset around staying focused is to give yourself two options: to work on your task or do nothing. during your flow you can keep yourself focused by saying “i’m working, but if i get stuck i’ll sit in this chair / lie on the couch / stand in a corner twiddling my thumbs until i’m ready to work again”. this helps build up your attention-span while not chaining you to your desk, which can feel confining.

know what you’re trying to accomplish and simply do it until it’s done.

surprisingly difficult!

conclusion

it’s important for us to understand how we work best in order to prevent burnout, maintain our energy, exude a calm demeanor, and efficiently accomplish what we intend to.

nature is the ultimate teacher, and understanding the best way our primal brain functions is integral, which can be done by observing the behaviors of successful (productive!) apex predators such as lions. while the human physical form may differ from a lion’s, it can still teach us important lessons about how we best operate with our ancient physiology.

we can do this by working intently when we exert energy and resting deeply when we recover, just like nature intended.