15 Things to Do if You Have Brain Fog
by VC Edwards
10/19/2021 Do you have brain fog and don’t even know it?
Having difficulty concentrating and remembering? The pandemic has caused many to be on fatigue overload, due to facing major issues every day, sometimes every hour. Our schedules are constantly disrupted, causing us to multi-task on steroids. Like many, you may have brain fog and not even know it.
During the pandemic, the majority of adults, not to mention teens and children, have been under some form of stress. The dangers of Covid and all the safety precautions that demand our attention poses added daily stress, so below are suggestions to ease the stress of life, particularly during this time, and maintain wellness to be at your best. 1. Eat nutritious foods. Under stressful times, it is common to soothe that stress with overeating. So, it is important to make healthy choices, as well as exercise to keep from gaining pounds that can make stress worse. Reduce unhealthy foods, especially sugary foods and drinks, which may give you a jolt of energy, but follow with a sugar crash. Increase healthy eating to get a variety of nutrients from vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains, to energize your body and mind.
2. Avoid alcohol and substances. While some people think alcohol and illegal drugs calm them, substance abuse causes deeper depression. Avoid cannabis (weed, marijuana) or dependent substances to avoid further inability to be yourself. Studies find that weed is not good for the heart. Even though, society is legalizing marijuana in some areas, it doesn’t mean it is good for our health, anymore than cigarettes, which were legalized decades ago, yet has been proven to be detrimental to the body. So, avoiding substances prevents added stressors of depression and lifelong health issues. 3. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Wearing comfortable clothes at home has been essential, but to reduce stress, when out, give yourself permission to incorporate comfort into traditional business style, ignoring the dictates of high fashion. No longer wear tight shoes or heels that hurt your feet, or uncomfortable clothing that makes your body ache. Look for stylish alternatives that look and feel good. 4. Organize your space. Good memory and being well-organized go hand-in-hand. Whether you are home or at the office, organize your space, so you can find what you need, and so your space provides a sense of peace. Have a space for everything—a hanger, space in a drawer, a shelf, a file, etc.—to put items back in their designated space. Organized space leaves little room for losing items, like keys or important papers, because everything has a specific space. When you are organized, you place your keys in the same place every day, so you know where they are. 5. Make a daily To-Do List, to help you remember what you want to do, and to keep on track throughout the day. Brain fog can keep you from thinking things through, so think ahead and write down all the steps needed to complete a task on a reminder app. Make activities as simple as possible, such as make your morning routine simple by preparing the night before or preparing the weekend before.
6. Reduce computer time. Watching a computer screen, non-stop, is exhausting, for your eyes, your mind and your body. Take breaks and, if possible, rest your eyes for a few minutes. 7. Reduce TV time. Avoid watching ratchet TV or depressing news stories that play over and over, morning, noon and night. Nothing is more depressing than hearing about the same tragedy over and over from morning to night. 8. Reduce noise in your life. Don’t invite noise or welcome disruptive people in your life. Turn off the noise by shutting it out of your life. 9. Get fresh air. With many people working from home, make sure you’re not sitting in a closed environment all day. A closed home or office can cause difficult to focus. Indoor plants can help air quality. Also, open a window or, when possible, get outdoors and take a walk or run an errand. Go outside, even if it is only for a few minutes. 10. Give yourself a break. Take a break to do nothing, to just rest your mind and body. Reduce stress and unnecessary distractions, like being overloaded on current news and social media. 11. Don’t make major decisions hastily. When confronted with a major decision, think about it over days or weeks. Whether you are contemplating leaving your job or buying a large item, you need to think of the financial consequences. Write down pros and cons, and discuss with family members or a friend to get input that you may have not considered. 12. Reduce holiday and celebration busyness. Every month, there is a holiday that disrupts normal life and demands our time. Holidays can be a huge stress-er for anyone who has to plan, pay and prepare for them. Eliminate silly and minor holidays, and skip off-year birthdays and anniversaries, as much as possible to reduce stress. Keep major holidays and milestone celebrations, such as a 25th anniversary or 90th birthday. By making celebrations less frequent, you will make the major occasions even more special. So, reducing some celebrations throughout the year can cut down on stress for anyone who typically does the shopping, planning and cooking. And even with major holidays, delegate, so everyone contributes, and stress is lessened. 13. Rest, sleep. Get adequate sleep. If necessary and possible, take a 20 minute nap during the day, during your lunch hour. If possible, recline back or lay at a 45-degree angle, to avoid laying flat and oversleeping because you’re just taking a nap. In 20 minutes, you can be refreshed, as if you slept for hours. 14. Make time everyday to do something that you enjoy. Take up a hobby to look forward to everyday that energizes you and relieves you of stress. Don’t confuse an indulgence, like dessert-eating, for a hobby. You want to do something that allows you to create, while relaxing your mind, not get entangled in a bad habit.
15. Find peace. If you need to pivot in life, start by hearing God to determine the ideal path for you. This hectic time in history is temporary and nothing will help us ease into a calmer time than to appreciate quiet time with God and learn to hear Him for wisdom and peace-of-mind. Take time to keep yourself well and prepare for your future by remembering, at some point, this uncertain and troubling time will end! © VC Edwards 2021 All rights reserved. 
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