E20 - How to overcome lethargy: [Limbic Friction]

Hi everyone,

My name is Lemmy and this is my story of how I became The Attention Master.

If you find yourself sitting on your couch, mindlessly scrolling when you have more important things to do, then Episode 20 is for you. Let's dive in!

Here is what you are going to learn today:

• The cognitive friction that is holding you back

• The two states that cause this friction

• Actionable tips for fighting back physically and mentally

Have you ever had a hard work day?

You arrive at home, feel exhausted, get dinner and drag yourself to the sofa with the last bit of energy left.

You pull out your phone and start scrolling.

After a while, a thought crosses your mind. "I could go to the gym right now. Or practice my instrument. Or call my parents. Or read a book. Or work on my side hustle."

But even though you have the time, you don't.

You really want to, but you can't.

You feel paralyzed.

Here's why:

1. Limbic Friction explained

"Limbic friction" is essentially a measure of the resistance you feel when you try to change your current behavior. When limbic friction is high, it takes a lot of effort or activation energy to engage in a new behavior or break your current habit (e.g., chilling on the sofa).

When limbic friction is high, you are much more likely to procrastinate.

There are two main states that can cause limbic friction. One is a state of anxiety, where you're so anxious that you can't calm down and engage in a particular activity. The other state is when you're feeling too tired, lazy, or unmotivated.

Both of these states are related to the function of the autonomic nervous system, which acts as a sort of swing between alertness and calmness.

Naturally, our bodies go into a resting state in the evening. Unfortunately, this is when most of us have all of our free time.

We are slaves to our employers, giving them the best hours of the day.

So the next time you find yourself on the couch with no energy, don't call yourself stupid or lazy. You're not.

You may just be in the quiet state of the cycle.

Here are some things you can do to switch back to wakefulness when you feel calm, relaxed, or tired:

2. Physical strategies to create sympathetic activity

Cold Exposure: Activities such as a cold shower or cold plunge can stimulate the release of catecholamines such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which increase alertness and arousal.

Movement and Exercise: Physical activity, especially high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can activate the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate and energy levels.

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Practicing diaphragmatic breathing, specifically inhaling more than exhaling, can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. This technique involves inhaling deeply and exhaling more quickly or passively.

Implementing these methods can help transition from a relaxed or tired state to a more alert and active one by increasing sympathetic activity.

3. Mental strategies to overcome limbic friction

Engage in a Short Activity: Start by engaging in a short activity related to the task you're avoiding. For instance, if you're procrastinating on exercise, just start with a minute or five of exercise. This can help you move out of the state of procrastination.

Do Something Worse: If the short activity doesn't work, consider doing something that's worse than the task you're avoiding, but still safe. For example, a cold shower or ice bath can be a useful tool to get you out of a state of procrastination.

Leverage Morning Hours: Your brain and body are more action and focus oriented in the 0 to 8 hours after waking up. This is a good time to tackle tasks that have a high degree of limbic friction.

Use Procedural Memory: Visualize the specific sequence of steps required to execute the task. This simple mental exercise can shift your brain towards a mindset of doing things in a particular order, which can help reduce limbic friction.

This knowledge comes at 0 cost

If you learned something,
be generous and share it with friends or family.

See ya next week
Lemmy

Recap:

• Limbic Friction = Resistance felt when you want to change current behavior.

• High friction = high activation energy needed.

• Anxiety, stress, tiredness → high limbic friction → high probability of procrastination.

• Your autonomic nervous system naturally switches between alertness and calmness throughout the day.

• You can overcome limbic friction through physical and mental exercises.