Do you have a Popcorn Brain? Here’s how to fix it!

 Authored by Megha Bajaj with inputs from Priyanka Chadchan

Megha Bajaj, National bestselling Author of several books, including, The Breakthrough published by Rupa Publications is also a TEDx Speaker, an author-mentor, an educator, and an ardent seeker. Her company WoW (Wonders of Words) conducts WoW Online Writing & Healing Workshops and the WoW 3Ls (Language + Life + Leadership Skills) Program which has impacted 1,50,000 students & counting.

You bumped into this article and we are now wondering how far you will be able to stay on it and read it till the end.

Because in the next few seconds you could immediately check your email, watch some news, switch to reading Facebook notifications, and scroll through Instagram reels - and while doing that you suddenly realize you have to text a colleague for work, you do that and wonder about the amount of work that needs to be addressed. By the time you regain focus on a single thing (in this case this article), you have lost time, energy and your productivity.

This is a classic case of popcorn brain!

‘Popcorn brain’, this term was introduced by David Levy for today's hay-wired thoughts and wandering minds.

David refers to it as a mental state typified with scattered thoughts, fragmented attention and propensity for the mind to swiftly transition from one topic to another, resembling the rapid popping of popcorn kernels in a heated pot.

The digital platforms entice us to stay online, they overload us with information leaving us overwhelmed. The result? We are glued to the screens, scroll mindlessly and while we do that the system is churning algorithms keeping us more engaged. 

But the irony?

More is becoming less. The more we watch, the less the attention span. The more distracted we are, the less productive we are. The more we do, somehow, the less satisfaction we feel in each task we feel (experienced this?). Clearly our brains are bombarded and we are not pausing. There is a constant demand for attention. It leads to a cycle of seeking for more information, but leaving no energy to process it in your own space.

Technology is changing the way we think, act and feel. The simplest everyday challenge is ‘focused attention’ on a single task. And guess what it affects the way we make choices, solve problems and process our emotions. So how do you control the ‘itch’ to shift rapidly? No rocket science. Just some self-discipline. Because, despite knowing it's bad for you, you do it anyway. Consider this article as a red flag and a new beginning of getting back to feeling way more relaxed, happy and accomplishing more in less time. Here are our five quick to-do’s which are simple and practical (I have practiced each of them and only then even sharing!)

1. First, remove the unnecessary applications that you haven't opened since days, months or a year. You no longer need them and you are beginning to make extra space for your gadget and your mind too. Keep it simple.

2. Second, turn the notifications off. If at all you need a few ‘important’ ones, choose the best two and leave the rest. The social media notifications of folks going to a cafe, buying a car, visiting London or enjoying a holiday comes under the category of ‘unimportant’. Nothing about your life changes by knowing all of this. 

3. Third, like children, adults too need a limited screen time and lots of screen out time. Set a time frame everyday where you will be using ‘no technology’. Begin with an hour and more the merrier. You could probably realize it's hard!

4. Four, control that ‘itch’! Consciously try to focus on one task at hand and stay on it longer, promise yourself to complete it qualitatively and then shift to the next. With this simple activity you are rewiring your thinking patterns and pausing for the brain to get mightier again. You will love the way you process faster feeling more free. 

5. Five, breathe in, breathe out. Simple as it sounds, focusing on the breath is one of the best ways to bring yourself back to the moment. Since it is rhythmic, constant and the easiest tool available to you - every few minutes (especially in between two activities) instead of scrolling and loading your mind, simply close your eyes and focus on deep breathing. Counting your breath from 100 to 1 backwards is a great way to keep you focused at one task for over three minutes. Try it now and tell us where you reached. 

Are you ready to declutter, detox and reclaim your peace?

Are you ready to move from being a popcorn brain to having a powerful one?

The choice is yours. And the answer lies in simple steps, executed mindfully. Wishing you luck!