Mindfulness: Why do we fight the need to restore?

Mindfulness: Why do we fight the need to restore?

Yesterday, my friend told me that he was so stressed about the homework he had to do but couldn't focus, so I suggested that he try meditating because he was exhibiting signs of directed attention fatigue. 

He laughed and called me a hippie.

Since meditation originated in India and China about the 5th century BCE, millions of people across cultures have practiced it, and there is strongly supported scientific research backing its benefits. Why, then do people still make fun of me for meditating, or laugh at my suggestion of a nature walk, meditation, or yoga in response to their complaints about stress? Why do so many Americans still insist on fueling their burn-out and illness with coffee and pills before considering wise management rather than laughing it off as a "hippie" thing to do? We can all be happier, healthier people through simple, day-to-day mindfulness practices if we open our minds to new ways of thinking about our well-being. Further, these practices can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, common mental illnesses that I hear about from friends on campus on a daily basis. 

But we have to be willing to accept our need to restore.

How can we explain the benefits of these restoration techniques to people fighting restoration in a way that they will listen?

...

• Yoga?
  

Yoga is a great way to be mindful while being around friends. A skeptical friend may be more willing to try this if you take them to a yoga class in a group of friends. People tend to be followers, so being around other people enjoying an activity makes it seem more socially acceptable. 

• Meditation?
  

I know a lot of people who don't buy into meditation, but meditation is one of the easiest, quickest stress reducers. If you have a friend who's really stressed out, suggesting they try a 5 to 10 minute daily meditation for a couple days isn't a huge time sacrifice. If you challenge them to just humor you by taking 5 minutes out of their day to meditate, they may be willing to give it a shot.

• Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy?

These require a time commitment: 8 weekly sessions 2 hours per day, or 20-45 minute daily practice. However, it reduces chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and addiction. If 20-45 minutes can significantly enhance your daily quality of life, it could be well worth the time investment. People who are really struggling with mental illness may be more open to trying this type of restoration. It's a more long-term, holistic approach to daily well-being.

...

By encouraging people with directed attention fatigue and mental illness to engage in these mindfulness practices, we can normalize mindfulness as an important part of holistic well-being. With reduced DAF, people regularly practicing mindfulness will then be more open and willing to change their lifestyles in a way that's compatible with the energy descent scenario. 

We can shift away from a society that encourages exhaustion fueled by coffee to a society that encourages a holistic approach to mind and body wellness.

May I have your attention?

T

ATTENTION GRABBING TITLE!!!!

^^(This is an example of content-based innate involuntary fascination)

So, we have done a lot of discussion this month on attention, restoration, & mindfulness. These facets of cognition and mental health are not foreign concepts, and that could explain the seemingly boring and redundant feelings that come with talking about this stuff. But it is important to define these terms (so we can all be on the same page) and to make the connection to our personal lives because they affect us (weather we like it or not) every moment of everyday.

(Figure 1.1) This is some serious stuff guys

I believe that we should start framing Directed Attention as a resource. The resource is precious and fragile, just like our atmosphere. It is finite and expendable, just as the oil field too have a limit. It needs maintenance, protection, and reverence, just like the forests, oceans, and jungles. 

It is something that, like oil or natural gas, in itself is useless. But when applied in the context of the human experience, it carries the potential to discover, invent, learn, and expand upon mental maps. Directed Attention is the "fuel" that runs the "engine" of our minds. It drives "focus" and "clarity", which enables us to attain higher levels of mental order and processing.

Low Battery Probs

(Figure 1.2) The International Figure for "F*** I need to charge my battery"

One of the biggest issues that I notice in my life is the fatigue of directed attention. It takes energy for us to redirect our attention after being distracted. I like to think of attention as a battery to a phone (our minds). We use our battery to do different tasks on our phones. As we do more tasks or work for longer periods of time, the battery drains. 

(Figure 2.1) Brain farts are a common side effect of Directed Attention Fatigue (DAF)
Please contact your doctor if you experience brain farts lasting more than an hour.

Directed Attention Fatigue (DAF) is the result of running on low battery. I think DAF is a disease of the mind that is caused by a depletion of directed attention. It has observable effects of the human mind and cognition, memory, mood, behavior, etc... 

On could argue DAF as the highest perpetrator of stress on college campuses throughout the nation. It could even be the reason that the flu season happens whenever school starts! 

Mindfulness v Madness

The idea of "restoration" is centered around a quality of mindfulness and peace. It is the ideal environment in which our minds can restore the resource of directed attention and recharge. Find somewhere that you turn off your mind, relax and float downstream, it is not dying. Just chill out!

(Figure 3.1)

In a world that is constantly pushing and demanding more mental productivity, I think it is of highest importance that we restore our directed attention. For the case of the University of Michigan scholar, I think we have to be even more mindful than the average human. The shear volume of mental activity that we go through in the day, not including late night studying, is enough to drive someone up the wall. (If you are reading this and you have never pulled an all nighter please refer Figure 3.1)

I am not going to comment on how to be "restorative" because I think that is something different for everyone. I will share my thoughts that meditation and mindful breathing can be used as tools to bring the mind to a more relaxed state. I believe that it is in this relaxed state that directed attention can be replenished. 

Endnotes

I hope that, if anything, I leave you with the perspective of directed attention as a resource. It is more than just a concept of our minds. It is perhaps the result of focusing our minds eye, into a laser-like processor.

In order to maintain this resources and prevent the dis-ease of the mind (DAF), we have to be mindful about restoring and managing the resource. Maybe we deicide that using 20% of the battery in two minutes tasks is better than using 40% in one 40 minute hiatus. Maybe if we never let our batteries get below 50%, they would last longer in later adulthood at we would see less occurrence of diseases like dementia or Alzheimer's. I don't have any citations, but these hypothesis raise questions about the importance of taking care of this resource.

So, take a long breath after reading this. Give yourself at least 5 minutes of reflection to restore the directed attention you used to read this blog. See if you feel any different afterward.

U of M and Ann Arbor Restoration & Mindfulness Resources

Both Restoration and Mindfulness practices are import actions that as students we should be practicing. They help prevent directed attention fatigue and promote awareness and learning.
But to renew directed attention you need to use directed attention, so below I have done some of the leg work to provide tips and resource suggestions in the Ann Arbor area!

Here are four conditions for Deep Restoration:
1) Being Away - either physically or conceptually, but get away from internal and external distractions
2) Fascination - where involuntary attention takes over, being in nature where soft fascination is present
3) Extent - feeling of being in another world, but still able to navigate the environment easily
4) Compatibility - match between purposes and environment

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) (https://www.facebook.com/umichCAPS)
The Wellness Zone

CAPS Wellness Zone (WZ) is available for students on a drop-in basis and is located through our office at 3100 Michigan Union!  We offer many wellness resources to help you manage stress, rest and relax as you navigate your busy life as a student at U of M. 

Wellness approaches available in the WZ include three state of the art massage chairs, yoga and meditation tools, Xbox Kinect system, biofeedback software, seasonal affective disorder light therapy and other wellness resources.

Mental Health Student Groups
Many University of Michigan students are choosing to engage in mental health efforts on campus.  More than ever, these students are passionate about helping their friends, reducing stigma, and making the University of Michigan an environment where no student feels they have to struggle alone.  

Mindfulness: Building a Toolbox

This 4-week group was created to introduce members to many different mindfulness strategies and techniques. You will leave this group with a clear understanding of what mindfulness is, how to tailor it to your life, and how it can help reduce your stress and anxiety.

Meeting Day(s): 

Tuesdays -- Group begins 11/01 and ends 11/22

Meeting Time: 

3:15-4:45pm

Introduction to Meditation

This drop-in workshop is for individuals who are interested in learning some basic meditation skills and who would benefit from incorporating meditation into their lives. Meditation is an effective way to manage stress, anxiety, and to increase focus and productivity. This drop-in workship is for individuals who are interested in learning some basic meditation skills and who would benefit from incorporating meditation into their lives.  The group will be open weekly on a drop-in basis; each week the basic instructions for meditation will be presented.  No pre-group screening is required.

Meeting Day(s): 

Thursdays--September 15 thru December 8

Meeting Time: 

5:30-6:30pm

University Health Services 

Offers more resources as well as One-Minute Stress Strategies

Below is an interactive map of locations in Ann Arbor where Restoration & Mindfulness practices would thrive! Make sure you click on the symbols to find more out of each place, there is even a yoga studio that has a work study program.

Do YOU need restoration? Tips to keep DAF down

We are all college students here, and as a college student you have a paper due every week, 2 tests a month, and homework for 6 classes and you're only enrolled in 4. It's not exactly fair, but this is the life you chose; now, how to deal with it? Directed attention is a mental resource that allows us to voluntarily center our thoughts, behaviors, and actions on a particular target. It can only be used so much before you get direct attention fatigue and go (as professor Ray so eloquently put it) "daffy". Fear not! Here are three  ways you can give your brain and mind a little resty rest before, during, or after a lecture, homework, or project.

First things first, you have to know when you need these breaks:

Like this silly person...

• If you feel confused and can't focus on a particular task
• If you have bad judgment (like procrastination, you devil you)
• If you seem irritable and act anti-socially 
• If you are impulsive and reckless (yet again procrastinating, *tisk tisk*)

-then you might have DAF. Ways you can help yourself:

• Found yourself sleeping in class? Fall asleep in the front row, You're professor will pelt you in the forehead with a expo marker, causing your brain to reset itself. Just kidding. What you should do is bring a water bottle with you, go into the hallway and stand. Drink the water with your eyes closed and imagine where you'd rather be instead of lecture. Feel better? That's because your directed attention is taken away from notes and into your happy place.

• You can't focus on your paper and it's due in two days. Bummer. Have you tried meditation? Go into a dark, quiet place (the bathroom works for me), cross your legs, and close your eyes. Sit up and breathe. Set a timer for about 20 minutes so your mind doesn't have to worry about losing too much time. Be mindful in this moment. Think about what you have to do in the next hour, and how it's going to be okay. Then sit there for the remaining time, telling yourself you'll be okay. You'll emerge a lot calmer and more focused on what you can get done today, and what you can do later.

• SLEEPS AND NAPS ARE ESSENTIAL! I have no idea why we don't have a designated nap time for college, considering we have to have optimal use of our directed attention.Whenever you have an hour or so between classes, go to your dorm and take a nap. But be careful, brains are tricky with time. If your nap is too long you could enter a full on sleep, which is fine if your classes are over. However, even if you set an alarm your brain might believe you are trying to sleep, thus trying to enter the different sleep cycles. If you wake up during the wrong cycle, you could end up being more sleepy than you would if your nap were shorter.

                                               

Of course there are many other methods to remain mindful and keeping your DAF at bay, like switching tasks frequently, exercising, and taking short breaks. Are there any ways you like to rest your directed attention? In what way does your plan work for you? What are some limitations of your DAF practices?

"make a lot of mistakes quickly"

In regards to environmental problems, there are two that are currently becoming evident in daily life: climate change and energy descent.  Behavior & Environment, a course at the University of Michigan, takes on a unique perspective by addressing imminent resource insecurity by encouraging a transition for humans in which they will become familiar with a less materialistic lifestyle and be more prepared for the future.  By analyzing the necessities that humans require to behave reasonably, which is required to attain a sustainable lifestyle, these conditions can become optimized to obtain the appropriate behaviors and exercise environmental stewardship.  

While it is admirable to encourage a transition that will allow for humans to live sustainably in the future with more ease and familiarity, the first step towards achieving this process is collective acknowledgement of the future.  In Professor Raymond De Young’s paper, he claims that “We will all, of necessity, accept that biophysical limits are a defining characteristic of life...Yet acceptance is the first step…” (“Transitioning to a New Normal: How Ecopsychology Can Help Society Prepare for the Harder Times Ahead” 237).  This entails that mere acceptance of bio-physical restraints is a necessity before the path towards preparing for a successful transition can even begin.  Therefore, it's critical that people realize these prospects soon because we haven't started the transition process, which will require time to set up and implement.  

The sense of urgency behind overcoming delayed realization originates from the amount of essential tasks needed to be completed within the limited amount of time that we have.  In another publication by De Young, he quotes Pat Murphy who insists society needs to “make a lot mistakes quickly" (“Environmental Psychology Overview” 26).  This statement explains how pivotal it is to begin the implementation of various probable solutions we may have in order to observe the outcomes and determine the degree of success they lead to.  More importantly, the use of the adverb “quickly” emphasizes how vital it is to initiate the transformations as soon as possible.  In this way, by discovering the success-versus-failure result of the supposed resolution, we can learn from the error, modify the prototype, and work towards testing a more suitable answer.  The faster we do this, the sooner we can apply the most appropriate set of plans and begin the transition.  However, as these articles warn, there won't be an inexhaustible amount of time for figuring out the most advantageous strategy for transitioning well.  Therefore, we must first accept the reality of resource limitations promptly due to the time constraints to begin and accomplish the lengthy process of a successful transition.

How can we, as a society, work towards convincing the population to reach a consensus about prospective conditions?  Perhaps this occurrence of uniform awareness is also a result of people being reasonable, which is all the more reason to provide and maintain conditions that encourage this type of behavior.  Another potential methodology to attain ubiquitous acceptance of the future should be to provide accessible and comprehensible education to the population about the future.  As opposed to instilling fear and panic about catastrophic endings, informative resources should strive in the direction to communicate facts about practical scenarios and the necessity to realize them “quickly” to initiate the movement of making effective changes.  

Restoration Techniques Application in the Real-World

Restoration Techniques Application in the Real-World

So we’ve all discussed the repercussions of directed attention fatigue (DAF) as well as various methods to restore directed attention (DA), such as through hard fascination (concerts, sports, TV), soft fascination (nature), and mindfulness practices (meditation, yoga).  As a student, it is perhaps quite easy to break up studying/reading materials by subject into blocks varying from 20-45 minutes, depending on the topic’s level of interest or difficulty.  Personally, I try to study my class materials, as well as keep up with extra-curricular commitments, on a rotating basis so that I will think about and consider each topic multiple times throughout the day.  In addition, I will take breaks from all work for a period of time--breaks which include the three restorative techniques mentioned above, albeit currently skewed more to the hard fascination side.  These methods seems to work for me (so far); however, it makes me wonder about the efficacy of such restorative practices in some real-world job settings.

It's always nice to talk about what one should do, but putting these restorative concepts into practice requires considering the implications and potential obstacles.  What if one has a job where he or she is required to maintain DA well past the “threshold” for fatigue?  Or someone who has a busy schedule to balance between a career, kids, and family and may not have time for meditation or yoga?  To consider the former scenario, think consider a physician performing a long surgery.  Surgeons do often take food and bathroom breaks, especially if the surgery is being performed over many hours.  Moreover, there is often more than one surgeon in the operating room or close by and thus another surgeon may be able to take over.  However, it would be difficult as well as not make much sense for a surgeon to take a short break by walking away every 45-60 minutes during a 9-hour surgery.  Nor would it be viable for a surgeon to seek restoration and soft fascination in a natural setting, especially in a hospital setting, during surgery.

Although a surgeon may be able to partake in deep restoration after a shift, DA may still fatigue during surgery--arguably the most important aspect of a surgeon’s job.  Therefore, I also wonder if DA could be trained or worked out like a muscle.  Could there be a method through which one could increase the length of DA before fatigue settles in?  Or would people with careers which require sustained DA simply have to cope with micro-restoration techniques during the day and deep restoration techniques after work?  

Welcome!

Welcome to the Behavior & Environment Blog! We are a class of graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Michigan who are studying human behavior and the ways that we interact with our natural and built environments. The goal of the class is to better understand how the human mind works so that we can help each other thrive and become stewards of our environments.

The purpose of our Blog is to provide our students an arena in which to explore how what we learn in class connects with each of our students' personal experiences and areas of interest.

This Blog will be populated with weekly posts on topics from Environmental Psychology - including attention, perception, knowing, and rationality - and the natural and built environments that help us become more effective, restore our attention, and cope with different kinds of environmental stress.