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?