Published on 12, July, 2020
Its Friday.
Finally!After a long working week, spent combining fitting into the NT office environment, smiling appropriately when people make jokes and managing to not say the things my brain lets slip, my brain is empty.
On a good week its not so bad - I can continue with intelligent conversation through the weekend, but a week like this, which has also had me doing some very challenging data analysis has drained me completely.
I like analysing data, looking for patterns etc. It's like feeding a monster something to prevent it from eating people. In my case, keeping my brain busy means it doesnt spend all the time overanalysing everything in my life. However, this week I have been analysing data, and then having to explain my process and logic to people who do not think like me, which is not easy. In fact it took longer to explain than to do the work, and I find it very challenging to explain things I find simple to people who do not understand. Its hard to be patient, especially when I know its right, and I could be doing something more valuable than explaining.
How do other people cope with brain exhaustion? All suggestions welcome!
I often do most of these, apart from driving as I can't drive, so that may be frowned upon. Reading is probably my most used one.
Sometimes I like to watch something on TV thats not complicated to watch!
One I have found recently is a series on Netflix. It's Russian so has subtitles, and is a neat and uncomplicated police crime drama called 'Sniffer', a bit like a Russian version of 'Lie to me'. Its easy to watch, does not have any hidden narratives, and is about someone who doesnt quite fit in and sees the world differently from those around him, which I can empathise with
Thats my usual go to, though its usually a brandy rather than merlot! Its also noticable that even when my brain is tired, sleep doesn't come any easier!
Hi Daniel,
I am struggling to balance the work/recover balance at the moment. I have a demanding office job, both creative and analytical (which I love!), but the office is growing, there are more people to interact with, meetings involve more people, take longer to complete and as you said, often people in these meetings don't think the same as me, so it becomes tiring explaining things. At present, I find my evenings too exhausted to do anything and then at the weekends I just want to sleep or slob around on the sofa. Everything is overwhelming and too much to tackle. Sensory issues are on a high as well.
I love my job, but I also crave some personal life where I am not spending it spaced out and drained. If anyone has any coping strategies or tips on how to minimise 'That Friday brain feeling' as Daniel put it, I m more than happy to listen and try suggestions.
I'd say that was more than a fair distance Gadzooks! I've been quite fit at various points in my life, especially when I used to ride a lot of horses (a lot is more than 1 or two a day as far as I'm concerned), none of them mine. I understand that drive for physical tiredness and know it worked back then. I hope you get to be back on your bike soon, or find an alternative. Food for thought and not happy being the least fit I've ever been. Physical work within whatever our constraints is probably important I think.
I used to cycle fair distances (80 - 130 miles daily) whenever opportunity would arise ; rest of the time 24 miles work commute. This really helped the brain to keep its pressure to a certain limit. Unfortunately, I haven't taken the bike for months now due to health issues, and, - perhaps as a matter of consequence -, the old demons started to reappear...
My new job involves a lot of social interaction and it can be quite daunting to almost constantly trying to observe, mimic and sometimes reaching unnecessary levels of concentration in order to reproduce basic human reactions and behaviours when confronted to the individuals I'm working with. That being said, I am receiving good support from my employer since I revealed I have Asperger's. Fingers crossed, hope the health shall improve and soon being able to cycle again...
Some ideas on the shutdown thread... we're all so different.. sleep, films, reading, walking, creating something, exercise, going for a drive, soaking in a bath, switch off game of some sort, meditation... hope you have a good weekend
Tonight? A bottle of merlot. And now... sleep...