Your brain is probably full

22 Jul, 2026

It's been over a month now since I logged out of Instagram, and lately I've been trying to focus on multitasking less. That probably sounds silly - because who doesn't love being able to do multiple things at once? - but what I mean by it is: less phone use while watching a TV show, less putting a video on as background noise while I study, etc.

I feel that the whole "our brains weren't designed for this level of stimulation" thing is something we're all fairly aware of by now. It's something I've thought about a lot over the last few years while I've been flirting with the idea of leaving social media.

Today I watched this video: 'Your brain wasn't built to hold this much information | Richard Cytowic'.

Cytowic is a neuroscientist and he argues that attention is finite - we only have so much of it, and things like doomscrolling are draining that well of it. I recommend watching the video because he is great to listen to, but in short he talks briefly about how our brains have evolved (and how they essentially haven't changed at all in a very long time) and delivers his five tips for reclaiming our attention:

1. Turn off devices - just turn the phone off¹.
2. Modify device settings - blue light filtering, brightness, notifications, etc.
3. Prioritise good sleep - regular bed time and wake up times, minimising screen use before bed time, nothing that that riles you up, etc.
4. Socialise (in person!!)
5. Take deliberate breaks².

Over the past year I have been implementing a few of these things. From 7:30pm my phone is on 'do not disturb' (if you've tried to message me at night, then you know) and I try to stop using screens by around then. I like getting into bed around the same time every night to journal or read before sleeping and I have a pretty consistent wake up time.

The part of the video that stuck with me the most was when he went on to speak about silence, saying that he thinks silence is an essential nutrient.

And I just loved this idea.

If we've spoken about running or the gym any time in the last couple of years, you likely would've heard me say that I enjoy doing both of these things without headphones. I don't listen to anything when I'm exercising. And I love it.

I've found that when I'm out running or I'm getting a workout in, without the extra stimulus of listening to something, my mind wanders freely. And often it's just quiet. A few thoughts here and there, but mostly it's a really peaceful little void.

I think breaking the habit of constantly listening to something (music or podcasts or background TV shows or audiobooks) has done a lot for the state of my mind. I feel less stressed and anxious. Generally I feel more comfortable in my own body. My brain is a less busy and scary place to be, and I'm pretty happy just sitting with my thoughts with nothing else going on.

I also feel that getting used to silence has, in my opinion, made it a lot easier for me to focus on one thing. Like writing this blog post. Or reading a book. Or studying. Or a three hour long movie³.

So my suggestion - if you're anything like me and struggle to focus on one thing without needing an extra distraction - is to watch the video, try actioning some of Cytowic's steps on reclaiming your attention, and practice spending time in silence.

A podcast I listen to also recently introduced me to the idea that AirPods/other wireless earphones are contributing to a decline in how often we speak, which is really fascinating to me, but I'll leave that for another ramble.

To finish this off, here's a quick list of other things I've been thinking about lately:

• Almond croissants really are the greatest thing man has created
• Stephen King is a brilliant writer
• I really need to learn to get my rolls of camera film hand-screened at the airport instead of sending it through the big scanners that always ruin the film
• Cherries are amazing - but why does it feel so awkward to eat them in public and have to spit the cherry pips out?

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