Episode Summary
We’re constantly bombarded with notifications, emails, social media updates, and a steady stream of mental noise. It feels productive, but in reality, it’s draining our focus, creativity, and mental energy.
Just like our bodies benefit from intermittent fasting, our minds need regular breaks from constant input. Yet, many of us struggle with even a few moments of true silence.
In this episode, we explore the power of mental fasting—why stepping away from constant stimulation can help you gain clarity, reduce stress, and unlock your best ideas. Plus, I share my own struggle with slipping back into the trap of overstimulation and what I’m doing to reset.
What I Discuss in This Episode
- Why too much mental input creates foggy thinking and anxiety
- How regular “mental fasting” leads to clearer, more creative thinking
- Simple ways to build mental fasting into your daily routine
- Why a quiet mind isn’t an empty mind; it’s a free-thinking mind
Key Takeaways
- Your Brain is Overloaded with Mental Sugar
- Every notification, news alert, and email gives you a dopamine hit… but at a cost.
- Too much input leads to stress, anxiety, and mental exhaustion.
- Like junk food, overconsumption of information makes you sluggish and unfocused.
- Mental Fasting Creates Clarity and Creativity
- The best ideas don’t come when you’re constantly consuming
- Quiet time helps reduce stress, sharpen decision-making, and improve focus.
- Even a few minutes of mental fasting can make a noticeable difference.
- Start Small: 15 Minutes of Daily Silence
- Commit to just 15 minutes of quiet each morning. No phone, no music, no distractions.
- Over time, expand this to longer breaks, like half a day without your phone on weekends.
- Experiment with deeper mental fasts, such as a full day without screens.
Actionable Exercises
- 15-Minute Morning Mental Fast: Start your day with 15 minutes of complete silence. No inputs. Just sit and let your thoughts settle.
- Weekend Phone Detox: Put your phone in a drawer for a half-day on Saturday or Sunday.
- Full Digital Sabbath: Try going screen-free from sunrise to sunset once a week and notice how it affects your focus and creativity (yikes!).
Listener Challenge
This week, commit to one small mental fast—even just 15 minutes of silence in the morning. See how it impacts your clarity, stress levels, and creativity.
The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.
High-Income Business Writing with Ed Gandia
#371: How to Reset Your Mental Clarity by Giving Your Brain a Short ‘Fast’
Key Topics and Bullets:
- Comparing junk food with constant brain input (notifications, news, social media)
- The cycle of fleeting dopamine hits leading to mental fatigue and lack of focus
- The need for mental breaks, similar to physical fasting
- Discomfort with silence as a sign of addiction to stimulation
- Ed’s own struggle with slipping back into old habits
- Resulting stress and anxiety from constant input
- The importance of beginning with short periods of mental fasting (15 minutes)
- Flexibility to fit this into your routine
- Suggestions for extended mental fasts: longer screen-free periods, phone-free weekends, or evenings
- Mental fasts as the source of best ideas and creative clarity
- “A quiet mind isn’t an empty mind”—it’s free to think and create
- Reflection on when individuals last experienced complete silence and its discomfort
By the way… whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Claim your free book:
Discover the secrets to a thriving writing career in Earn More in Less Time: The Proven Mindset, Strategies and Actions to Prosper as a Freelance Writer. — Download your FREE copy
2. Level up with the ultimate business-building toolkit
Ready to fast-track your freelance success? My comprehensive Business-Building Toolkit equips you with the essential skills to command higher fees, win premium clients, blend AI into your workflow, and build more predictable freelance income. Developed from years of coaching top freelancers, this toolkit is your roadmap to rapid results. — Learn More?
3. Work with me for 90 days
Need a trusted “sparring” partner to tackle your most pressing business challenges? I occasionally offer an intensive 90-day coaching program for freelancers at all income levels. We work together 1-on-1 to identify your most critical business obstacles, come up with innovative solutions and develop a customized, actionable plan. Email me at ed@b2blauncher.com with “90-Day Accelerator” in the subject line to learn more.
4. Banish 6-figure burnout
One of my core specialties is helping 6-figure freelancers earn more in less time with less stress. If you’re at that income level but you’re burning out and want to create a business that actually serves you, let’s connect. Email me at ed@b2blauncher.com and put “Boardroom” in the subject line and I’ll get back to you with more details.
