What are the methods to avoid mental conflict

Avoiding mental exhaustion can be achieved through five methods: adjusting cognitive patterns, establishing action lists, cultivating focus, setting emotional buffering periods, and regular psychological review. Psychological internal friction is usually caused by factors such as excessive thinking, self denial, and vague goals, and long-term accumulation may lead to anxiety or depression tendencies.

1. Adjusting cognitive patterns

Identifying automated negative thinking is a key step in reducing internal friction. When there is self deprecation or disastrous imagination, replace subjective speculation with objective facts, such as transforming "I definitely can't do it well" into "I can do it step by step". The practice of recording three small daily achievements can rebuild self-efficacy and gradually change habitual negative cognition.

2. Establishing an action list

Transforming abstract anxiety into concrete to-do items can effectively prevent rumination. Adopting the SMART principle to set short-term executable goals, such as breaking down "improving work ability" into "completing two hours of learning a certain skill this week". The visual feedback of immediately marking off each completed task can enhance the sense of control and reduce the energy consumed by hesitation.

3. Cultivate concentration

Improve attention anchoring ability through mindfulness breathing training. Perform ten minutes of sensory focus exercises every day, such as focusing on the sensation of water flow, touch, or food chewing. This single threaded perception can suppress the psychological energy consumption caused by multi-threaded thinking. During work hours, use the tomato clock method, with 25 minutes of focus and 5 minutes of relaxation, to create a balanced rhythm of using the brain.

4. Set an emotional buffer period

Force a 48 hour cooling off period when facing major decisions. Record all current emotional judgments in a memo, and during this period, engage in activities such as walking or handicrafts that do not require mental effort. Re evaluate after adrenaline levels decrease. This mechanism can avoid making hasty decisions that consume psychological resources during peak emotional periods.

5. Regular psychological review

Conduct a mental cleaning at a fixed time every week, and use the three column method to organize events that consume psychological energy: the first column records the situation, the second column indicates the actual impact, and the third column writes down more rational coping strategies. This structured sorting can clearly present internal sources of friction and gradually form more efficient psychological coping strategies.

It is recommended to cooperate with regular aerobic exercise to improve neurotransmitter balance. Moderate intensity exercises such as brisk walking and swimming three times a week, lasting for more than 30 minutes each time, can significantly enhance emotional regulation ability. In terms of diet, pay attention to supplementing foods rich in tryptophan such as millet and bananas to help synthesize serotonin. Establish a stable social support system, engage in in-depth communication at least once a week, and avoid excessive self immersion. When the self-regulation effect is limited, professional psychological counseling can be sought for cognitive behavioral intervention.