DR. Rizaldy R. Ferrer, PHD

Licensed Psychologist | Online psychological services available across participating PSYPACT states

Tag: Monotasking

Holiday Brain: Why You’re Tired Even on Break

When we say “rest,” many imagine just pausing work or sleeping. But after a busy holiday break loaded with parties, errands, social calls, and mental juggling, our brain rarely finds real rest. Even enjoyable things — social obligations, shopping sprees, or festive planning — demand attention, decision‑making, and shifting focus. These activities all draw on our brain’s executive functions, which have a limited capacity.

Science shows that prolonged cognitive load — constantly shifting between tasks or dealing with many demands — doesn’t just fatigue your mood. It impacts your nervous system. What’s called “mental fatigue” is linked to changes in autonomic balance: lowered parasympathetic (rest‑and‑digest) activity and elevated sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activity. The result? Even if you “rest” briefly, your brain may still feel wound up — alertness remains high, sleep feels shallow, and you wake up emotionally or mentally exhausted.

That’s why “holiday rest” often feels like a letdown instead of recovery. Your brain’s “control center” — especially regions that manage focus, decision-making, and self-regulation — remain taxed, even if your schedule slows.

What helps your brain recover:

Schedule real breaks. Short, intentional pauses — ideally with silence or minimal stimulation — help your nervous system recalibrate.

Monotasking over multitasking. Focus on one task at a time to reduce cognitive switching costs and preserve mental energy.

Protect rest and downtime. Quality rest helps restore attention capacity. According to research, after periods of heavy mental load, recovery periods are essential for returning cognitive performance to normal.

 

References 

Mizuno, K., Tanaka, M., Yamaguti, K., Kajimoto, O., Kuratsune, H., & Watanabe, Y. (2011). Mental fatigue caused by prolonged cognitive load associated with sympathetic hyperactivity. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 7(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-7-17

Albulescu, P., Oosterheert, W., Smit, H. F., & Van der Linden, D. (2022). “Give me a break!” — A systematic review and meta‑analysis on micro‑breaks and labour productivity: cognitive, affective, and motivational mechanisms. PLOS ONE, 17(9), e0273928. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273928

Rubinstein, J. S., Meyer, D. E., & Evans, J. E. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763

Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 107–110). https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072

Terada, Y. (2018, March 9). Research‑tested benefits of breaks. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/research‑tested-benefits-breaks

Your Brain on Distraction

Why Multitasking Isn’t Helping—and What It’s Really Doing to Your Brain

Ever feel mentally exhausted after “just checking your phone” while working? That’s not just in your head—your brain actually burns more energy when you jump between tasks.

The Myth of Multitasking

Many people believe they can multitask—write an email, reply to a message, skim a news alert, and jump back into a meeting—all in quick succession. But neuroscience says otherwise. Your brain isn’t truly doing multiple things at once. Instead, it’s rapidly switching from one task to another, a process called task-switching.

Each time you switch, your brain:

  • Disengages from the current task
  • Reorients to the new task
  • Retrieves new rules or memories
  • Re-establishes context

This creates a “switch cost”—a delay that increases cognitive load and decreases efficiency. Even brief diversions (like a notification ping or app switch) can reduce your performance on complex tasks by up to 40% (Rubinstein et al., 2001).

What’s Happening in Your Brain?

When you jump from app to app, your brain’s prefrontal cortex—responsible for attention and decision-making—goes into overdrive. The dopamine system, which craves novelty, rewards you for checking something new… but not for finishing a task. This trains your brain to seek stimulation over completion.

Over time, this habit weakens your brain’s:

  • Working memory (your ability to hold info in mind)
  • Sustained attention
  • Impulse control
  • Ability to enter deep, focused states (flow)

How to Protect Your Focus

Give your brain a break. Try these research-backed strategies:

  • Batch your tasks: Group similar activities together to reduce switching.
  • Use the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds—especially helpful for screen fatigue.
  • Silence unnecessary notifications: Keep only essential alerts to prevent reactive checking.
  • Practice monotasking: Focus on one task for 15–25 minutes (Pomodoro method) before taking a break.
  • Mindfulness breaks: Even 1–2 minutes of stillness or breathing helps reset cognitive control systems.

Remember:
Distraction isn’t just inconvenient—it reshapes how your brain functions. Protect your focus like you would any other muscle. Give it rest, train it intentionally, and don’t overload it.

References

Rubinstein, J. S., Meyer, D. E., & Evans, J. E. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763

Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583–15587. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0903620106

Monsell, S. (2003). Task switching. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(3), 134–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(03)00028-7

Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107–110. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072

Gazzaley, A., & Rosen, L. D. (2016). The distracted mind: Ancient brains in a high-tech world. MIT Press.

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