The big day is finally here. A major corporation has asked you to do a step-by-step presentation on the benefits of your product. For days, you have rehearsed the words, using graphs and charts that flow along with your speech. But an annoying lapse of concentration keeps penetrating your thoughts until you have doubts about answering questions that should easily roll off your tongue.
Almost every entrepreneur experiences these memory lapses, more commonly known as brain fog. These times can be annoying, a waste of time, and embarrassing. How can you suddenly lose your train of thought over the one thing that matters most in life, your business? The good news is that you are not alone in this lapse of mental clarity and that with the right steps, it can be overcome.
Causes of Brain Fog
There are four major causes that create the right conditions for loss of mental clarity.
Stress
Fatigue
Nutrient Deficiency
Depression
These may sound like normal occurrences to the busy business owner, but without a plan of action to overcome, they can put you in a position where falling behind your game can become a reality.
The body has natural alarms that sound when danger to internal organs are present. These signs can range from thirst, upset stomach, headaches, drowsiness, or any number of like indicators. Most people shrug off these symptoms with over the counter drugs, and go on. However, the body has not been appeased with these band-aids and will continue to set off warnings. Brain fog is the next warning sign that will force you to stop, listen, and act.
Stress is a major thief of vitamins. It is easy to say that eating balanced meals and a good exercise program is enough to calm a body from the daily grind of deadlines, potential sales and headaches of too little cash, but the truth is,that inside, your body is slowly becoming depleted of vital minerals and vitamins that keep your system functioning normally. Daily vitamin supplements help, but nothing compares to natural fruits and vegetables. There are terrific recipes for smoothies, made from a variety of fruits and vegetables that can replenish your system. Vitamin A, B, and C, need to be taken in large, natural doses, each day to replace what stress has stolen.
Fatigue is not just a lack of sleep, but prematurely ages your skin, impairs judgment, kills sex drive, and leads to many serious diseases. High blood pressure and diabetes are the two major medical conditions that arise, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and irregular heart beats. Too many entrepreneurs put off sleep to complete a project, swearing to catch up on rest later. You can never catch up on missed sleep because once the damage is done, there is no way to undo. You are kidding yourself by thinking that your body can be trained to function on 5-6 hours of sleep a night. It may take years, but all you have done is gotten used to the downhill slide. 8-9 hours of sleep is needed to stay totally focused throughout the day.
Nutrient deficiency is a silent killer that rears its ugly head, just when it is least expected. It may start with a scratchy throat or a stiff neck, but any abnormal physical sign can point to your body crying for nutrition. Every business owner understands that it is impossible to eat three healthy meals a day. A quick burger for lunch and pasta for dinner, may leave your belly happy instantly, but not in the long run. Learn to have at least one balanced meal a day, in addition to one or two vitamin rich smoothies. One doctor once said that if you could stand to eat a sweet potato a day, you would get all the vitamins that your body needs, and more. Rich in B-6, Potassium, Beta-Carotene, Manganese, and Vitamins C and E, the sweet potato can keep away those viruses and strengthen your immune system.
Depression can be a sign of too little sleep, lack of vitamins, or stressful situations at work or home. It can also cause your mind to wander and your motions to slow down. Working on improving your sleep habits and diet can many times resolve depression, naturally. However, if you have always had problems with mood swings or depression that lasts longer than a week, medical advice should be sought.
Meditation works for some people in preparing for a busy day. Others find a good run, in the morning, a way to clear the mind and cut back on brain fog. One method of wiping away the cobwebs in the mind is by writing. If you have a worry of an important meeting or another stressful event coming up, take out a blank piece of paper and write a sentence that has nothing to do with your worries. A memory, your kids, or the colors of the sky, are a few suggestions. Do not think of anything in particular and pay no attention to the words that flow. You will be surprised to see the stuff that emerges from your self-conscience, and make you feel lighter, happier and free. You will also notice that the brain fog has begun to lift.
There is no simple way to wipe away the brain fog that encompasses your mind without a plan of action. Think of your body as a business plan that needs to grow and prosper along with your company. By being as enthusiastic about your health as you are your business success, you will be able to reap the benefits of your hard work, without being too tired or sick to enjoy.