Your Brain’s Reset Button

Hi, this is Ray.

Let’s start with a confession: my brain is like a web browser with 37 tabs open, 16 of them frozen, and the music playing from one of them, but I can’t find which. If you’ve ever sat down to study and suddenly remembered that you left laundry in the washer three days ago, you know exactly what I mean.

The problem isn’t that we can’t learn. It’s that our brains are too busy doing their best impression of Times Square at rush hour. And while some people insist they thrive in chaos, the research is clear: a cluttered mind makes it harder to focus, absorb information, and recall it later. So today, let’s talk about how to clear your mind so you can actually learn without feeling like you’re trying to download the latest Marvel movie on 1990s dial-up internet.

The Gold standard for AI news

AI will eliminate 300 million jobs in the next 5 years.

Yours doesn't have to be one of them.

Here's how to future-proof your career:

• Join the Superhuman AI newsletter - read by 1M+ professionals

• Learn AI skills in 3 mins a day

• Become the AI expert on your team

Start learning AI now

Why Your Brain Loves a Reset Button

The human brain is a master multitasker… but in the worst way. Instead of doing multiple things well, it just toggles between them, like a clumsy juggler dropping balls every few seconds. Scientists call this “cognitive load”… the total amount of mental effort being used in working memory. When it’s too high, you hit mental gridlock.

A cluttered brain struggles with:

• Concentration: You keep re-reading the same paragraph because your mind is still drafting your grocery list.

• Memory retention: Your brain is too full of cat memes and “what did that email mean?” to encode new info.

• Problem-solving: With so much noise, creative thinking takes a backseat.

In short, if your brain were a hard drive, it’s running dangerously close to “storage almost full.”

Science-Backed Ways to Declutter Your Brain

Here are a few ways to give your mind the equivalent of a factory reset (don’t worry, no data will be lost).

1. Brain Dumping

Think of this as downloading your thoughts onto paper. Grab a notebook and write every little thing that’s swirling in your head. Don’t edit. Don’t organize. Just dump. Once those thoughts are on paper, your brain doesn’t have to waste energy reminding you about them every 10 seconds.

2. Mindful Breathing

I know, I know… he minute someone mentions mindfulness, half of us picture sitting cross-legged on a mountain chanting “Om.” But you don’t need a monastery. Just pause, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths for 2 minutes. This slows your heart rate, reduces stress, and reboots focus like turning your router off and on again.

3. Single-Tasking

Sorry, multitasking fans. You may feel productive scrolling TikTok while reviewing your notes, but your brain is switching contexts, not doing both. Research shows single-tasking boosts efficiency and recall. Pick one task. Do it. Then move on. Like Gandalf said, “One does not simply study with Netflix in the background.”

4. Micro-Breaks

Think of your brain like your smartphone battery. If you keep it plugged in all the time, it overheats. Step away every 25–30 minutes. Stretch. Walk. Stare out the window pretending you’re in a dramatic indie film. Then come back charged.

5. Clear Your Environment

Physical clutter equals mental clutter. A messy desk might not doom your learning session, but studies show visual chaos increases cognitive load. So, clean your space… or at least shove everything into a drawer and pretend you’ll deal with it later.

The Fun Side of Clearing Your Mind

Because I can’t resist nerding out: when you declutter mentally, you’re essentially helping your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for decision-making and working memory. Overloading it is like trying to run Cyberpunk 2077 on a toaster.

Meditation, journaling, and breaks all lower cortisol (the stress hormone). Lower cortisol means improved neuroplasticity… your brain’s ability to form and strengthen connections. Translation: clearing your mind isn’t just about feeling better. It literally rewires your brain to learn better.

My Own (Messy) Experiment

True story: I once tried to study coding while simultaneously checking email, folding laundry, and eating nachos. The only thing I accomplished was spilling salsa on my keyboard and learning that keyboards do not, in fact, like salsa.

The next day, I tried again. This time, I wrote down everything bugging me, set a 30-minute timer, turned off notifications, and just coded. In half the time, I got twice the work done… and no nachos were harmed in the process.

Your Turn

If you want to boost productivity while learning, give your brain some breathing room. Clear the mental clutter, focus on one thing, and watch your learning accelerate. Think of it as upgrading from Windows 95 to, well, literally anything else.

And remember: clearing your mind doesn’t mean emptying it forever. It just means creating space so the good stuff… The knowledge you actually want to keep… has room to grow.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have 47 sticky notes on my desk reminding me to clear my desk. Baby steps.

References

1. Sweller, J. (2011). Cognitive load theory. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 55, 37-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-387691-1.00002-8

2. Mrazek, M. D., et al. (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind wandering. Psychological Science, 24(5), 776-781. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612459659

3. Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. Penguin Press. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/307431/willpower-by-roy-f-baumeister-and-john-tierney/