6. Leaving off in the wrong spot 活儿干到一半就放下

 

Thanks to things like time constraints¹ and incessant² interruptions, it's not uncommon³ to find yourself setting aside half-completed tasks in order to deal with something urgent that's come up or has to take priority.

由于时间限制和纷至沓来的干扰等因素，你常常发现自己活儿干到一半就不得不放下，去处理更紧急或优先级更高的事务。

 

A small piece of your attention is left with the unfinished task, known as attention residue⁴.

每一个未完成的任务都牵动着你的一小部分注意力，称作“注意力残留”。

 

When you experience attention residue, your brain is working overtime⁵ by thinking about the task you're now on, as well as ruminating⁶ about the previous task you had to leave unfinished.

当你出现注意力残留的情况时，你的大脑正在超负荷运转，既要想着眼下的任务，又要考虑你之前做了一半的任务。

 

If you do have to stop work on a task prematurely⁷, you can decrease the amount of attention residue by writing down the specifics of what's left to finish. This can help decrease rumination⁸ and allow you to clear your mind.

如果不得不停下手头的活儿，你可以将这项任务的待办细节写下来，从而减少注意力残留。这样做有助于减少你对上一个任务的思虑，摒除大脑的杂念。

 

7. Slouching 懒散的坐姿 

 

"Poor posture⁹ can deplete¹⁰ your energy levels by putting more pressure on your body's muscles, joints¹¹ and ligaments," said Naueen Safdar, medical director at EHE Health. "Your body has to use more energy to compensate¹², leading to fatigue¹³."

EHE健康机构的医疗总监瑙因·萨夫达尔说：“不良坐姿会增加你的肌肉、关节和韧带受到的压力，从而大量消耗你的精力。你的身体不得不用更多能量来弥补，进而引发疲劳感。”

 

8. Taking shallow breaths 呼吸短浅

 

Even though breathing is thought of as an unconscious activity, we tend to breathe incorrectly when we have a lot on our mind.

尽管呼吸被视作一种无意识的行为，但是当我们烦心事太多时，我们往往会采用不正确的呼吸方式。

 

"Shallow breathing reduces the amount of oxygen the body takes in and the amount that can be transported in the blood to our organs and cells for optimal¹⁴ function," Naidoo said. It can also trigger pathways in the brain that exacerbate¹⁵ anxiety and trigger fatigue.

奈杜说：“浅呼吸会减少身体吸入的氧气量，以及可以通过血液输送到器官和细胞以优化功能的氧气量。”浅呼吸还会触发加剧焦虑和引发疲劳感的大脑神经通路。

 

Any time you notice yourself feeling particularly tense or stressed, use that as your cue to take several deep breaths to combat shallow breathing.

无论何时，如果你注意到自己特别紧张或压力很大，就做几个深呼吸来对抗浅呼吸的危害。

 

9. Letting little tasks pile up 让杂事堆积成山

 

Texting someone back. Changing a lightbulb. Booking your pet's wellness visit. The cumulative¹⁶ mental load of unintentionally stockpiling tiny tasks like these can be distracting and mentally draining.

给某人回短信。换灯泡。给宠物预约体检。像这种无意间堆积的杂事会让人分心，耗费脑力。

 

"Even manageable duties start to feel overwhelming and suffocating¹⁷ due to their sheer number," psychiatrist¹⁸ Tyson Lippe said.

精神病学家泰森·利珀说：“因为数量众多，即使是好办的杂事也让人感到不堪重负和窒息。”

 

“The constant and unsolicited 'I should do task X' thoughts also creates a sense of shame and buildup of anticipatory¹⁹ anxiety."

“这种应该做某事的想法不由自主地持续涌上心头，让人产生羞愧感和预期性焦虑。”

 

Ideally, any task that takes less than five minutes should be done right away, as it's the most energy-efficient option — but when this isn't practical, don't rely on memory.

理想状态下，任何5分钟内能解决的杂事都应该立即去办，这也是最高效节能的选择。但是如果立即去办不符合实际情况，也不要用脑子强记。

 

"Immediately write it down on a to-do list," Lippe said. "This strategy provides peace of mind and reassurance²⁰ that it will be dealt with eventually."

利珀说：“应该立刻写在待办清单上。这一策略能让人安心并确保这些杂事最后能搞定。”

 

10. Not dimming the lights at night 晚上把灯开得很亮

 

Exposure to bright lights at night signals it's still daytime to the brain. "This inhibits²¹ the brain's release of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone," Lippe said. "This can disturb the sleep-wake cycle and lead to insomnia²², poor sleep quality and fatigue."

夜晚暴露在明亮的灯光下会让大脑误以为还是白天。利珀说：“这将抑制大脑分泌促进睡眠的褪黑激素，扰乱睡眠-觉醒周期，导致失眠、睡眠质量差和疲倦感。”

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