How to Cure Brain Fog

Hey there,

Your brain is a high-powered supercomputer wrapped in meat.

Sounds gross when you put it that way, but it processes about 50,000 thoughts a day and controls everything from your grocery list to your existential dread.

And yet some days it runs like it’s stuck in a swamp of molasses.

That’s brain fog — when your mind feels like it’s buffering.

You forget names, lose focus, and suddenly find yourself staring at your fridge wondering why you’re there.

After five years of feeling like someone swapped out my brain for a brick, I decided to figure out what’s really causing this fog—and more importantly, how to clear it.

Here’s what I found…

First culprit: overstimulation.

The internet is basically a dopamine theme park, and every website is trying to win your attention like a toddler on Red Bull.

Click this. Watch that. Buy now. Even this newsletter has ads (sorry, not sorry).

Social media is the worst offender, thanks to something called supernormal stimulus—basically, your brain gets addicted to fast, flashy, fake rewards.

One way to fight this is a dopamine fast: no screens, no sugar, no stimulation. Just you, a notebook, and your racing thoughts.

It’s like a mental ayahuasca trip, but with less vomiting. If that sounds miserable (it is), start simpler: meditate.

Sit with your thoughts for 10 minutes a day. If you can survive that, you can survive anything—including your inbox.

Next: procrastination. 

When you put something off—like that big work project you “definitely have time for”—you’re not forgetting it, you’re just assigning it to your subconscious like a stressed-out intern.

It drains your mental battery all day.

So do yourself a favor: do the thing. Cross it off. Free up that mental RAM.

Which brings us to writing things down. That lunch with Mike on Friday?

If you don’t schedule it, your brain will keep whispering “Friday… Mike… lunch…” all week like a haunted calendar app.

Log it. Set a reminder. Then forget it until you need to remember it. That’s peace.

Now, let’s talk health—the part everyone knows but skips because scrolling is easier than sweating.

Sleep well. Drink water. Eat real food. Move your body. These aren’t hot takes, but they work.

Of all these, exercise is the secret weapon. 

Sure, it reduces your risk of heart disease, but more importantly, it makes your brain feel like it just had a triple shot of clarity.

If exercise came in pill form, it’d outsell everything, even Ozempic.

When I lift weights or run, I’m sharper, faster, and 100% more pleasant to be around (citation: my family).

The days I move, I feel like I’m operating at full download speed.

So here’s your fog-fighting formula: protect your attention, stop procrastinating, write things down, and take care of your body like it’s the vehicle your brain rides around in.

Because it is.

Stick to that and watch the haze lift. You’ll feel clearer, faster, and just a little bit smug (in a good way).

Have a wonderful week, all.
Stay sharp out there - Scott (@motivatedscott).

Love content like this? Then you’ll love my podcast…

Listen to my top 100 health podcast with over 6 million downloads on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Up next on the podcast:

• Why I’ve Been a Minimalist for 5 Years