#Note/Permanent #Cognition/MentalFatigue/Mitigation #Psychology/Motivation >[!warning] Personal Preference and Experience The effectiveness of using motivation and growth mindset to mitigate mental fatigue can vary depending on individual preferences. Some people may focus more on intrinsic rewards, such as personal development and growth, while others may respond better to extrinsic rewards, like winning a competition, earning money, or receiving a promotion. Please note that while some of the techniques mentioned in this note are supported by scientific evidence, others are based on personal experience and may not have been rigorously tested in research settings. ##### When to use: Implement motivational strategies and encourage a growth mindset whenever you encounter mentally demanding tasks, especially when signs of mental fatigue start to appear, such as decreased performance or increased subjective feelings of fatigue. For example: - During a long study session, when you feel your focus and productivity declining. - When working on a long-term personal project without any deadlines, and you notice your motivation waning. ##### How to use: 1. Identify meaningful rewards or incentives for maintaining or improving performance on the task. These can be extrinsic, such as allowing yourself a favorite activity after completing the task, or intrinsic, like focusing on the satisfaction of personal growth and skill development.[^1] 2. Break down the task into smaller, manageable goals and celebrate each milestone to maintain motivation and a sense of progress. For example, track the number of tasks completed each day, such as exercising, and celebrate the progress towards a healthier lifestyle. 3. Encourage a growth mindset by framing the task as an opportunity for learning and personal development. Emphasize that effort and persistence can lead to improved skills and performance.[^2] 4. Reframe challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than threats to self-image.[^2] > [!info] Personal Tip > I find that focusing on the intrinsic rewards of the effort I put in, rather than solely on the outcome, helps me maintain motivation and reduces mental fatigue. For example, when learning a new skill, I focus on the inherent satisfaction of understanding complex concepts and the potential for personal growth, rather than external recognition. This mindset helps me find extra energy and reduces mental fatigue, even after an exhausting workday. ##### Effects on mental fatigue: - Reduces subjective feelings of fatigue and disengagement from the task.[^1] - Improves cognitive performance, such as increased accuracy and speed on mentally demanding tasks.[^1] - Enhances attention allocation to task-relevant information, as evidenced by increased gaze toward task-related stimuli and increased P3 amplitude (an EEG measure of attention).[^1] - Promotes resilience and persistence in the face of challenges and setbacks, which can help maintain performance and motivation over time.[^2] ##### Duration of effects: The beneficial effects of increased motivation and a growth mindset can be experienced immediately upon adopting these strategies and may persist as long as the individual maintains this mindset and finds value in the task. Consistently reinforcing a growth mindset and finding intrinsic rewards in the task can lead to long-term benefits in motivation and resilience to mental fatigue. ##### Potential side effects: - Excessive reliance on external rewards may undermine intrinsic motivation in the long term, potentially leading to reduced engagement when rewards are no longer present.[^3] - High-pressure incentives or unrealistic goals may induce stress or anxiety, which could counteract the benefits of increased motivation. The mental fatigue-reducing effects of motivation and growth mindset are thought to be mediated by the reallocation of cognitive resources, the prioritization of task-relevant information processing, and increased resilience to challenges. According to the literature on fatigue and self-control, maintaining task engagement in a fatigued state is often influenced by the trade-off between the expected costs and rewards of a task. When the cost/reward trade-off is favorable, individuals are more likely to engage in the task, even if it requires cognitive control. However, when the trade-off becomes unfavorable, individuals tend to disengage from the task and explore the environment for potentially more rewarding tasks, leading to failures in self-control and task-related behavior often observed during mental fatigue.[^1] [^1]: [Hopstaken, J. F., van der Linden, D., Bakker, A. B., Kompier, M. A. J., & Leung, Y. K. (2016). Shifts in attention during mental fatigue: Evidence from subjective, behavioral, physiological, and eye-tracking data. _Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 42_(6), 878–889.](https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000189) [^2]: Dweck, Carol S. _Mindset: The new psychology of success_. Random house, 2006. [^3]: [Deci, Edward L., Richard Koestner, and Richard M. Ryan. "A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation." _Psychological bulletin_ 125.6 (1999): 627.](https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627)