How to stop living on autopilot

A neighbor once told me that he often dresses, ties his shoelaces, drags his toothbrush around, starts the car, drives down the parkway, and arrives at his office without much mental effort; this sometimes alarms him. Yet we all do it. We all have days where we go through the motions like an automaton. How many mornings have I walked to the train station without noticing who I passed along the way?

For this zombie-like state, we can thank the “default mode network,” which is located in the brain’s prefrontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. The theory of the default mode was first studied in the early 2000s by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine. They found that these brain regions activate when we are not engaged in a specific cognitive task to avoid mental overload and allow our minds to wander.

The Default Mode Network

This default mode protects us from applying brainpower where it isn’t needed; we switch off and go on autopilot. Mundane chores, like sweeping the floor, benefit from this kind of auto-effort, in which the body does all the work and saves the mind from taxing itself. This is also partly because heuristics are at work—these are mental shortcuts that let us make decisions and judgment calls, and solve problems swiftly. The brain doesn’t want to expend too much effort on certain routine tasks, so it uses shortcuts to approach thinking quickly. For example, financial professionals use heuristics to analyze data and make informed decisions about investments. If the earnings of shares of a company dip below a certain number, then financial advisers may recommend taking action.

Many researchers have studied heuristics, but two people to highlight are the late Princeton professor of psychology and Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his late collaborator, cognitive and mathematical psychologist Amos Tversky of Stanford. They found that people make hasty judgments when they are uncertain about things.

Aside from mental shortcuts, the brain is wired to engage in tasks like walking, washing dishes, or sweeping the floor without thought or awareness. On the other hand, more advanced mechanical tasks, such as building a house, require thought and conscious awareness. This makes logical sense, as we don’t want to be thinking about every muscle as we move about our day. If we are focused on every movement—for example, while riding a bicycle—we might tumble. Letting muscle memory do its job is a useful thing.

However, letting our autopilot have free rein where it has no business can be dangerous. The task of driving a car is a good example. A study published in The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society showed how the mind wanders while driving. I don’t need a science journal to tell me this. I often zone out at the wheel, especially when I get closer to home—and this is how accidents happen. Frankly, knowing the roads by rote isn’t always a good thing.

Our autopilot even switches on in the middle of conversations. Our heads may continue to nod even though the words conveyed by the person speaking to us don’t register.

This default mode network also stores daydreams, fantasies, and nostalgia, which can be positive and even creative. Unfortunately, it stores ruminations of past disturbances and future imaginings as well. Unsurprisingly, this is related to various disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, in which the mind loses its hold on reality. Another factor is the default mode network’s relation to hyperconnectivity in the brain, whereby too many connections are made between neurons. This is something associated with conditions including epileptic seizures and even schizophrenia.

The default mode network can also be a friend to anxiety, worry, and pessimism. Negative thinking and critical self-talk operate on such an automatic system. It promotes the noise inside our heads. Sometimes, it gets so noisy that it spirals into a perpetual loop, which can drive any person out of their mind. When the inner critic barges in and makes its appearance, the pessimistic thought then proceeds to flood the mind on a repetitive track of involuntary replay. Negativity takes hold in perpetuity.

The Off-Switch of Present-Moment Awareness

The mindfulness of being present in the here and now will help turn off the autopilot. To do this, we can become more aware of ourselves, and a place to start is with the mind and body. When eating an apple, for example, we can bite into the fruit without distraction. We focus on the food with all our senses—touch, smell, taste, and hearing. We do not attend to anything other than the apple. We can also apply this mindful approach in everyday living by actively listening when a loved one is speaking, or opening our eyes to see what is around us while walking under the trees.

Taking a deep breath is also helpful.
A thoughtful exhale is a big part of mindfulness.
The 4-7-8 yogic breathing practice works for many. This is one way to do it.
Breathe out.
Close the mouth and take a deep breath in four counts through the nose.
Hold your breath for seven counts.
Open the mouth and exhale through the mouth in eight counts.
Repeat this while focusing on your breath.