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<h1>phil@bajsicki:~$</h1>
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<h1 class="content-title">Trying out some brain supplements</h1><span class="content-meta"><p class="author">[Phil Bajsicki]</p><p class="date">2022-11-18</p><span>2 min read </span><a href="http://localhost:1313/tags/supplements">supplements</a> <a href="http://localhost:1313/tags/nootropics">nootropics</a> <a href="http://localhost:1313/categories/mind">@mind</a> </span></section>
<section><p>As a person working in a high-speed, high-attention and multifaceted environment (currently working as an Executive Assistant, soon starting a new job in Quality Assurance), I am changing contexts all the time.</p>
<p>Changing contexts means shifting from one task (e.g. taking notes in a meeting) to another (e.g. fixing scheduling issues) to another (e.g. preparing for the next meeting), where the tasks are disconnected and involve different relationships, thoughts, information, and priority.</p>
<p>Over the past 6 months, this has taken a large toll on my ability to focus - and in many ways, my mental health. It takes <em>a lot</em> of mental effort to go from thinking about one thing to another. Particularly when it happens multiple times each hour, often multiple times in the span of a few minutes.</p>
<p>So I’ve been ending each day feeling fried, unable to even conceive of doing anything else that day. I don’t like being tired and feeling useless.</p>
<p>A close friend pointed me to some supplements that should help my focus. I started on them today, and here’s my thoughts after just 5 hours or so. L-Theanine and Alpha GPC kick in quickly, thus the notes.</p>
<ul>
<li>L-Theanine (200mg): super good, the effects are subtle yet noticable. I found my body much more comfortable to control, and a lot of the muscle tension seems to have faded.</li>
<li>Lion’s Mane (500mg, extract): Haven’t noticed anything that I could attribute to it yet. Supposedly it takes a while to build up, around two weeks.</li>
<li>Alpha GPC (300mg): very nice. My focus and executive function appears to have improved dramatically (compared to <em>my</em> normal). I feel like switching tasks isn’t as difficult. If I didn’t know that I had taken it, I would just think that I’m randomly having a really good day, so the effect isn’t immediately obvious.</li>
</ul>
<p>Now, I don’t know if those effects are as I attributed them. Compared to my average day, I do feel significantly more focused and able to stay on track with multiple things at once. So that’s good. But do bear in mind that every brain is different - some are sensitive to one thing, and not another.</p>
<p>Whether this will take a permanent place in my day-to-day routine is TBD. I do plan on staying on this regimen for at least a month or two, and determine if it’s worth it then.</p>
<p>In any case…</p>
<p><a href="https://my.fsf.org/join">Join the FSF.</a></p></section>
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