1. Stop trying to bounce back. The phrase itself creates the wrong expectation. Instead of trying to get back to how things used to be, focus on adapting to where you are now. I want to clarify this isn’t about fake positivity! It’s about not wasting energy trying to recreate circumstances that no longer exist and freeing up mental resources to deal with what’s actually in front of you. 2. Take inventory of what you’ve learned. What works, what doesn’t, what might you want to tweak? Spend a few minutes exploring what you’ve learned through change, such as which relationships give you energy, which routines feel sustainable, which projects spark curiosity. This kind of metacognitive practice helps your brain recognize patterns in the chaos. 3. Design a tiny experiment. Instead of waiting for life to calm down, turn it into a laboratory. Maybe you experiment with a brief daily walk before work or declining one commitment every week. The point is to actively engage with uncertainty and turn the anxiety into curiosity.

Researchers have documented this phenomenon, when people experience too many changes in a short period and develop what’s known as change fatigue.

How can you use it in your day-to-day life? After you’re done reading a blog post, go to another tab or open your notebook and try to write a few bullet points about the content, from memory. If you’re learning how to code, try to read a tutorial in a focused way, then apply what you learned without looking at the tutorial. Only check the tutorial when you feel stuck. When trying to memorise anything, ask a friend to quiz you so you can generate your own answers. Or create your own flashcards to test yourself.

Whatever the origin of the Generation Effect, it has been shown to help a lot when it comes to learning and remembering information.