During the work day, my mind is moving quickly, and my legs bounce up and down as I try to deal with the external energy flow around and through me.  There are lots of things going on – and it’s all exciting.  I have observed during these moments that my mind can not readily digest information that requires patience, calm, and deep thought (it requires extra effort on my part to do this).  This has lead me to the theory of Mental Operating Frequency or MOF for short.  I’m guessing that there is some official scientific explanation for this state but I’m making up my own based on experience.

Mental Operating Frequency exists on a scale – high to low.  Our MOF can be a factor in how we interpret static information.

During work hours I have a high MOF and thus have trouble listening and appreciating slow, somber music.  However, that same piece of music could blow me away at home in the evening, on the couch, with the lights off and candles lit, and a glass of wine in my hand (when my MOF is low).  In this case, the music doesn’t change – it is static.  But my MOF changes which in turn changes how I interpret the music.

MOF doesn’t just dictate what music sounds good at certain states, it also dictates our readiness for patience.  For example, reading a user manual requires all of my focus and patience.  The manual doesn’t change though.  My ability to interpret and act on that information changes based on my MOF.  If I have a low MOF at the moment it is much easier for me than if I’m at a high MOF.

The point is, recognize when MOF may be the reason for your inability to access something and schedule or shift your activities accordingly if you can’t quickly change your state.  If you are in a high MOF state, take on your projects that require this energy level.  Don’t try to read the user manual that will require all of your focus and patience.  Instead, make the sales call.  Practice the opposite as well.  If you are in a low MOF state, write that deep blog post or the slow song.  Think of how that applies to all of your daily activities to maximize your MOF!