★ The antidote to “the more efficient, the more exhausted” is here!
★ Neurosurgeon Michihito Sugawara introduces his original “Four Brain Characters” model (the anxious “Mom,” the information‑processing “Switchboard Operator,” the action commander “Manager,” and the self‑searching “Artist”) to break the vicious cycle of “the harder you try, the emptier you feel.”
★ From the underlying principles of brain science, he teaches you strategic “loosening” to create “brain white space” – achieving maximum results with minimum cost and giving your brain back its margin of ease.

It’s time to say goodbye to a life consumed by double‑speed living.
What determines your performance is not “speed” but “how you loosen up.”

“I work so hard, but why can’t I see results?”
“The more I chase efficiency, the more my mind and body wear out.”
…Do you feel this “efficiency fatigue”?

In fact, our brains house four characters (the anxious “Mom,” the attention‑and‑analysis “Switchboard Operator,” the action‑commanding “Manager,” and the identity‑seeking “Artist”). Only when these four cooperate does our daily decision‑making and behavior run smoothly. Unfortunately, modern people who over‑prioritize efficiency have seriously disrupted this balance.
That is the truth behind the “brain paradox”: the more you chase efficiency, the hollower you feel.

In this book, the author – a practicing neurosurgeon – proposes a new habit from a brain‑science perspective: creating “brain white space.”
This is not mere rest, but a strategic “loosening” that dramatically boosts your life’s processing capacity.

Protect your brain from smartphone addiction, sharpen your five senses, and “weave yourself” during moments of daydreaming –
When you relax your brain and create white space, your life will start improving by the shortest route.
Through this book, break free from a double‑speed life and acquire the “true efficiency” that brings maximum results with minimum cost.

Michihito Sugawara
Practicing neurosurgeon. Born in 1970. Graduated from Kyorin University School of Medicine, then specialized in emergency brain diseases such as subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral infarction at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine. In 2000, to build a seamless medical system from emergency to home care, he moved to the Kitahara Neurosurgical Hospital in Hachioji, dedicating himself to emergency response. In June 2015 he opened the Sugawara Neurosurgical Clinic, and in October 2019 the Sugawara Clinic Tokyo Brain Dock. Based on his clinical experience, he has established a “goal‑oriented medical care” style that supports the mind and lifestyle. He is well‑known for his easy‑to‑understand explanations of brain mechanisms and has appeared on many TV programs.
His books include “You Can Stop Wasting Money,” “Successful People Are Worriers,” “The Success Diet,” “The Immediate Action Brain,” and “How to Delete Someone from Your Brain.” He has also supervised books such as “How to Regulate Your Autonomic Nervous System to Eliminate Physical Discomfort” and “1‑Minute‑a‑Day Brain & Muscle Workout.”

Prologue: Why does chasing efficiency lead to disappointing results? – The story of the four people living in your brain
Chapter 1: Calming
Chapter 2: Daydreaming (1) – Acceptance
Chapter 3: Daydreaming (2) – Integration
Chapter 4: Organizing
Final Chapter: A question I want you to remember when you feel pain from continuing to work hard