I definitely recommend reading some kind of challenging fiction.
Me personally, because I had spent so much time reading manga, getting in those mental "reps", reading books didn't feel as difficult as I remembered (last time I had read challenging fiction was in high school). Nemirovsky ain't...
Hail Conan! I got to see them in March.
Sludge and Brutal Death Metal pits have the best energy imo. Not specifically the most violent, but the chugs and riffs tickle the brain just right, it's vitalizing.