How well do you know your brain?
Understanding our brain—an exciting field known as neuroscience—can positively impact how we work and connect with others.
When we know how to change our brain for the better, we build confidence and resilience, and we can align and focus on common goals.
Because the brain is plastic, it is always adjusting and adapting based on the environment. When you are surrounded by supportive and collaborative people, the brain can process information more quickly and more easily, leading to effective change. But if the brain perceives the environment as a threat, then comfort, motivation and satisfaction are all likely to decrease.
So, whatever our job title is, whoever we’ve become, it is never too late to change. We can learn new skills; we can change old habits and create new ones. We can learn, we can grow by improving our work experiences.
Still, even though we all have this capacity, most of us stay stuck in a seamless dead-end street. Habits are hard to break because change requires consistent effort.
Here are some engaging activities that strengthens connections in the brain and increases our neuroplasticity.
Participation to trainings
Our brain possesses the astounding ability to grow new neurological circuits to replace old neural pathways. Like any other muscle, with the right training and attention, the brain can learn to perform tasks that were previously not possible.
The process of learning is what keeps our brain stimulated and promotes neuroplasticity. Learning for the brain is like exercise for the body.
Taking part in relevant new training courses can help exercise our brain and keep our cognitive ability fresh, growing, and changing.
Cross training
Cross-training is the practice of training to work in several different roles, or to do tasks that lie outside their normal responsibilities.
Doing that, we will appreciate the tasks which our colleagues are faced with and the decisions they make, forces you to problem-solve, encourages ongoing learning, breaks down prejudices and assumptions, and helps seeing the value in what our co-workers do.
Share ideas
During meetings, we should encourage our team members to share ideas and, where appropriate, give positive comments and praise. Praise raises levels of serotonin (a feel-good neurotransmitter) in the recipient and often encourages us to be more productive and have a greater desire to perform and learn more, thereby increasing neuroplasticity.
Create new working habits
Long-term habits establish deep neural pathways, which are behaviours that operate below conscious awareness. Work habits are the ethical, behavioural, and practical elements that we can practise in order to improve job performance standards.
We develop excellent working traits through practising them in our daily routines and repeating them.
Understanding and exercising neuroplasticity can optimise our brain’s function at work, allowing us to harness our full potential, add new skills, and become more emotionally intelligent and a better communicator.
Sursa foto: arhiva personală G. Făgădariu
