BRAIN HACKS FOR BUSINESS

Many of us have heard of “manifestation”, "the power of positive thinking” or “the law of attraction.” These buzzwords get tossed around, often in the realm of self help, but what if there was some evidence to back them up? What if these methods, properly applied, became a hack for the brain that could help one navigate both life and work?

There is a growing body of psychological and physiological evidence that these approaches can have tangible benefits. Neuroplasticity refers to our ability to essentially retrain our brain through our thoughts. And since our minds and bodies are so connected, a change in thought process will have physiological responses.

Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist, writes in her book “In every millisecond, our brain’s 86 billion neurons (brain cells) are interpreting and responding to the glut of secondary feedback they receive from our body and environment…making connections and building ‘pathways’ as they bring together emotions and actions and memories and connections.”

Too often people assume these pathways are fixed. Indeed, the brain is generally wired to avoid change and stress, regardless of whether change would actually be a good thing. There are tools, however, that engage the brain’s neural processes and let us consciously rewrite those pathways. This is neuroplasticity, and manifestation is one way to engage said processes

So how does this function at work? Day-to-day work stressors are practically universal, and can have a negative impact on one’s physical as well as mental health. Since work is such a constant, it’s important to be able to meet its challenges. Below are a few simple tricks—deceptively simple—that can help in daily interactions.

Practicing Gratitude

Studies show that those who begin their day with affirmations of things for which they are grateful (pets, family, friends, even their comfort of their pillow) are less stressed and healthier overall. Not only does gratitude positively impact mental and physical health (see this study from the National Institute of Health), it also increases empathy and helps reduce conflict. This in turn improves communication and executive functioning, both necessary work tools. Neurologically, gratitude reduces activation of the amygdala—the fight or flight center of the brain—making situations less emotionally charged. The problem doesn’t vanish, but your response is more measured, which is vital in dealing with stressful work situations and coworkers.

A vision board

This one might seem particularly kooky, but it does have a strong psychological foundation. The “Tetris effect”—as published in Science Magaizine—describes a phenomenon in which the last image seen before sleep will imprint more strongly on the mind than images seen during the day. According to Swart “By repeatedly exposing your brain to these images, you’re priming it to not just notice but also grasp the opportunities that will take you closer to what you want.” If you want a promotion, a project to succeed, or an interaction with your manager to go well, you can prime your brain with a vision board.

Deep Breaths

Another seemingly obvious one, but again there is scientific backing. One study in Consciousness and Cognition showed that participants who practiced yoga breathing (calm, deep, intentional breaths to connect with the body) showed reduced stress (measured via salivary cortisol levels) and better sustained focus. If you want to maintain focus at work, take a moment for a deep breath.

The point of these exercises in neuroplasticity is not to solve every workplace issue that might arise. The point is to make you feel better as you handle them. Taking control of one’s mind, rewiring neural pathways, and approaching problems with calm and mindfulness is the better, more sustainable approach to work. It is about increasing one’s resilience, so at the end of the day the brain and body are healthy. Reduce stress around small situations and save energy for big ones. Work may be challenging at times, but taking these small steps does “hack” your brain so no matter what you have a bit of control.