Overloaded brain circuits: The war on attention

Demands, tasks and deadlines have increased the daily frenzied distractions we are faced with in a 21st century workplace. Our brain circuits have become overloaded and we use all our energy to simply survive, doing as much as we can, as fast as we can and as best as we can, yet we don’t always perform to our best potential. Despite our best efforts, our to-do lists, tasks, meetings and inboxes still grow exponentially and we are stretched, stressed, disengaged and worn-out.

In the modern workspace of open plan office environments it is very difficult to escape the continuous bombardment of the senses.  As managers/leaders/supervisors you are expected to trouble shoot, problem solve, deal with people and technology issues, manage processes – all which require a high level of brain energy, thinking and reasoning.  For this you need time and space, which so often escape us. Research shows a vast increase in workplace stress and depression rated as the main occupational disease of the 21st century, placing our brains, health and self-esteems at risk.

Although the brain works best with a certain amount of pressure and demand, there is a fine line between kick starting you versus throwing you over the edge.

  • Are you able to recognise your limits?
  • How do you handle all the demands and distractions?
  • Being most efficient and resilient in the workplace takes knowledge, insight and guts!
  • Workplace stress and distractions are real and constant; it cannot be avoided – it must be understood and tackled through practical, easy and effective strategies.
  • Understanding and reducing stress and distractions will result in better brain power, better performance and efficiency.

Business leaders owe it to their bottom line to tackle these issues and not expect employees to simply “shape up or ship out”.

Seriously starting to blog

I’ve crumbled under the social media frenzy and am starting to blog seriously.  I’ve written many things over the years, but we will now call it official “blogging”. I am proudly Gen X and think it totally absurd when someone posts their breakfast content on Facebook!  Really – please get a life. However, I am a huge fan of Google, You-tube and Google maps to name a few.  I even did some statistic tutorials on You Tube while doing my doctorate at UCT (to the disgrace of a few stiff upper lip academics), but it worked and was really cool. I have a low key approach to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest – the rest I don’t really know about neither do I care.  Our website is being revamped and I have a new service provider (a topic for another blog…but thanks Fransie…you are doing great so far!).  New content apparently is king for SEO (until the next big thing) and it was suggested as part of our digital strategy. There are however 2 more major reasons:

1)      I love what we do in sensory intelligence and am passionate about our brand.  Although still an emerging concept, it is such a fundamental part of who we are and how we live.  It is real, practical and easy to implement. It is fully based on neuroscience but I will make it applicable to work and life.  I will share learning and insights acquired through our interactions with clients, colleagues, providers and friends.

2)      I am seriously opinionated about most things and not shy to share them.  I think it is a combination of being late forties, having written a book, done a doctorate, survived a cancer journey with my husband (he is fine now), raising two boys (12 and 8) and starting a business from nothing in 2002.  I think it helps that I was born and raised in Namibia – a very desolate yet solid place that gave me some seriously good roots.

So, happy reading.  If you enjoy it, great! If not – please move on to the next thing as life is way too short and precious.  As always – live life sensationally!

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