๐ง ๐ซ”Most companies don’t work in a brain-friendly way,” says neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius. She explains why this should change and how improvements can be made in teams.
๐ฃ๏ธFabritius experienced a culture shock when she switched from research to management consultancy: long working hours, few breaks, constant travelling, hardly any time for sport or sleep. ๐ This experience motivated her to build a bridge between neuroscience and business. She writes books, appears as a speaker and supports managers at large corporations such as Google and BMW in working in a more brain-friendly way.
๐ค Why don’t many companies work in a brain-friendly way? “Most don’t understand how much impact it can have,” says Fabritius. Flexible structures and individual adjustments enable more efficient working. Instead of rigid working hours, she calls for a results culture “where performance counts, not monitoring from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
๐คฏ Exercise, nutrition, sleep and the right mix of the neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and acetylcholine are crucial for our brain to realise its full potential. Fabritius translates these neurotransmitters into fun, fear and focus. Dopamine is released when having fun, noradrenaline is released by appropriate stress such as small challenges, and acetylcholine provides focus, which is disrupted by multitasking.
๐ Here are her five ideas for brain-friendly working: ๐
1๏ธโฃPassive multitasking: Instead of sitting down, hold video conferences standing up or hold physical meetings while taking a walk.
2๏ธโฃFive Minutes for more creativity: Take mini-breaks with short walks to boost creativity.
3๏ธโฃFixed Focus times: Emails and messages disrupt the workflow. Therefore, set up clear focus times during which all push notifications are switched off.
4๏ธโฃNot without my team: Coordinate teamwork according to individual strengths and preferences. Stressful or boring elements can be optimised together.
5๏ธโฃNo Compromise on sleep: Getting enough sleep is a top priority.
Which of the five tips will you implement first in your day-to-day work? Write it in the comments๐๐๏ธ
