Benefiting at work from Brain Based Insights

I think it goes both ways.

As a corporate efficiency consultant, I enter businesses of varying sizes and suggest/implement changes to improve workflow. The key appeal to bringing me in is not that I have some sort of superpower and can think of new ways of doing things none of the current employees can; rather, it's that my *only* assignment is to look for room for improvement, while everyone else is caught up in their day-to-day routines.

That said, when working on personal projects, I'll be the first admit I can leave things to languish because I over-think them. Merlin Mann of 43Folders.com had a great little podcast called "The Beauty of 1.0" where he suggests that the goal of having sex with someone the first time should simply be not ending up in the hospital, and similarly, you should do SOMETHING with your idea and work on the details and roughing out the edges once your beta is out.

I think a fundamental limitation is - as you point out - having too much stuff in our heads. Edward Hallowell claims it literally overloads our brains, and leads to ADD-like symptoms. Another pair of researchers found that NUTs (Nagging Unfinished Tasks) possibly reduce life span up to 8 years, so there's a strong health component.

This is the main reason (and payoff) for the work I do: Training people in the best practices for self-management so that they can think at the level you're talking about. Strategic thinking is usually the first thing to go when we're overloaded.

Thanks for the article.

Great thought-provoking article Dr. Ellen! I always enjoy your technical approach.

I can only imagine the number of wonderful ideas that come and go through the minds of overly-busy people, un-recorded and lost forever. If only they would pause, put their imagination to work, engaging all of their senses and let those ideas "gel" and take hold. Then get out the personal recorder or notepad and immediately record everything they are experiencing with that idea. Wow!

Thanks so much for your kind words and for stopping by, Daniel!

Like you... "I can only imagine the number of wonderful ideas that come and go through the minds of overly-busy people, un-recorded and lost forever."

Hey, we need to practice it though:-) The whole idea sent me out on the links this morning to catch 9 rounds -- before I head into the second part of a busy day -- and several meetings to chair:-) You?

Thanks so much Matthew -- wow - this community has formed a real think tank on this one!

Yes ... I too just imagine the number of wonderful ideas that come and go through the minds of overly-busy people, un-recorded and lost forever.

LOVER YOUR IDEA TO ... Then get out the personal recorder or notepad and immediately record everything they are experiencing with that idea. HOW COOL IS THAT. Sounds like innovation in the mix to me! Count me in!

This intrigues me Marina, because when we see the opposite of a thing, we can often see that thing more!

What a brilliant perspective you bring to the power of FOCUS -- and research would back your insights here!

I really want to think more about this and play around with more research for why it is so - and tactics that might benefit all of it -- because it is so:-) Thanks for your fine additions to this discussion!

Wow!

You crystallized why I have noticed that busy people (and sometimes myself included) seem to expend more and more energy and fall further and further behind in doing so, because they are so BUSY. Thanks.

We have found that people who physically escape from busy work to devote time and energy to thinking and focusing on themselves, either alone, or with a personal coach lead much more productive and successful lives in all areas and rarely get caught up in the too busy ruts.