25/08/2024
Research and studies in the neurosciences have been quite abuzz for the last several decades, and rightly so because neuroscience is not just the study of neurons, nerves, and the brain but includes physics, chemistry, and, quite amazingly, impacts psychology and some social sciences.
Neuroscience helps us understand how the human brain, the most complex electrochemical organ in the universe, works, in terms of molecules, membranes, enzymes, neurotransmitters, cells and cell assemblies, development, plasticity, learning, memory, cognition, and behavior.
What do all these nuances of neuroscience claim about enhancing personal performance?
Of the many claims it makes, here are five of my favorite benefits acquired from the knowledge of neuroscience that can help us enhance our performances in life and work.
1. Synaptic Plasticity, Memory, and Learning: The more often, and with consistency, synapses occur between two or more bunches of neurons, the stronger and deeper the pathways become. It is also called myelination, and it enhances the storage, recall, and activation of memory.
Thus, age-old techniques like spaced repetition, multi-sensorial input, vocalization, visualization, rehearsal, roleplaying, and most of all teaching others what you learned enhance memorization therefore learning.
2. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and Managing Stress: Excess stress, as we all know is the biggest deterrent to performance. Adrenaline drives us to perform but excess of it turns cortisol and negatively affects the body and brain. Besides biofeedback and neurofeedback when we learn to monitor and mind our heart rate, our pulse, and breathing patterns, we learn to manage stress.
Other conscious practices like 6-8 hours of good sleep daily, stepping back, and pausing away from anxiety, excitement, and stressful situations help. Practices like daily walking, breathing techniques, and meditation give us mastery of our self-awareness and thus excessive stress.
3. The Amygdala, the Prefrontal Context (PFC), and Emotional Mastery: In my book of beliefs, the most dreaded Waterloo of leaders in all places is a lack of emotional mastery. In neurosciences, it translates to the Amygdala leaning in heavier on the PFC. Thus, we all, let our emotions shuffle ourselves chaotically and reactively between fighting, freezing, or flying away from challenging situations.
On the other hand, when we consciously view our emotions through the lens of the rational, logical, and real-time, data-dependent PFC, we tend to have better control of our emotions, which, truth be told, are fleeting feelings. Feelings like little clouds of brightness, darkness, glee, or grief that float through the skies of our mind-body.
Practices like pausing, stepping away, and stretching the time between triggers and reactions will turn them into benign and useful responses.
4. Neurogenesis, Resilience, and Mental Growth: It was long believed, that neurons and the brain stop growing after a certain stage. Neuroscience claims that we can continue adding more neurons and developing our brains into our senior years.
Activities that promote neurogenesis, such as physical exercise, learning new skills, and social interaction, can improve our abilities to bounce back from life-challenging situations and develop and grow mental health. With this, I applaud friends of mine who take up learning new languages, art, or sports in their senior years.
5. Dopamine, Goal Setting, and Continuous Self-Improvement: Dopamine is a happiness endorphin acquired by happiness extrinsically or intrinsically influenced. Extrinsic influencers are partying, drugs, gambling, s*x, and entertaining screen time. The dopamine rush is short-lived and they can all be addictive.
On the other hand, dopamine rushes acquired through purposeful goal setting and chasing those, life or work, goals is extremely and sustainably satisfying over a long time. Sometimes, these things are referred to as having a passion and a purpose in life. Regardless of the vocabulary, an awareness of what provides us with an optimum and healthy amount of daily and annual dopamine will keep us motivated and moving forward in life. In the words of Professor Andrew Huberman of Stanford University, "Dopamine is the key currency for self-motivation and personal performance enhancement."
Of the many benefits of understanding and learning how the brain these are my five, favorite things that neuroscience can do to enhance our performances at work, and in life.
