Our minds weren’t designed to do great thinking while sitting. Or while in front of a computer for hours on end.
So why do we measure ourselves on task output and how long we’ve been glued to our screens?
Take a look at our key takeaways from Ezra Klein’s eye-opening chat with science writer Annie Murphy Paul, author of The Extended Mind, to increase happiness AND productivity at work.
Deadline looming?
Avoid chaining yourself to your computer and take regular breaks. It’s proven to increase performance, serotonin AND allows us to think creatively.
Spinning your wheels in team meetings?
Sitting still for long periods of time can cause us to switch off and stop problem solving, often when we need to the most. Suggest ‘meeting’ in different ways, get up, walk around or get outside.
Stuck for new ideas?
Try walking, showering, swimming or gazing into nature to unlock better thinking. What sounds like leisure or rest CAN be work, and perhaps even the best work, as often the best ideas come to us when we’re moving, not when we’re sitting at our desk.
Keen to connect on a deeper level with your team?
Increase your ability to read emotions in others with a body scan. Notice how your own body reacts to emotion, scanning from head to toe, then look out for similar signs in others. You’ll build empathy, emotional intelligence and intuition.
Want to learn more about working with your brain, not against it? Listen to the full episode with Ezra Klein and Annie Murphy Paul.
