7 Habits for Brain Optimisation

Do you sometimes feel like your brain has left the building and you are running on empty and feel exhausted?

Well, stick with me, and this week I am going to help you slowly get things back on track just like I did.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, leadership and sustainable performance coach, and today I want to continue our conversation about shifting your performance from high to sustainable by helping you understand 7 Habits for Brain Optimisation.

Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about making a shift in the way you get things done so that not only do you get it done, but you can keep doing it for longer. As someone who has been through major breakdowns, both physically and mentally, I am here to give you the benefit of my experience so that you can get on top of things and avoid burnout.

Last week we talked about the neurobiology of performance. As I said then, I am not a neuroscientist. If you want to know more about that, you should go to someone like Dr Sarah Mackay, our neuroscientist, and find out more. But what I do understand is enough to be able to change the way I think and do things. For me, this was born out of necessity because I broke down. So, what I want to do is give you some advanced knowledge so you can avoid going through the same thing. Whatever you take on today and start incrementally changing will help you to optimise your performance and sustain it.

Your brain is an amazing thing. It operates with electrical connections, chemicals, synapses, and neural pathways. Depending on who you listen to, there are between 86 and 100 billion cells in your brain, and that is all great. However, it can only function properly if you look after it.

For me, I have identified the 7 most important things I needed to change so that I could sustain my performance and not go through what I had already experienced ever again. Today, I want to unpack those for you.

Now, I know before I even get started that some of you will be thinking as I go through this, "You don't understand. I'm not able to do that." I thought the same way. So, just like I said last week, the first step is to shift your mindset away from that high-performance mentality that feeds the performance trap, approval addiction, and all those other issues we've been working on.

What I want you to do today is find just one thing that you can take on and change some habits in, and then incrementally add more things until you can operate in a sustainable way and avoid all those health challenges.

The first of these 7 habits is sleep.

Many people tell me, "Oh look, I survive on 5 hours of sleep a night," and I am here to say that is not true. You are not surviving; in fact, you are shortening your life. The sleep debt across our world is getting larger, and the problem with sleep debt is that it is not something you can ever repay. However, what you can do today is make some small changes.

Pay attention to your circadian rhythms, and ensure that the sleep you get is deep and regenerative, not just light sleep. Shift the way you prepare to go to bed and consider your room environment. All these things fall under the term "sleep hygiene" and are really going to help you feel and perform differently on a daily basis.

What I want you to do today is make a shift in your mindset: sleep is important. The hustle and grind mentality and the crazy sayings I've heard over the years like, "Oh look, sleep when you're dead," or "Sleep is overrated," or "It's a waste of valuable time," are major contributors to burnout across the world. Sleep is important. Just as we talked about last week, a high-performance car needs to be looked after, and your high-performance brain needs the same care.

So, how can you shift your approach to sleep? Even if it's going to bed an hour earlier tonight just to add a little more sleep. Whatever you do, find something that works for you. Leave your phone out of your room, avoid eating late, and make other adjustments as necessary. There are so many tips—just Google "sleep hygiene" and follow the recommendations. For me, this was the number one key to getting back to where I am right now.

The second habit for brain optimisation is movement.

Sitting has become the new smoking. So much time is spent sedentary, just in front of computer screens, and then even when you're not working, you might be sitting with phones and other gadgets, just scrolling. This has a major effect on your health. So, make sure that you set your day up to include some movement.

I'm not necessarily talking about going and working out at the gym. What I'm talking about is ensuring that your lifestyle includes movement. Right now, I'm at my standing desk. During my day, I alternate between standing up and sitting down. I make sure I have things outside my studio that I need to go and get, so I'm getting some movement in, as well as scheduling purposeful activities to keep my body going.

As someone who is 62, and sometimes feels way older than that, I know it's a challenge when your body is stagnant to get it going again. Just as I said, with sleep, find something small that you can shift in your routine to include more movement. Over time, add more activities and create a culture in your day that incorporates regular movement.

Number three is nourishing.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.grantherbert.com/blog/7-habits-for-brain-optimisation

Grant Herbert (aka The People Builder) describes himself as an ordinary guy, with an outstanding wife and 5 amazing kids, who has a passion to help people escape the performance trap and regain their authenticity in every area of life. He is a VUCA Leadership Mentor, Sustainable Performance Coach, Master Coach Trainer in Social and Emotional Intelligence,?and the founder of People Builders.

Visit www.grantherbert.com to find out how you can connect.