It’s a commonly cited statistic that we only use 10% of our brains. Why is that? Is it true? How can we build brain capacity? We could certainly use this capacity to develop our knowledge, understanding and emotional intelligence to create great mindsets …. enabling us to become more resilient people.
First of all, it is NOT true. Researchers and scientists from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to Mayo Clinic have now stated that nearly 100% of the brain is in use at some time during the day, and this can be proven through studying brain imaging scans. The idea could possibly have originated with William James, American psychologist and author, who is said to have written that we do not use nearly all of our physical or mental resources. But there are other reasons these resources go untapped.
- Recent studies have shown that we cannot really multitask. What really happens is that we are shifting from one task to the other so rapidly that we lose a little time each time we have to shift our focus. This may amount to hundreds of focus shifts every hour. Every time you shift, you have to take time to refocus on the new task.
- Too much information. The overwhelming amount of information that flows into our brains grows every year. How can we file away,
much less use, all of it? Again, this process creates stress which hampers brain efficiency. Email and social media are a huge source of this information. In no other century in history could you observe baby animals of species that didn’t live in your country, share recipes instantly and electronically, conduct business without ever leaving your home office, or send hundreds of letters a day without ever running out of stamps or paper. We can check our bank balances, delivery status of orders, the stock market, even our webcam feeds. We can shop for anything imaginable on a computer, even things our grandparents never needed. - Screen time. According to Psychology Today, too much screen usage to the point of screen addiction appears to result in shrinkage of the grey matter, restrictions on the white matter’s communication function, more cravings, and general poorer cognitive performance. This is truly frightening.
What can we do about it? I found loads of articles that not only maintained the 10% myth, but told of things you could do about it.
- Brain training. Games like Lumosity are popular now. It used to be crossword puzzles. And Dr. Daniel Amen, brain expert, says learning something NEW is most important. Brain training leads to neurogenesis, the creation of new brain cells and connections.
- Mental activity such as conversation, and even being read to as a child, stimulate thinking, which is good for your brain. Try to
understand alternate points of view, or ones that you disagree with. Do things that make you think, such as follow directions to put together a new piece of furniture or program an electronic device. - Eat a balanced and natural diet. Processed foods may reduce a child’s IQ, whereas components of many foods such as fresh produce and grains, and fish, help to boost the IQ.
- Sleep is restorative and dreaming helps us to make sense of experiences that we encounter each day. Getting enough sleep is very
good for your brain and if you skimp you may miss out on the lessons to be learned in your dreams. Writing down your dreams and reading them over later may reveal thoughts, fears, and sometimes even provide solutions to vexing problems. - Activate your neocortex–the “new brain”–by doing things that make you feel safe. When you feel safe you may be more creative and think more imaginatively. Things that make you feel safe may include not indulging in risky behaviour–drugs, alcohol, or putting yourself in unsafe relationships. Taking care of yourself in all ways can also help. Feeling unsafe causes stress and stimulates cortisol production, which comes from the so-called reptilian brain which is responsible for “fight or flight.” How creative and relaxed can you be when running away from something?
Do you recognise yourself in any of the points on the first list? Try some of the ideas on the second list to maximise your brain power. Increasing capacity and exercising your brain can boost your intellect, stave off mental ageing, and maybe even help you live a longer life.
Increasing our personal resilience can help us integrate hard experiences into their lives, becoming stronger, healthier, happier and more adaptable people. Have a read of our FREE ebook “Resilience Unravelled” to enable you to make some real positive changes.
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The latest episode in our Resilience Unravelled series has now been released, 
Parents need to be engaged so they are aware of the things to look out for. Hardship builds resilience. If something is blocking you from achieving something you think of ways to get around it. Children are exactly the same. They come up with something new and from that will start to build resilience which they can then apply to situations in adult life.
outside world and risk
These are all skills that will be helpful as children get older. They will remember the resilience they built and used during lockdown and be able to use these skills in their adult relationships and emotions
The latest episode in our Resilience Unravelled series has now been released, 
Helen’s life changed on September 2 1991. Until then she felt pretty invincible and was physically very fit. That afternoon she and a colleague were sent to a disturbance at a shop on Wood Green High Road. When they arrived, Helen saw the man in question. Her colleague went into the shop to find out what had happened and Helen went to see the man. He had his back to her but he was very tall, about 6’6”. When she spoke to him he turned round and she then found herself flying through the air. She was unarmed and got up feeling very angry but in considerable pain. This was because she had actually been stabbed in the stomach. Her assailant was still holding the knife and attacked one of Helen’s colleagues. Helen tried to intercede but was stabbed twice more.
At that point she was completely incapacitated and felt fear and overwhelming terror. As well as Helen, three of her colleagues were stabbed. The man was actually a mental health patient who had stopped taking his medication. The incident was unusual as it involved three female officers so it received a lot of media coverage. At the time stress and trauma was still a taboo subject and in the police force it was seen as a weakness. Helen spent some time in hospital and recovered from her injuries with no long lasting effect. However, the trauma side of the incident wasn’t really recognised.
This time Helen was treated for trauma, diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and discharged in 1996. Leaving the police was very isolating and she felt a real loss of identity. In the beginning she really struggled and she feels that if there had been more support in place she would have fared better.
The latest episode in our Resilience Unravelled series has now been released, 
After 16 years working in the corporate world, Liz set up a new business as a personal development consultant and coach. She wanted to do something that gave her the flexibility she wasn’t finding in corporate life. She also felt the level of impact she was having in a large organisation that was growing rapidly was diminishing and that when coaching is free in an organisation, it is not always acted on. The effect and help she can give to a small business owner is far greater! Liz started her business as the pandemic was just starting to hit but she feels that people are now looking for something more authentic that feels more personal and less corporate.
The latest episode in our Resilience Unravelled series has now been released, 
Shona was in the process of setting up her own executive advising business helping CEO’s with employee engagement and and goal alignment when Covid-19 hit. She had also written her first book 
Shona feels leaders need to connect with employees by looking at their individual roles in the organisation. She used to shadow employees so she could understand their perspective and listen to their thoughts and fears. Learning their reality by working alongside them helped her realise the impact her decisions had on them. Personally connecting with employees also meant she could bring the organisation mission alive to them. Interacting, getting out of office and ‘walking in their shoes’ helped them all see the reality.
Employee engagement can lead to better results, increased productivity, improved quality and reduced absenteeism. Engaged employees will go above and beyond because they have invested in the organisation and its success. Leaders often ignore employees who are not engaged so have no perspective on why the relationship has gone wrong. They need to find out why they are not engaged. Being personally interested can help them understand and incorporate their thoughts into strategies that make a difference.
Post Covid, the role of leaders may change. Some employees may feel that trust has been broken. For example, healthcare workers who felt they were not provided with the correct PPE. Here, work will need to be done on rebuilding trust. Leaders will need to hear stories personally, own any mistakes and put forward ideas on how to do things differently. Another area is where organisations have had to restructure because of a loss of revenue. Where employees have been lost, leaders will have to communicate new missions, new goals and organisational structures.
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