Train Your Brain

Have you ever had one of those days where your brain power was drained? Clarity and focus were nowhere to be found and you were struggling even to make coherent sentences in communicating with others?

I unfortunately have experienced that more than once! I just couldn't get my mind in sync with my actions. I was on complete overload - messages in my brain fighting with each other struggling to make sense of my current world view. In trying to self-diagnose I came across the work of American Psychobiologist, Roger W. Sperry in right brain-left brain theory.

Our right brain thinking is non-verbal and intuitive, using pictures rather than words and looking at the full picture, then the detail.  Left brain thinking is verbal and analytical, looking first at the detail, then the whole picture.  Understanding these generalities in our brain hemisphere differences, may actually help the brain as a whole work more efficiently. 

Because the brain sides work collectively to help us achieve results, we just need to train ourselves to focus on just one message at a time.  Think about our role as leaders: 

• we need to have vision and intuition (right brain)
• we need to be able to develop & achieve goals (left brain)
• we need to be able to produce results (left brain)
• we need to involve people (right brain)   

If we tried to manage this all at once, it would be completely overwhelming.  But when we focus on just one concept at time, whether it is right brain or left brain thinking first, it will become much more manageable with what we need to do and in what order we need to do it giving us that crystal clear view of our world.

Try these simple exercises to stimulate brain function*:

1. Turn your photos upside down.  This simple action will put your brain into "alert mode" and help you pick up small details.
2. Involve other senses in your routine.   Start your day by dressing with your eyes closed choosing outfits based on texture not how they look.
3. Wake up to a new smell.  Rather than coffee or pancakes, leave cooked vanilla by your bed or light a fragrant candle upon waking in the morning.
4. Meditate.  Sit back and relax.
5. Sleep.  Sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours a night can improve your memory.  This is the only time your brain recharges and builds new cells.
6. Go to a beautiful environment.  Go outside on a nice day or stimulate your thoughts by viewing landscape photos.
7. Talk to yourself. Thinking out loud can improve your memory temporarily.

*Source:  The Huffington Post Canada by Arti Patel 12/13/2012

Source : articlesbase.com