Time management with the brain in mind
It doesn’t matter how much time we have if we do not have the attention or energy to utilise that time effectively.
Reduce procrastination – Transform your time management Skills
Effective time management is not just about managing your diary, instead it is more about managing our brains and energy. Our ability to utilise the time we have is more important than having time alone. Understanding why we procrastinate, the dangers of multitasking and managing our attention and energy are essential parts of Brain Smart time management.
Neuroscience research shows that when we don’t have enough energy we lose focus and end up making poor decisions. Procrastination is often a direct result of a lack of energy, poor time and focus management skills.
Better decisions after lunch
An example is the study of Parole board hearings in Israel (by Jonathan Levav of Stanford and Shai Danziger of Ben-Gurion University). One factor was discovered as the key to whether parole was granted or not. It wasn’t race, crime or even gender. The key factor was when the judges last ate. Those who came up for parole first thing in the morning, or after lunch, were far more likely to get parole than those just before lunch. Those in the last session of the day tended to fare the worst.
Hunger, a lack of fuel for the brain, made impartial and fair decisions harder. Known as decision fatigue, the research helps explain why we sometimes get angry at colleagues and families, make impulse purchases, buy too much junk food and can’t resist the special offers when we are hungry and tired. No matter how rational and high-minded we may be normally, we can’t make decision after decision without paying a biological price. Our brains need fuel and resources to make good and effective decisions.
To reduce decision fatigue utilise some of the following to re-energise your brain:
- Take a few deep breaths
- Eat a banana
- Walk outside in nature
- Eat some raw nuts
- Have a shot of wheatgrass
- Drink plenty of water
- Laugh (anything that makes you laugh, even cat videos)
Richard Riche
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