Smarter, Sharper Thinking

Smarter Sharper Thinking
Contents
About the author
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Part I: Creating a high-performance brain
	1 Nutrition: Refuelling smart
		You’re such a fathead
		Gut instinct
			Fat is not always ugly
			Minding your mind includes minding your weight
		Food and focus
			Priming the pump
			Stocking up on willpower
		The java jive
		Our daily desk
			Time is money
			Feed your brain
		For the organisation
		Tips for building brain nutrition at work
			For the individual
		For the organisation
	2 Exercise: You’ve got to move it, move it
		Business on the move
			The fact is we think better after we exercise
		Equipment order: one hamster wheel please
			Is there an optimal time to exercise?
			Is there a best exercise for our brains?
			The solution for exercise phobia
		The perils of too much sitting
			Stand up for your brain!
			Join the movement
		Moving towards a positive thinkings pace
		Don’t stress me out!
		Tips to boost exercise and physical activity
			Getting to and from work
			At work
			Outside work
			For the organisation
	3 Sleep: Bring me a dream
		Respect the zeds
			Scrambled eggs and sleep cycles
			How do you know if you’re getting enough (sleep)?
			Taking out the trash
			Too tired to sleep
			A series of blows to the cognition
			I’d die to go to sleep
		Swing shift
			Sleepless in Seattle, Tokyo, London, Sydney …
			I’m sorry, I can’t remember
		Sleep stability
			Fighting sleep can lead to fisticuffs
			Playing catch-up doesn’t work
			Stay away from the (blue) light
		Sleeping on the job: the power of the nap
		Helping ourselves to sleep better
		Brainy tips for better sleep hygiene
		Brainy tips for avoiding workplace fatigue
	4 Mental stretch: Flexing our mental muscles
		Curiosity breeds success
			When I was a child, I thought as a child
			Bright sparks
			Cultivating curiosity
		Train your brain to change your mind
		If I only had a brain: the Tin Man and other brainy myths
			Myth #1: We use only 10 percent of our brain
			Myth #2: We are either right brained or left brained
			Myth #3: Brain training makes your brain younger
			Myth #4: Brain training doesn’t work
		Take the challenge: could you pull the sword from the stone?
		Brain time at the gym for the individual
			Make it a daily habit
			Ditch the props
			Chase up old flames
		Brain time at the gym for the workplace
			Change the language
			Change the mode of thinking
Part II: Operating a high-performance brain
	5 Focus: Adjusting our lens of attention
		Fragmented focus
		Give your brain a break
			We have to manage our cognitive energy
			Your brain is a 100-metre sprinter, not Tenzing Norgay
			By working with your brain’s natural design you work less to get more done, and done well. Efficiency and a cup of tea — who could ask for more?
		You don’t pay attention to me anymore
		Rage against the machines?
		Why monotasking is the new black
		Strategies for focus
	6 Mindset: Does your attitude suck?
		What’s with the attitude?
			Mindset over matter
			I’m open-minded, but ...
			Workplace perspective
		The power of belief
		For the individual: becoming brain type ‘be positive’
			Check in first at hotel reality
			Know your choices
			Watch your language
			Keep practising!
		For the organisation: keeping the door ajar
			Develop a framework for positive and honest feedback
			Praising effort by staff, regardless of outcome, matters
			Ask what your staff finds exciting or motivating about their work
			Avoid micromanagement
			Build brain awareness about mindset in the organisation
	7 Healthy stress: Creating a brain-safe environment
		Stress leave
		Why caring is sharing
		Managing stress
			Identify the culprit or culprits
			Identify what you can change and what you can’t
			Choose your stress reduction plan
			Implement your stress reduction plan
		Psychological techniques to alleviate stress
			Labelling
			Reframing
		Mobilising the brain to learn
			Safety first
			Towards mental stretch
		Why learning really does take AGES
			Your attention please
			Generating memory
			Emotion is crucial to learning
			Spacing
		Promoting a culture for learning
	8 Mindfulness: Finding enough thinking space
		Operating at fast-forward
		What’s your perspective?
		Mindfulness over matter
			The secret is in the neuroplastic sauce
			Live long and prosper
		Team mindful
			Mindfulness takes a bow
			Johnny-come-lately
			Coming off autopilot
		Practice makes peaceful
			How long should you practice?
			How do I do this?
			Focus on the breath
		Mindful leadership
Part III: Integrating a high-performance brain
	9 Change ability: Adjusting to progress
		Man overboard
		The drama of change
			The need for long-life batteries
			The soothing balm of habit
		The problem with change
			External obstacles to change
			Internal obstacles to change
		Project change
			Above all else, know your why
			Share the vision
			Make the change framework commercially collaborative
			Take the first step, then the next
			Create co-owners of the idea
			Celebrate progress along the way
			Stay flexible
		Adopting a culture of change
	10 Innovation: Curiosity leads to insight and innovation
		Whole-brain thinking
			Type creative
			All that jazz
		Aha! So that’s what insight is all about
			Flexible thinking and problem solving
			Getting into RATs
			Joining the dots
		Free-range thinking
			Time out for thought
			Society and sensibility
			Innovation in a flux
			Creativity on the move
	It’s brainstorming? Quick, get in out of the nasty weather!
	For the individual: creativity 101
	For the organisation: igniting the creativity spark
	11 Collaboration: Side by side
		Start with connection
			In peace and war, relationships matter
			Please don’t disconnect me
			Being part of the in-crowd
			Let’s get physical
		Creating a collaborative culture
			Environmental engineering
			Joining the hub
		Team intelligence
			Play the game
			Finding the ‘C’ factor
			Smells like team spirit
			The problem with groupthink
		Team work
	12 Leadership: Thought before action
		What makes a good leader?
		Laying a foundation for the future
			Avoiding the seagulls
			Bringing out the best in others
		The ones in the wings
			Once more, with meaning
			Building self-leadership
			The TRAICE™ model
				Trust
				Respect
				Autonomy
				Impartiality
				Clarity
				Empathy
Conclusion
Sources
EULA