Feed Your Head

As a business owner in the legal or financial industries, you know that knowledge (and working with your brain) is one of your superpowers. As the Chief Brain Hacker of my company, I’m also the chief knowledge worker.

You know you need to support your brain… but what exactly is “brain food”?

The right information will help you be more productive (but consider the source)

Information is cheap, but knowledge is expensive. We’re awash in information, from “social” media to the “regular” media. Now that we have access to 24/7 cable news, you can spend most of your waking minutes staying on top of it.

Does it help you and your business, though?

It should now be very clear to everyone that all news media has a slant. If you’re watching any cable news channel, you’re getting curated information. The right-wing channels are infamous for simply ignoring stories that don’t feed into right-wing propaganda, but more mainstream channels are looking more biased as well. 

Yet no matter which side you’re on, the info you’re getting isn’t helping you make decisions for your business. Most of what we see on our screens when we’re looking for news isn’t anything that we can do something about. Lots of info, very little that’s useful.

“Social” media has plenty of disinformation. Even when you’re using it as entertainment, it’s not helping. So much of it is doled out in bite-size pieces, which feeds the inability to pay attention even as it panders to it. If you’re wondering why it’s hard to focus for longer periods of time, “social” media bears a lot of blame for that.

None of this is to say that you can’t watch the news or be on “social” media ever again, but you do need to be mindful. Try reading books on your preferred topic when you’re doing research, instead of relying on what the search engine gives you. Also try more substantive magazines, whether online or virtual.

It might be hard at first when you’ve become accustomed to clickbait, but you get a more nuanced approach when you take in more lengthy reading. Plus it helps you relearn how to focus.

Whatever you’re reading, consider the source. Russian disinformation bots? A scientist who’s been researching the topic for years? An influencer being paid for the products they’re shilling? A professor who teaches the topic? Sources matter.

A nutritious diet helps you improve your productivity (but beware of unnecessary supplements)

All nutrients are good for the brain, broadly speaking. It seems like every other month there’s a new berry or genetically modified food that’s supposed to make you smarter, better, and faster. But in reality, mostly minimally processed food and a wide variety of different types of nutrients will feed your brain just fine. No need to spend on the latest “brain food” that’s being marketed.

If you have a balanced food intake, you might not even need supplements. Vitamins and minerals are good, but you don't need too much of them. Bear in mind when you’re taking supplements that they’re not regulated by the FDA or anyone else. 

That means there’s no required testing to make sure that the bottle actually contains the named ingredient, or the amount that it claims to have. Big pharma is a thing, but so is big supplement. As with food, there’s no particular nutrient that is better for your brain than others; having a variety of vitamins and minerals is best.

Moving your butt boosts productivity in the workplace

The best kind of body movement for your brain is the one that you like to do. There’s no one exercise that’s better for it than another. Consistent movement (more than a half-hour once a day) will provide the oxygen-rich blood that leads your brain to peak performance.

If you need to take a break during the day, going for a walk (or doing some other fun movement if you’re not a huge fan of walking) is better for you than grabbing more coffee or a sugary snack to keep going. Even though when you’re kinda tired going for a walk seems like a lot of effort, once you get moving you’ll be more alert and feel like moving more.

Recap (tl;dr)

Be mindful about what you’re taking in – whether it’s info or food – and make sure you’re getting enough physical movement. You don't need to spend a lot of money on special food or exercise equipment if you don't want to, and you’ll still feed your head just fine.

Pretty sure you’ve got the basics of productivity covered, but still having trouble with not enough hours in the day? Schedule your free consultation here.