How to Support Your Brain at Work

Practical Strategies for Enhancing Cognitive Wellness and Productivity

“Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral or stressed.” – Shawn Achor

When overseeing numerous responsibilities, how do you ensure a sense of calm and composure is maintained? Have you considered the role that cognitive processes play in effectively managing various tasks?

In this Harvard Business Review article “Stop Overloading the Wrong Part of Your Brain at Work,” they explain utilizing tools, frameworks and time management hacks aren’t enough to avoid feeling overwhelmed and mentally exhausted.

Instead, the article underscores the necessity of understanding and respecting the natural limits of the prefrontal cortex, highlighting how cognitive overload stems not from individual shortcomings, but from the relentless demands placed on our brains in modern workplaces. By shifting focus from simply adding productivity tools to actively nurturing brain health—through intentional pauses, strategic recovery, and mindful engagement—we can build environments where mental sharpness and sustainable performance thrive, setting the stage for practical strategies to optimize cognitive wellness and productivity.

“Most leaders rely heavily on one key region of the brain: the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is responsible for high-order functions like focus, planning, self-regulation, and decision-making. But the PFC has limits. It fatigues quickly, struggles with overload, and is highly sensitive to distraction and stress. In fast-paced organizations, many leaders are not running out of time—they are running out of cognitive bandwidth.” (HBR)

So, how can you restructure using your brain? Author Amy Brann, breaks down the 5 ways to enhance your cognitive performance.

Optimizing Your Cognitive Performance

Audit Your Thinking Patterns

Rather than simply tracking the hours you spend working, pay attention to the types of thinking you engage in throughout the day. Notice when you feel most mentally sharp and identify how much time you dedicate to deep focus activities. This awareness can help you structure your work to take advantage of your peak cognitive states.

Foster a Culture of Recovery

Make recovery and decompression a visible and accepted part of your workplace culture. After intense meetings or periods of concentration, intentionally model takes time to recover. By allocating space and time for decompression in a public way, you encourage others to do the same, supporting collective well-being.

Disrupt Autopilot with a Salience Switch

Interrupt routine, automatic behaviors by introducing a “salience switch.” Take deliberate pauses to reframe your perspective and approach decisions differently. This can be achieved by physically or mentally stepping outside your current setting, allowing for renewed clarity and intentionality.

Design Team Rhythms for Whole-Brain Engagement

Structure your team’s workflow to support varied cognitive needs. Label meetings according to their purpose—such as focus, reflection, or connection—so that everyone understands the intended mode of engagement. Additionally, schedule dedicated “no new input” meetings, where the team synthesizes existing information rather than introducing new topics, promoting deeper understanding and integration.

Simplify the System

Streamlining processes and reducing unnecessary complexity can help free up mental resources, making it easier for individuals and teams to perform at their best.

By implementing these strategies, individuals and organizations can shift from simply coping with stress to actively supporting cognitive wellness and productivity. Embracing these changes not only reduces overwhelm but also empowers leaders and teams to consistently operate at their best, fostering a workplace environment where mental clarity, sustainable focus, and collective resilience become the foundation for ongoing success.

Here are articles we found helpful on the topic:
Stop Overloading the Wrong Part of Your Brain at Work
Your Brain at Work
4 Ways To Use Neuroscience To Train Your Brain And Succeed At Work