The Working Brain: Optimize Your Workday Performance

by Brynn Winegard

Overview

Realize a more productive workday by understanding and using your brain better.

As news outlets buzz over AI and supercomputers, many professionals feel doomed to fall behind. The most complex, adaptive, and impressive computing technology still ever known exists inside you: your human brain. But how well do you truly understand or use this amazing asset? Popular brain myths and corporate lore have probably held you back from fully leveraging this powerful technology, leaving your professional potential latent. By busting brain myths and relaying the latest insights, Dr. Brynn L. Winegard wants to help you use your brain better to unlock your full potential and realize your most productive self, day, and work life.

In The Working Brain, Dr. Brynn draws on her academic research in neuroscience, positive psychology, and corporate career to show you how to get more from your brain while asking less of your willpower. This science-backed practical guide is the missing manual for using your brain better at work and makes the latest brain insights accessible, tangible, and actionable. Understand how to tap into the brain’s inner workings to customize your workday scheduling and sync with your natural rhythms. Discover the best times to work, focus, zone out, and rest, and collect the tips and techniques to fuel, excite, replenish, and stimulate your brain in vital ways at work.

With its practical tips, The Working Brain gives you the potential to be more productive, feel more motivated, and perform at your peak all workday long.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781774583876
Publisher:	Page Two Books, Inc.
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	682,213
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Dr. Brynn L. Winegard is an award-winning professor, professional keynote speaker, and expert in applied neuroscience and positive psychology for professionals. Dr. Brynn has helped clients such as Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Google use the latest brain discoveries to improve employee performance. She teaches at several universities and conducts research through the Harvard McLean Institute of Coaching. When not giving corporate talks or training, Dr. Brynn is a regularly featured expert in TV, radio, and print.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part 1: INSIDE YOUR BRAIN – A Universe of Untold Potential

Chapter 1: Popular Brain Myths Holding Us Back & the Brain's Properties of Potential

Chapter 2: Your Brain is on a Hero’s Journey…Several Times a Day - the Ultradian Cycle of Rest/Activity

Part 2: YOUR BRAIN AT WORK – Maximizing Your Productivity Cycle

Chapter 3: Conquering the Ultradian Climb o What It Is & How it Feels for You o What’s Happening in There – The Nuts & Bolts o Some Common Challenges of this Phase o Conquering the Climb – Here’s What to Do

Chapter 4: More Powerful Peaks o What It Is & How it Feels for You o What’s Happening in There – The Nuts & Bolts o Some Common Challenges of this Phase o More Powerful Peaks – Here’s What to Do

Chapter 5: Functional Falls o What It Is & How it Feels for You o What’s Happening in There – The Nuts & Bolts o Some Common Challenges of this Phase o Functional Falls – Here’s What to Do

Chapter 6: Victorious Valleys o What It Is & How it Feels for You o What’s Happening in There – The Nuts & Bolts o Some Common Challenges of this Phase o Victorious Valleys – Here’s What to Do

Part 3: YOUR BRAIN AT ITS BEST – Powering Peak Performance

Chapter 7: Food for Thought – Fueling Your Brain for Peak Performance (What to eat, what to avoid, how to think about fueling your brain)

Chapter 8: The Brain at Rest –The Magical Power of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Resting Your Supercomputer

Chapter 9: A Physical Brain – Movement as Magic & Medicine; Exercise for well-being; the importance of Rest

Chapter 10: A Social (& Emotional) Brain – Why Having Friends at Work Dramatically Increases Productivity, Performance and Well-Being

Chapter 11: Increasing Your Mental Capital– for Productivity, Performance Well-Being (covers Mental Capital, Psychological Capital, PERMA Model, Importance of Mindset, (Growth Mindset), How to accept inevitable Stress, Importance of Self-Talk)

Conclusion (putting it all together – changing how you consider, use, and partner with your brain at work each day)