#213 | How To Train Your Brain For Change

Our brains are wired to resist change but in today’s world it’s a constant. In this episode, we unpacked the everyday chaos of multitasking, handling negative thoughts, and actually making teamwork… work. Whether you’re managing a mile-long to-do list or just trying to keep your thoughts in order, let this be your friendly guide to navigating work and life without losing your spark.

Multitasking might feel like a badge of honor in our go-go-go world, but it’s often a productivity trap. Research shows that flipping between tasks can slow you down and increase mistakes. Dave Crenshaw has a great exercise on this and a ton of great resources to help you recognize how inefficient it is. Techniques like time-blocking or the Pomodoro method help you zero in on one task at a time. By dedicating focused blocks to each task, your brain can fully engage, producing higher-quality work while keeping stress in check.

Negative thoughts are like uninvited guests who show up and never know when to leave. One way to take back control is the “60-second pause”: take a deep breath and ask yourself, What matters most right now? Just one minute can interrupt the spiral and refocus your attention on the present. Pair that with mindfulness practices, like meditation, journaling, or even a short walk, and you start training your mind to notice and redirect those patterns before they take over.

Relying on a handful of high performers can create bottlenecks, blind spots, and unnecessary pressure. Collective competency flips the script: it’s about sharing knowledge so the whole team gets stronger together. Encourage open communication, make time to reflect on lessons learned, and make knowledge-sharing part of the culture. The result? A smarter, more adaptable team where everyone contributes their strengths, and no one’s left carrying all the mental weight.

Small choices, single-tasking, pausing the doom spiral, and sharing what you know add up to a calmer mind and a more connected team. Try a few and see what shifts.

Timestamps:

10:10 Multitasking and how to avoid being reactive

13:17 The exercise to do to see if you’re good at multitasking

16:00 Actionable tips we can take to be more focused

23:41 How to declutter your brain by externalizing things

27:01 Ways to interrupt negative thoughts

34:04 Why do our brains hate change so much

37:07 How to overcome change with your team

44:00 Tips for achieving big goals

48:38 Collective competency and how to cultivate it on a team

Links:

Amy Brann’s Course: Change Readiness for Leaders, Teams, and Organizations

The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains In A High-Tech World by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen

If You Enjoyed Today’s Episode:

1.) You should check out this episode How To Navigate Change With Erin Shrimpton

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