Business Building Corner

It may come as a surprise, but research involving brain scans has shown that when people daydream, their brains actually work better in various ways! A study compared brain activity during two situations: when playing an easy game and when simply daydreaming or letting the mind wander freely. Daydreaming not only lit up the areas that handle routine daily activities, but also the areas that tackle complex problems.

The lateral prefrontal cortex and the dorsal anterior cingulated cortex are known as the “executive network” of the brain. Problem-solving takes place when the executive network lights up, and daydreaming has been shown to do just that. Researchers conclude that giving the brain a break allows these higher-function areas to work on the heavy issues that lurk in your mind, such as how to enroll that elusive friend, how to jumpstart matrix volume, whom to call next on your list of contacts and whether or not to participate in a local LPGN roadshow.

Researchers suggest that the best time to daydream is when doing simple, mindless tasks. Dishwashing, throwing out the trash, doing laundry, washing the car, blow drying hair and mowing the lawn are examples of good times to daydream.

For IBOs who are trying to drive an LPGN business forward, there are three other ways to help you work optimally:

1. Feed your brain with foods rich in B12. This vitamin is known to help keep the brain working smoothly. Good sources of B12 include tuna and eggs.
2. Challenge your brain. Play word games, work on crossword puzzles and decode sentence scrambles. Work on Sudoku or other number games. Start learning a new language or try something you’ve never done before, such as a sport or a musical instrument.
   
   According to Daniel G. Amen, MD, Psychiatry, "Each time you learn something new and practice it, your brain will either change the structure of its neurons (cells) or increase the number of synapses between your neurons, allowing them to send and receive information faster. It is your brain's plasticity that allows you to learn names, recall memories and even to change the types of thoughts that you think. In the same regard, you can also harness your brain’s plasticity to build a better memory or quicken your speed of processing, which will help to keep you sharp as you age."

3. Give your brain some digital-free downtime. In this day and age, it may seem unrealistic, but it can be incredibly invigorating and stress-reducing to disconnect yourself occasionally from the digital world.
   
   Ashley Koff, RD, Nutrition & Dietetics, says, "There's a strange duality to being attached to machines that allow us to connect with others around the world in an instant. From cell phones to social networks that can transmit what you're doing right now in fractions of a second, communication these days is quick, easy, and to a large degree, isolating. When you resort to electronic transmissions of information rather than speaking to someone in person or even over the phone, you lose a human touch to the experience. You also have a tendency to lose focus, as those transmissions become rapid-fire, frequent, distracting, and intrusive."

So, the good news is that you don’t need to go on an expensive vacation to revive your tired mind. Just give your brain a breather, turn off your cell phone, daydream a little, and then see how much more quickly you move onward to signing up a new LPGN IBO and other accomplishments!