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“The human brain is the most complicated and fascinating faculty which opens up to the endless possibilities if only one could master the art of synchronizing the functionality of mind, body, and spiritual awareness”. Shiyama Hafeez Marikkar
1.How does the human brain ingrain habits ?
Humans and animals rely on formed habits to complete routine tasks such as eating and sleeping. When new habits are developed ,this enables us to do things automatically without even thinking. As the human brain begins to develop a new habit, in a fraction of a second , one region of the brain ,the dorsolateral striatum, gets stimulated to a short burst in activity. According to neuroscience, this activity burst increases as the habit becomes stronger. A research on mice demonstrates how habits can be originated and controlled depending on how active the dorsolateral striatum is.
The human brain too prospers on routines. It performs effectively and efficiently when it follows a planned routine. Siriya , an elegant lady , who has been selling street food for over 50 years in a small town in Srilanka ,never fails to carry a smile on her face or to be on time in her stall. When I asked her for the secret of her daily routine she said ” There is no big secret ma’am , it’s all my conviction and habit of waking up before the Sunrise and making all the delicacies keeps me stay self motivated.” She continues talking about her job satisfaction serving healthy food for others and feeling proud about her self that being able to support her family.
If you do not live your life with the selected routines, then there are high chances that your brain would quickly get overwhelmed in prioritizing and focusing on the different tasks daily. In contrast, when we follow a structured routine, things fall into their place and give us the sense of the much-needed rhythm of moving forward in our lives.
“We’ve always thought — and I still do — that the value of a habit is you don’t have to think about it. It frees up your brain to do other things,”. “However, it doesn’t free up all of it. There’s some piece of your cortex that’s still devoted to that control.”
Professor Ann Graybill, a member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.
The study shows that though habits may be deeply ingrained, the brain’s planning centers can shut them off. It also raises the possibility of intervening in that brain region to treat people who suffer from disorders involving overly habitual behavior, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. Huda, a retired government officer, a client of mine ,was too worried about her obsession , which was not being able to perform her rituals when she is overly carried away with TV shows at times and was looking for a way out of it. I still remember when Akash, a student of mine, reached me to overcome exam fever and anxiety, and we discussed the power of developing new habits with both the clients.
2. Super Powerful habits that can benefit your brain.
1. Prioritize and focus on the one thing that you are committed to completing on a day.
When you are quite overwhelmed looking at the piles of files and the tasks that need your attention, sit for a moment to refresh your breathing and do a to- do list ,prioritize them on the basis of deadlines, focus on the one top task that needs to be accomplished in a day. To make a decision, Ask yourself” what is the most important yet urgent task that needs to be accomplished a week from today, month, or year. In this way when you list out the tasks , your subconscious mind will align to your action plans.
2. Prepare a healthy breakfast to give you energy and feed your brain.
There is a famous ancient saying that “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper
If you want a healthy life , it’s really important to have a healthy breakfast. You may load up your plate with foods that are rich in healthy fats such as nuts, fatty fish, olive oil , some green leafy veggies and fruits. The omega fats in healthy food have the power to keep your mind sharp and protect your brain as you age , even delaying the onset of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Pakinsons . “Diet can play a significant role in your brain health, ” says David A.Merrill , MD,PhD, psychiatrist , a director of Brain Health Centre at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica.
3. Use your morning hours to do critical thinking and problem-solving tasks, so that your brain gets that tough cognitive work out of the way.
Our bodies have a specifically set programming schedule for the best time of the day to concentrate , innovate new ideas and experience the best performance .Scientists call this personalized daily pattern of sleep and wakefulness an internal body clock or a circadian rhythm. Scientists have tracked how cognitive abilities rise and fall, and found that most of our brains follow a neatly predictable pattern of cognition that fluctuates hour by hour.
We tend to rise in relatively good spirits. These first morning hours are a great time to start the day off with a little workout outside getting some fresh air and in the morning sunlight. As of this morning, when you are likely to feel fresher and brighter , it’s been proven that it’s better to schedule your counselling or therapy session during this time.
According to studies , most brains are better at keeping distractions at bay in the morning. sharp-minded analytic capacities seem to peak in the late morning or around noon. So use your happier morning hours to do critical thinking and problem-solving tasks, so that your brain gets that tough cognitive work out of the way.
Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
https://www.schrockguide.net/uploads/3/9/2/2/392267/critical-thinking-workbook.pdf
