I was speaking with a very successful business leader recently and I asked her how she was feeling. She said that she feels like she’s constantly walking around in a room filled with Poker Machines that are all going off at the same time – her thoughts kept popping up here, there and everywhere in no particular order or sequence but with constant stimulation. She had a lot on her mind (everything from important business priorities, if she remembered to feed the cat that morning or turn the iron off, whether her aging mother was okay, that her shoes were feeling uncomfortable and she needed to buy some new ones, through to a team member’s birthday coming up and a performance review she was doing that afternoon), and it was all happening at once! She had so much on her mind but was craving a pattern interrupt with a “real” conversation about mental well-being.

What she was describing is a concept named “Popcorn Brain” first introduced by a researcher at the University of Washington called David Levy, which refers to a mental state of scattered thoughts, fragmented attention and a propensity for the mind to jump from one topic to another – resembling the rapid popping of popcorn kernels in a heated pot.

The condition is formally known as Cognitive Overload or Information Overloadwhich has been amplified with the increase in AI, information needing to be processed, social media and connection to our digital screens.

Social media platforms have been working very hard to create algorithms that stimulate us to be glued to our screens, exacerbating the Popcorn Brain by promoting compulsive usage patterns that provide quick rewards and dopamine – mimicking an addict’s brain activity.

Our brains are bombarded with alerts, messages and information to process which reduces our ability to focus on a single task and creates a cycle of seeking more stimuli which further diminishes our attention span.

Within the workplace, there are many people experiencing symptoms with common signs of:

• Scattered thoughts
• Difficulty in focusing
• Heightened stress or anxiety
• Attention deficit issues
• Inability to process lengthy or complex information
• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Overwhelm
• Compulsive usage of social media
• Reduced attention span
• Need to be constantly “plugged in”
• Reduced memory functioning
• Strained relationships

Today’s leaders must be conscious of cognitive health and how to manage the well-being within the workplace – or face a tsunami of burnout, exhaustion, errors, absenteeism and diminished performance.

There is no one size fits all approach but factors that should be considered include:

• Understanding the impact of Popcorn Brain on our productivity and performance
• Boundaries around technology
• Simplifying complex data
• Time limits for social media use
• Turning off notifications to minimise distractions
• Reducing meetings or virtual training sessions to shorter durations
• Establishing structured daily routines around high value activities with coaching to support creation of habits
• Cultivating self-awareness and education to empower individuals to understand symptoms and form appropriate solutions
• Prioritising emotional well-being, health, physical activity, mindfulness and happiness
• Understanding the impact of Popcorn Brain on our productivity and performance
• Creating in person, human connection events without the screens
• Being cognisant of down time and the need for breaks
• Creating a culture that values People AND Performance – leading the way for healthy, happy and productive work practices

While the concept of Popcorn Brain might seem insignificant, it’s impact on our lives personally and professionally can be profound.

It is only through understanding how our brain works and recognising the symptoms, that we can take proactive steps that boost productivity, performance, happiness and well-being.

Everything starts with awareness and we’d love to help you and your teams!

At Shine Executive, we love supporting organisations to create a high-performance culture by bringing out the best in their people.

We are here to help with speaking, consulting, training, conferences, coaching or offsite events and specialise in the following areas:

High Performing Teams | Leadership | Sales Training | EQ & Neuroscience | Financial Services Sales & Service | DISC Personality Profiles | Five Behaviours of Cohesive Teams | Positive Psychology | GROWTH Coaching

Our bespoke people and performance solutions are created to meet your unique business needs, time available and working environment – so if you have something that’s important to you why not Book your free 30 minute call now to discuss. We’d love to hear from you.

Or contact us at naomi@shineexecutive.com.au or 0423 93690.