Neurobiologist Alex Korb asserts that to make the brain work more efficiently, complex techniques are not needed — it is enough to reconsider everyday habits and learn to respond correctly to stress and emotions.
“Keeping the brain in shape is not that difficult. I have been working in neurobiology for about twenty years, and during this time I have developed several basic principles. They will help you focus better on tasks, calm down faster, and even cope with emotional burnout,” says neurobiologist Alex Korb.
Don’t Ignore Anxiety
Often, people perceive anxiety as a flaw, especially those who are constantly trying to achieve something. “I see it as a smoke detector going off: signals from the limbic system, the emotional center of your brain, indicate what is truly important right now,” explains the expert.
Do not ignore anxiety — this only hinders your ability to focus on what is happening in your body at the moment. It is better to take a break, breathe out, distract yourself with something else, and then return to work and urgent matters. Trust me, solutions will come much faster.
Don’t Take Your Inner Critic as a Motivator
When you experience stress, the prefrontal cortex of the brain, a sort of CEO of the organ, produces dopamine and norepinephrine. These substances temporarily increase concentration and motivation but deplete the reserves of neurotransmitters associated with feelings of joy and satisfaction, such as serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. This is an unstable form of motivation. It will only lead to burnout and make you unhappy.
Do you want to achieve all your goals without depleting the valuable “happiness reserve” in your brain? Then focus only on the tasks you can accomplish at the moment. Let them be insignificant; they can still motivate you for further progress.
Don’t Try to Control Your Daily Routine All the Time
Yes, doctors strongly recommend monitoring your diet and sleep, but sometimes you need to turn off the perfectionist. For example, you don’t have to forbid yourself every candy, track sleep phases with smartwatches, or monitor every step. Doing so will only cause you even more stress, which hinders the entire brain's function.
Allow yourself to indulge in sweets sometimes, skip workouts, or sleep in a bit longer. Sometimes this is necessary to restore a valuable resource.
Don’t Try to Solve All Problems at Once
Jumping from one task to another and from one project to another can sometimes make you feel more productive because every time you focus on something new, your dopamine level rises slightly. But this feeling of productivity is an illusion.
Switching between tasks actually burdens the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain that helps make decisions and solve problems. This burden can lead to mistakes and mental fatigue. In the end, you won’t achieve the desired result, but you will experience significant stress and lower your self-esteem.
Don’t Devalue Negative Emotions
Positive thinking is a very powerful tool. But sometimes it can worsen your well-being. “Many successful people fall into this trap. They try to achieve good results by avoiding any negative emotions, and in the end, they hinder themselves.
A more effective approach is to acknowledge all your feelings, experience them, and let them go,” says Alex Korb. When you reduce the load on the amygdala by accepting all failures and experiences, you allow your brain to relieve tension and focus on the goal. This adds to your experience and also enhances your intelligence, as you start looking for new solutions to problems.
According to the editorial team, the main takeaway is simple: the brain works better not under pressure, but in a state of balance. The ability to listen to your emotions, not overload yourself, and move step by step yields a much more sustainable result than the constant race for productivity. Sometimes, it is the pause and flexibility that become the key to clarity and effectiveness.
