Remember What the Dormouse Said: Feed Your Head
How are you nourishing your brain today?
The most powerful tool in your arsenal as a business owner is your mind. You might think it’s your computer, but without you (and your brain), the computer is just a hunk of plastic taking up space on your desk.
Not only that, but there will be a point at which you will no longer be able to mentally or physically work even 40 hours a week. You’ll likely still be active and engaged in something for a while afterward – no one sits around in rocking chairs until they’re very elderly these days – but you won’t be working the way you do now.
The computer you’re currently using won’t be as important. You’ll still need your brain. But what condition will it be in?
Improving brain health also improves productivity sustainably
What is sustainable productivity, you ask? It’s the opposite of toxic productivity. (Well, that’s so helpful, JJ, thanks.) It’s a way to stay at peak performance without burning out. Reaching your goals without ignoring your body’s needs. Ending most days with a solid feeling of accomplishment instead of feeling like you didn’t get anything done.
This mode of productivity works for everyone, whether they’re morning people or not, whether they’re neurotypical or not, and also leaves plenty of time for loved ones and other fun activities.
The good news is that the best ways to keep your brain in good shape now also help you perform at your best at work (and play, for that matter). Plus, the things you’re probably doing right now to keep your body healthy also support your brain. While it’s the command center of your being, the brain is also “just” another organ of your body.
If you’ve ever been swimming and tried to fight the water current, you know it’s hard work. You struggle and struggle only to get carried away by the current. Or you might defeat it successfully, but you’re exhausted afterward. Compare that to swimming with the current. Everything feels easy, you don’t get tired, and you reach your destination much faster.
The bad news is that a lot of workplace culture in the US is bad for the brain and makes your brain fight against the current. Which is part of the reason you might so often end up at home after a day of work exhausted. Or feeling like you didn’t get enough done during the day.
That’s why sustainable productivity may clash with the way you’ve been working, especially if you’re a business owner who escaped corporate America. You might be used to busyness and distractions. If you get an ego boost from being busy all the time (no judgement, a lot of people do) then you might not find this rewarding at first. But you might just find that actually reaching your goals is a better boost.
What the human brain needs for sustainable productivity improvement
I know quite a few people who skimp on some of these items because they feel the pressure to work more hours. Ironically, this decision actually makes them less successful because it means their brains aren’t getting all the fuel they need for performance.
They’re in no particular order, and it’s important to note that science backs up all of these assertions – I didn’t just yoink them out of my *ss this morning. I’m happy to share sources if you have questions.
Some of them can also be combined; for example, if you play on a rec league softball team, you’ll get your physical activity and socialization, and hopefully fun, at the same time.
Nutrition – if you’ve seen me in person, you know this is the one I struggle with the most! The human body prefers food that is mostly plants and not too much of it, and of course the brain is part of the body. It’s only about 2-3% of your weight, but it uses about 20% of your energy. Feed your head (with the good stuff.)
Physical activity – this is one of the often-skipped items, especially for those who are at a good weight and think exercise is only for weight loss. However, what your brain really needs is oxygen-rich blood, and you get that when you move your *ss. If time is your issue, find something else to let go – something that is not on this list of brain necessities.
Fun – a lot of adults think they’re past this, but it actually gives your brain something to do that doesn’t wear it out and provides happy neurochemicals. This may look different from what you thought was fun as a kid, but it might not. I’m taking improv classes at the moment that I’m really enjoying, but it doesn’t have to be a class or anything formal and structured.
Stress relief – I don’t always separate this one out from fun or socialization, but it might be different from those two. You know by now that chronic stress leads to all kinds of bad things in your body, and it also takes up space in your mind. (And unfortunately a Netflix-and-wine binge doesn’t count – garbage in, garbage out.)
Socialization – you need some, but you might not need a lot. Sometimes people think I’m an extrovert because I like to get on stage and when I’m with people I can be very outgoing. But I’m an introvert because I need a lot of alone time to recover after I’ve been out “peopling”. I saw a meme on Facebook (of all places!) that I think gets to the heart of this. It says something to the effect of, Forget introversion and extroversion labels. There’s a minimum level of socializing below which you’ll feel bad, and a maximum level above which you’ll feel bad, and those levels are different for every person. My minimum is pretty low, and so is the maximum. An extrovert will probably have higher levels.
Rest – I don’t always separate it from sleep when writing about it. Yet I think it’s important to note that after you’ve been working on something really intensely for a period of time, your brain needs a break before you start something else. A break is not scrolling through emails or “social” media feeds. It’s more like taking a quick (10-minute) walk or stretch, playing with your pets, eating a nutritious snack, etc.
Sleep – the reason you need seven to eight hours of sleep is not because Mom said so (although she’s right), but because a lot of important biological processes only happen during this time. You need all these hours to go through several sleep cycles to make sure everything is completed. Muscle repair (which helps you build muscle) is one of these processes, and so is the flushing out of toxins from the cells. This flushing of toxins is thought to prevent or delay diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Start with sleep for better productivity and effectiveness
If you think you’re in the 1% of the population that only needs three to four hours of sleep, you’re probably wrong. If one or more of the following applies to you, you really do need seven to eight instead:
You can’t get through the day without a nap (and you’re under the age of 75 or so)
You drink caffeinated drinks all day – black or green tea, coffee, caffeinated sodas, energy drinks
You need a lot of sugary treats, especially in the afternoon, to keep your energy up
Another myth is that you must get up early to “win the morning”. This is true, but ONLY for people who naturally wake up early because that’s their sleep chronotype. Consider that if you get up at 4 am as some so-called productivity gurus tell you to, you’d need to go to bed at 8 to make sure you have that sleep time. If that sounds good to you, have at it!
The rest of us will just rebel against that particular myth. Sometimes you will find you have to get up at times that don’t work well for you because you have to get the kid(s) to school or whatever. But when you can, get back to a cycle that feels natural.
If you have trouble sleeping or getting to sleep, I’m running a free five-day (How to) Go the F*k to Sleep challenge the first week of December 2025 that will give you what you need for a good night’s rest. It’s especially helpful if you travel a lot, because the suggestions will also work for you when you’re on the road.
Recap (tl;dr):
Supporting and nourishing your brain brings a ton of benefits, including increased productivity and effectiveness. Getting enough sleep is one of the biggest drivers of productivity.
Know you need seven to eight hours of sleep a night but struggle with it? Join the (How to) Go the F*k to Sleep challenge in December. You’ll get one email a day for four days with suggestions and resources, and a final Zoom with me and the other participants to celebrate better sleep and get your questions answered. Click here to get more information.
Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash.