Main Header Holder

Header Portals

Main Header Holder (Mobile)

Logo & Toggle Holder

Mobile Toggle

Sticky Buttons (Mobile)

Sticky Buttons

Scroll Down Line

Green Brain

You have a superpower: it’s called the Green Brain

In our contemporary lives, more and more demands are being made on the brain and our mental resources. A good place to start when it comes to rethinking your approach to productivity is to learn about the basics of the brain. There are two main 'settings' in the brain: the red brain (the stressed brain) and the green brain (the optimum state for using your mental resources). 

The Red Brain
The red brain is the state of stress, or the emergency brain. While it works great in short-term emergencies, in long-term challenging and stressful situations, it can compromise our health, our happiness and our most important relationships. In a red-brain state we lack control over what we think, feel and do and we are mostly driven by what our instincts tell us to do. Our stress-induced tunnel vision blocks us from seeing the bigger picture, and small insignificant problems can seem like the end of the world. Our red brain keeps us from thinking rationally, from creatively problem-solving and from learning. If the red brain is on for too long, it can impair our daily functioning.

The Green Brain
The green brain is the opposite of the red brain. Let me show you what happens in the green brain. Close your eyes and imagine yourself doing something that you absolutely love; something that makes you feel completely alive.

Did you notice your heart rate slowing down, your neck and shoulder muscles relaxing and your breathing becoming slower and deeper? Did you notice a sense of calmness and openness? This is the green brain or, more precisely, this is the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol lowering and the happiness hormones oxytocin and serotonin increasing.
In the green-brain state your body works at an optimal level. You sleep well and your digestive system, and immune system all work as they should. Your emotions are balanced and you are more likely to feel happy and content, enjoying the process of things, not just the outcome. In the green brain you are at your most productive. It boosts creativity, innovation, problem-solving skills and learning. The green brain makes you caring, creates empathy and makes you feel connected to others. The green brain state also makes you feel more open and connected to the people around you, which increases feelings of love and builds relationships. 

In the green brain you can problem-solve so much better and more effectively. Instead of having tunnel vision and just continuing with your approach that isn't working, the green brain sees the bigger picture, is flexible and makes changes when things don't work. Truly creative problem-solving only happens in the green brain. Think back to a moment when you had a great idea or came up with the perfect solution to a problem. It is not likely that this happened while you were stressing out. It is likely that you were in the green brain when the solution came to you. Or think of a big mistake you made either at work or in your personal life, something that you look back on and wish you could change. I bet you were in a red brain state when you made that decision.
The red brain works hard, the green brain works smart.

The green brain is the best state for everyday living and productivity. The green brain makes you flexible and creative, keeps an eye on the big picture and makes good decisions.

An edited extract from “Reach Your Goals Without Stressing Out” written by Chantal Hofstee, Clinical Psychologist/Mindfulness Expert. Available at www.exislepublishing.com.
Red Brain/Green Brain theory was developed by Dr. Rick Hanson, Neuropsychologist. More information on his theories and access to his newsletters and books may be found on his website, www.rickhanson.net