Welcome back to Inside the Working Brain of Dr. Brynn Winegard (pt.2) of our interview with Dr. Brynn Winegard, where the science of the brain meets the art of flourishing at work.
If Inside the Working Brain of Dr. Brynn Winegard (pt. 1) had you rethinking everything you thought you knew about productivity and mental energy, get ready—because in this half, we’re turning up the heat.
From actionable tips based on her MERIT framework to game-changing advice on mindset and resilience, Brynn is here to show you how to take your performance—and your well-being—to the next level.
In your talks, you dive into the science of productivity, mental wellness, and cognitive optimization using your easy-to-remember MERIT framework (which stands for Move, Eat, Rest, Interact, Think). Can you share a few ‘brain hacks’ that professionals might find useful to keep themselves or their teams performing well?
In my talks, I love sharing actionable brain hacks rooted in my MERIT Framework—Move, Eat, Rest, Interact, Think—designed to help professionals optimize productivity and well-being. Here are a few that can make an immediate difference:
1. Myth-Busting ‘Move’
Many people believe that exercise needs to be formal or rigorous to benefit the brain, but that’s not true. The brain loves all kinds of movement, and it doesn’t have to happen at the gym to ‘count.’
NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) includes all those small movements, like fidgeting, pacing, or standing up to stretch.
Every time you move, even by dancing at your desk or taking a lap around the office, you activate beneficial neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.
So, move as much as you can, as often as you can throughout the workday – it all ‘counts’ as far as aiding and ameliorating your brain is concerned.
Chapter 7 ‘Move’ deals with exercise and movement in great detail, with tons of tips and tricks for when and how to exercise, how to stay on track, and what types of exercises to do each week.
2. Fallacy-Busting for ‘Eat’
I often hear people fixate on calories or macros, but the real focus should be on ‘micros’ – or eating for micronutrient density.
The brain (and body) requires a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to function optimally. The more nutrient-dense your diet, the more satiated you’ll feel, and the calories will generally take care of themselves (it’s less tempting and not as harmful to ‘overeat’ micronutrient-dense foods).
Aim for colourful, fibre-rich foods that are natural colours of the rainbow—each colour signals the presence of different vitamins and minerals, which nourish your brain and body.
Bonus! High-fibre foods are not only filling but also support a healthy gut-brain connection and microbiome. I discuss this in detail in Chapter 8 of The Working Brain.
3. Hack-Debunking for Rest and Sleep
Because I frequently get asked if you can ‘hack’ or catch up on sleep, I dedicated all of Chapter 9 ‘Rest’ to the topics of Rest and Sleep.
The short answer is no, you can’t hack, cheat, or short-change sleep and hope for good outcomes.
Sleep has near magical value to you and is required every night – you can’t ‘put it off’ or ‘catch up’ later: what’s lost is lost, with decrements in neuroplastic change, learning, knowledge stores, and immunity to show for it (not to mention the under-eye bags that appear).
You need 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night, especially during periods of stress, illness, recovery, or major life changes when your brain and body require even more.
Sleep requirements increase with all of life’s stressors. Create a sleep environment that mimics a cave: keep it very dark, cool (around 68°F), quiet, and not too dry.
For comfort, use natural fibers like cotton or linen for your bedding that are low in dyes and can help reduce your overall microplastic exposure.
Prioritizing sleep is one of the best things you can do for your brain health and overall performance.
“As sales professionals, we tend to focus on the rational or conscious part of our message – i.e. technical components of our message (risk & return profile of investment strategies, etc.) This workshop allowed me to gain greater insight into how very important the non-technical element of our communication and messaging is. With very actionable ideas around how we can tweak how we communicate (from visually conveying information vs. text to how we “build rapport” and engage advisors with a very concerned focus on conveying the type of partnerships we want to build – reciprocal, committed, compliant, compromising and cooperative – we’ve given ourselves an edge! I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone, not only those in a sales role.”
– L. Bouthilier, Head of Sales, Franklin Templeton Investments
Learn more about Dr. Brynn Winegard’s speaking topics here!
Your book and the MERIT Framework are borne of the pillars of lifestyle, mind-body, and preventative medicine—things like moving more, eating better, sleeping better, avoiding substances, being socially active, and managing stress actively. What’s a surprising or unexpected insight from that area that could help professionals make better choices in work and life?
One surprising insight from the ‘Interact’ pillar of my MERIT Framework is how crucial socializing at work is for both mental health and professional success.
Many people underestimate the immense benefits of in-person social interactions.
First, socializing at work isn’t just a nicety; it’s necessary for your mental wellness. It significantly reduces the risk of psychological or psychiatric issues, as a lack of social support and isolation are known risk factors for mental health struggles.
Regular interactions at work can boost emotional intelligence, social skills, and even help develop a better ‘theory of mind,’ which is your ability to understand others’ thoughts and feelings.
Second, engaging with colleagues isn’t just beneficial for mental and psychological reasons; it also sharpens your cognitive performance.
Casual conversations can spark creativity, lead to ‘eureka’ moments, and make information easier to remember (e.g. learning and knowledge). Being around others enhances learning, and innovation, and creates a more democratic sharing of ideas, which is crucial for high-performing people and teams.
Third, the more you engage with others at work, the stronger your professional network becomes.
You’ll build deeper relationships and gain more social capital, which often correlates with faster career advancement and higher earning potential.
The research shows that social interactions are part of a positive feedback loop: more connections lead to greater support, more opportunities, and ultimately, more influence within an organization and toward your own ends.
Another common misconception I often encounter is that ‘your neurochemistry is your own,’ when in reality, our brains are highly mimetic. They sync up with the thoughts, perceptions, and cognitions of those around us, leading to shared emotions, opinions, conclusions, decisions, and even long-term neuroplastic changes.
In essence, the company you keep at work profoundly impacts your mental state and cognitive abilities.
All this research, which I detail in Chapter 10, has made me a strong proponent of in-person work or, at the very least, hybrid models. Interacting with others isn’t just socially satisfying; it’s vital for our mental health, cognitive functioning, continuous learning, and overall career trajectory.
That’s why I believe professionals should prioritize social relationships at work rather than underestimate their significance.
See Dr. Brynn Winegard in action—watch her speaker reel and discover why she’s the perfect choice to inspire and empower your next audience!
What would you say is the most novel or important contribution from your book – for your talks and professionals in your audiences perhaps?
One of the most novel contributions of The Working Brain—both for my talks and for professionals looking to optimize their lives and careers—is the ‘Think’ pillar of my MERIT Framework, which emphasizes the paramount role of mindset.
Likely more important than any other single factor, how we think profoundly influences our sense of balance, health, wellness, and the scope of our accomplishments and opportunities. While proper nutrition and rest are requisite, as example, you can’t eat or sleep your way into vocational success – mindset is the critical capstone here.
You need the rest to facilitate a mind and brain that can improve it’s own modus operandi, but how you ‘Think’, is the most consequential of all the pillars in the MERIT Framework.
Chapter 11 is dedicated to advancing beyond Carol Dweck’s well-known concepts of ‘fixed versus growth’ mindsets and introduces the idea of ‘fragile versus antifragile’ mindsets.
This perspective shift is crucial: while a growth mindset embraces challenges to grow, an antifragile mindset thrives because of challenges, becoming stronger with each adversity. This concept likely made my keynote on ‘Building an Antifragile Mindset’ so popular.
In this chapter, I share some of the most provocative advice in the book. One essential practice is to ‘do one thing each day that you think you’ll fail at.’ Why? Because failure isn’t just a possibility; it’s a powerful teacher.
Witnessing yourself fail and then picking yourself up again builds the mental and emotional resilience necessary for long-term success.
Similarly, try something each day where rejection is a likely outcome. This inoculates you against the sting of future potentially larger or unexpected rejection, making you bolder in seeking opportunities.
Microdosing challenge daily—pushing just beyond your comfort zone—strengthens your mental fortitude over time.
Practicing Kaizen, the Japanese concept of continuous improvement, is also another key takeaway of this chapter – It’s about deliberately honing your craft and paying attention to self-betterment.
There are over 20 more practical insights or practices in this chapter that collectively help transform your mindset to be not just resilient but truly antifragile. The aim isn’t just to bounce back from setbacks but to harness life’s inevitable strife and stress to emerge better, stronger, and more capable each time.
Finally, what do you hope professionals will do once they have the book and read it? What’s in it for them and what can they expect to get out of it?
What I hope professionals take away from The Working Brain is how to:
1. Optimize Your Ultradian Cycle: A clear understanding of the brain’s ultradian cycle throughout the day. They’ll learn to recognize when they’re in The Climb, The Peak, The Fall, or The Valley and what specific actions to take during each phase to optimize their productivity, happiness, and overall performance. This knowledge alone can transform how they structure and manage their workday.
2. Action the MERIT Framework: Actionable, science-backed strategies they can use to make the most of their day. They’ll learn practical ways to Move, tips on what/when/how to Eat for peak cognitive functioning, how to maximize Rest and sleep quality, why social connections at work matter so much, and how to build an Antifragile Mindset that serves them professionally and personally.
3. Distinguish Brain Fact from Fiction: The ability to separate brain fact from fiction and debunk many common brain myths. Understanding these truths is crucial—you can’t do better if you don’t know better!
4. Pay it Forward and Help Others: The inspiration to share their learning and insights with their teams, friends, and loved ones, write a review online and post their thoughts on social media. It’s through this ripple effect that the learning and impact can grow.
In my career, I feel purpose-driven to work in service of the professionals I teach, coach, train, and talk to such that they are healthier, fitter, happier, wealthier, and more successful—not just in their careers, but throughout their whole lives.
Thank you so much, Brynn! It’s always a pleasure!
There you have it—the ultimate glimpse into unlocking your brain’s potential with Dr. Brynn Winegard! From her powerful MERIT framework to her thought-provoking ideas on mindset, Brynn has given us an amazing look into a masterclass in working smarter, flourishing harder, and living better.
If you missed Inside the Working Brain of Dr. Brynn Winegard (pt. 1), do yourself a favour and head back to catch all the juicy insights on brain myths, natural rhythms, and how to optimize your workday. Trust me, it’s a must-read!
And here’s the exciting part—Brynn doesn’t just write about these game-changing concepts; she brings them to life on stage. If you’re looking to inspire your team or elevate your next event, book Brynn as a keynote speaker. Her dynamic, research-backed approach will have your audience engaged, enlightened, and ready to conquer the world.
Grab your copy today – The Working Brain launches on December 3rd! It’s the ultimate guide to transforming how you think, work, and succeed.
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“A fantastic ‘brain blueprint’ filled with practical tips, tricks, and evidence-based strategies designed to enhance cognition and improve performance at work and in life.”
Dr. Jonathan Bonnet, physician and author of the Lifestyle Medicine Handbook