The best motivator (according to neuroscience) is non-addictive pleasure, not addictive numbing habits or fear of pain and loss. Mark Waldman, an executive neuroscience leadership professor from Marymount University, recommends that we set a timer each hour for pleasure breaks at work.

Every hour or so, take 5 minutes and stretch, yawn, massage your neck, smile, kick off your shoes, take a short walk, glance outside, taste something delicious, or engage in another healthy pleasure. The optimal dopamine levels in your brain will help you stay organized and productive.

After a few hours, you will likely wonder how you managed without this simple fix for overwhelm and burnout.

Healthy pleasures also decrease the urge for unhealthy indulgence, so if you want to avoid overeating at a party, it's a good idea to engage in something pleasurable (this can be as small as 3 deep breaths and a stretch or a quick snuggle with your with your dog) before you arrive at the temptation-filled event.

If you find yourself fighting cravings, the answer might be more pleasure, instead of more deprivation. A move as simple as a light stroke of your palm might stop you from grabbing for those chips, yelling at your spouse or fuming about the line that’s moving too slow for your stressed out brain.

( I know stroking your palm sounds, well, odd, but it’s an action that quickly stimulates the pleasure centers in your brain and stops negative chemical reactions in their tracks)

Have a pleasurable evening and thank you for reading my post. I hope it pleased your hard working brain.

Mary