“New Year, New You, Neu Roplasticity!”
Audible Blog
Earlier this month, I went to a Funzing talk, entitled: “The Neuroscience of Powerful Habits”, presented by … a neuroscientist! Dr Gabija Toleikyte is a Lithuanian-born, London-based neuroscientist, business and career coach, and soon-to-be new mother; I may have caught one of her very last lectures before she goes off to give birth. I’m so very glad I did. It’s a pretty appropriate time of year to be hearing this stuff. And I need it – believe me – having ditched my new year’s resolution by day 4 of 2018!
New Year New You Neuroplasticity
In order for us to change, our brains have to change first.
Gabija was a great speaker; not only does she really know her stuff – giving regular talks on the neuroscience of everything from productivity and emotions to relationship success – but she also has a delightful energy, even when heavily pregnant, leading us through a military-style warm-up drill before the slides even began.
But the content really stood up for itself.
The central question running through her presentation was this:
How can we best ‘team up’ with our brains to make changes that really last?
In this post I will briefly outline the ideas that most inspired me, and the insights I walked away with at the end of the evening. All quotes featured are from Dr. Gabija Toleikyte.
The three parts of the brain
Gabija briefly presented the Triune Brain Model (McLean, 1990), describing the LIZARD brain, the most primitive part, concerned with basic survival needs and instincts; the MAMMAL brain, also known as the limbic system, involved with memory, emotions and habits; and the HUMAN brain, also known as the neocortex, the most sophisticated part, responsible for rational thought, learning, decision-making, creativity and empathy. It is also, says Gabija, the only part of the brain that can actually create change.
Energy usage
Change requires energy, attention and consistency.
She then compared these three brains to vehicles of different sizes, each one demanding a different quantity of fuel. The neocortex or ‘human brain’, likened to a Boeing 747, requires huge amounts of energy and is therefore only available to the average adult for about 4-6 hours a day.
Creating the conditions for change
Too much novelty creates anxiety.
If we want to establish new habits – like regular exercise, music practice or meditation, we have a far better chance of succeeding if we do this early in the day when those energy reserves are still high. Leave it until later – when we are all ‘used-up’ from work – and we’ll be relying on the more primitive parts of the brain – more geared towards safety, comfort and routine. For the same reason, Gabija also recommends getting plenty of sleep, rest and good nourishment when we are trying to implement something new; not trying to change too many things at once; and doing what we can to reduce stress and challenge in other areas.
Neural pathways
A big part of why it can feel so hard to change old, long-established habits is because they have become literally ingrained or ‘wired’ into our brains – in the form of ‘neural networks’. Gabija explained how these pathways become stronger or weaker over time with use or lack of use. So it works both ways: new habits can be ‘programmed in’ and old habits can be ‘programmed out’. How long might this take? – I wondered. Gabija soon answered that. Little and often, she says, is the fastest way to create new neural pathways. She explained that simple changes, like increasing or decreasing something you are already doing, can take about three weeks to get established; more complex changes, like creating a new routine or practice or giving up a significant habit, could take about three months.
So there’s truth in the old saying, ‘little and often makes much’!
Neuroplasticity
Our brains have an unlimited potential to learn and change.
Everyone’s been banging on about brain plasticity – have you noticed? It’s not surprising, though. The implications are quite staggering. If it’s new to you, the first three paragraphs of this article by Debbie Hampton offer a very clear and quick sum-up of key recent developments in neuroscience.
But Gabija added something that I hadn’t personally heard before. She said that brain plasticity, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections”, actually increases in response to both physical exercise and new learning – whatever our age.
Identifying the needs behind the habits
One way we can begin to re-programme the brain, Gabija explained, is by asking ourselves what needs are being met by a bad habit, and then replacing that with something better that meets the same needs. Without addressing the needs behind the habits, the old synaptic connections will remain and change is unlikely to be sustainable. So whatever you’re low on – energy, comfort, support, pleasure, excitement – are there other ways you can fulfil these needs that don’t drag you down?
Creating positive associations
Gabija also suggested staying positive when trying to change something – focusing on the gains rather than the losses. Stress releases cortisol which makes the brain less plastic; pleasure releases dopamine and oxytocin, sending more oxygen and energy to the neocortex – exactly what we need!
Rewards, accountability and support
Create a system where change is being supported and rewarded for 1-3 months.
If the first three months are so crucial in establishing new habits and practices, it does make sense to give ourselves what we need during that time – to maximise our chances of success. Gabija suggested setting up some kind of social accountability, like working with a personal coach or counsellor, and regularly rewarding ourselves for our new behaviour.
New Year New You Neuroplasticity
In closing:
Gabija’s talk gave me a lot of insight into my own habits and behaviours, from a very new angle – neuroscience! It has not only increased my understanding of myself but also my sense of compassion. I saw how I had previously ‘failed’ by placing too-high demands on myself – and my neocortex! I’ve done this either by taking on too many new things or trying to change too many things at once, and by not giving myself the support and rewards that I needed – that would have also made the whole process so much easier and more enjoyable. So I will be buddying up with my brain a bit more, over the coming year, and seeing what difference that might make to my new habits and resolutions – beyond January!
QUESTION: How could you ‘team up’ with your brain more to create lasting change in 2018?
Dr. Gabija Toleikyte on Facebook
Dr. Gabija Toleikyte on LinkedIn
Gabija Toleikyte – The Guardian: Struggling to be Productive at Work? Take a Neuroscientist’s Advice
Simple Defined: Little and Often Makes Much
Neuroplasticity: The 10 Fundamentals of Rewiring Your Brain
The Revolution in Neuroscience and Psychology – Part 1
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