A human brain weighs just over 1.5 kilograms. This fact would be anecdotal without knowing that this soft mass consumes about 20% of all the energy the body produces. An organ that accounts for just 2% of body weight devours one-fifth of our daily fuel. The brain is where our ideas, decisions, fears, strategies and plans are born. Therefore, it is not surprising that neuroscience, fascinated with this sophisticated machine, ended up being interested in how you think, feel and get tired in the workplace.

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What neuroproductivity is and why the brain uses so much energy at work

Neuroproductivity is essentially the intersection of brain science and a person’s performance at work. It is a field that explores how we can be more productive, how we can cultivate more conscious leadership, or what we can do to improve capabilities such as attention, learning, or creativity. Neuro-productivity aims to optimise our brains’ performance and enhance efficiency in both work and daily life by understanding how the brain functions, thereby enabling the application of this knowledge. Every person has extraordinary potential that, well-oriented, can translate not only into results but into a more balanced and fulfilling work life.

 

Neuroproductivity is essentially the intersection of brain science and a person’s performance at work.

 

From one task to another

Until recently, our biological clock was believed to be governed by 24-hour days, the circadian rhythm on which physical and mental changes depended. However, we now know that there are other shorter units of time, of approximately four hours, known as ultradian rhythms, that can alter levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that secretes a sense of reward. This makes it advisable to stop working every 90 minutes and take a break to avoid toxicity and fatigue. These rhythms would also explain the energy spikes known as chronotypes, which are at a specific point in each employee’s work schedule, and which they need to take advantage of.

In his book La nueva gestión del tiempo (new time management) neuroproductivity expert Miquel Nadal reflects on how to recreate our work habits and use time appropriately. In the past, productivity was synonymous with “don’t stop”; however, it is now advisable to carefully select what we are going to deal with; if we eliminate ancillary tasks, we can free up mental space. Philosopher Nicolás Malebranche previously said that “attention is a quality of the soul.” That is why neuroproductivity makes a claim for deep work, that state of prolonged concentration where the brain puts all of its ‘cognitive artillery’ at the service of a single task.

reloj antiguo

Health Psychology Review demonstrated that multitasking is directly related to higher levels of stress, with increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system and decreased activation of the parasympathetic nervous system while performing multiple tasks at once. This is why it is advisable to start the day by planning the tasks to be completed that day, being realistic, setting preference criteria, and avoiding expectations that will not be met.

 

Rest and Productivity: scientific clues to performing better at work

One of the key principles that underscores neuroproductivity is the need to prioritise rest periods as a performance tool. Here, we are not just referring to getting a good night’s sleep, although this remains the foundation. According to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, workers claiming to have trouble sleeping are 47% more likely to report errors at work.

 

In the past, productivity was synonymous with “don’t stop”; however, it is now advisable to carefully select what we are going to deal with.

 

While we sleep, the hippocampus, the nerve centre of memory, rearranges and consolidates what we have learned during the day. Indeed, the researcher Matthew Walker warns in his book Why We Sleep that sleeping for less than six hours interrupts memory consolidation and neurotoxic waste cleanup processes. However, it is also about taking short breaks during the day. In Japan, for example, a short nap (inemuri) is understood as a demonstration of commitment to work, as it indicates that the employee has been working so hard that they need a short break. Although it may seem a cultural curiosity, neuroscience supports these short pauses. Rybel Wix, Clinical Neurophysiologist and sleep medicine specialist at the Sleep Unit at HM Sanchinarro University Hospital, says strategic and short naps of about 20 minutes can improve alertness and cognitive performance.

 

How dopamine and the state of flow improve motivation at work

Another discovery related to neuroproductivity has to do with dopamine, the neurotransmitter that regulates the reward circuit and is closely linked to motivation. Optimal dopamine levels boost persistence and the ability to stay focused on a long-term goal, while deficits are related to procrastination and disinterest. That is why the brain ‘rewards’ progress. Harvard professor Teresa Amabile calls this the Progress Principle, basically affirming that even small daily advances in meaningful assignments create a positive emotional drive that improves cognitive performance. This explains why methods such as time blocking or the Pomodoro technique work by structuring time into manageable blocks, allowing the brain to experience small doses of success that feed the dopamine circuit.

When this positive cycle is maintained, the state of flow described by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi appears, from the moment when concentration is so intense that the perception of time is distorted and skills perform at their peak. Today we know that, in that state, the brain reduces the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (associated with conscious control) to enable a more automatic, efficient and creative response.

 

Neuroproductivity and Leadership: leading more consciously

The impact of neuroproductivity goes beyond the individual worker, because in corporate settings understanding brain function is helping to rethink leadership. Programs developed by institutions such as the NeuroLeadership Institute have shown that leaders who understand the biology of stress, i.e. how a perceived threat triggers the tonsils and inhibits the prefrontal cortex, can create psychologically safe environments where innovation flourishes. Thus, ‘neuro leadership’ is gaining space by stimulating conversations that reduce uncertainty and activate oxytocin, the hormone that fosters cooperation. Empathetic leadership has a measurable effect on cortisol reduction in work teams, fostering a climate where productivity is associated with well-being, not constant pressure. In the final analysis, neuroproductivity is about working for the brain, not against it, designing tasks that connect meaning and achievement, based on the understanding that the human mind thrives in environments where it feels safe, valued and motivated.

 

Leaders who understand the biology of stress can create psychologically safe environments where innovation flourishes.

 

Basically, neuroproductivity invites you to rethink how and why you work. It is not just about reaching targets; it means doing it in a way that respects the complexity of the mind and the balance a person needs. By better understanding our brain, it is possible to build work environments where creativity flourishes and leadership inspires rather than imposes. Perhaps true success does not lie in producing without pauses, but in doing it with intelligence, a sense of purpose and well-being.