Get your brain in motion

Tag: John Medina

A Users manual for your Brain?

The theme of Diplocalendar 2013 was inspired by Mark Twain’s quotation that: “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them”.

Brain Rules

Diplomats, like many other professionals, must read, understand, synthesise and make sense of newspapers, magazines, emails, official reports and so many other things related to their daily work. But there is so much else to read both for pleasure and to deepen our knowledge.

The selected book suggested for the month of April that supports professional development and is relevant to management in diplomacy is John Medina’s Brain Rules

Brain Rules – 12 principles for Surviving and Thriving

John Medina, molecular biologist, is the author of a “MUST HAVE” book titled “Brain Rules. 12 principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School“.

Here are the 12 Principles:

1. Exercise: it boosts brain power
2. Survival: the human brain evolved too
3. Wiring: every brain is wired differently
4. Attention: we don’t pay attention to boring things
5. Short-term memory: Repeat to remember
6. Long-term memory: Remember to repeat
7. Sleep: sleep well, think well
8. Stress: stressed brains don’t learn the same way
9. Sensory integration: stimulate more of the senses
10. Vision: vision trumps all other senses
11. Gender: male and female brains are different
12. Exploration: we are powerful and natural explorers