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A Brain Researcher Says This Is How You Should Start Your Workday. Most People Do the Opposite

Inc.

Minda Zetlin

Overview

Most people begin their workday by clearing easy emails and checking off small tasks. A brain researcher says that’s exactly backwards. But the solution is just one simple idea: reserve your strongest mental energy for the work that matters most. Center for BrainHealth's Erin Venza, PhD, CCC-SLP, encourages professionals to identify no more than two meaningful, high-impact tasks each day, which she calls “elephants,” and devote focused 45-minute sessions to completing them. This approach breaks large goals into achievable steps while supporting motivation and a sense of accomplishment. A key takeaway is that people should tackle demanding work during their peak cognitive hours, which for many occurs early in the day. Rather than beginning the morning with routine emails and administrative tasks, Venza recommends using that prime mental bandwidth for complex problem-solving, strategic thinking and creative work. Read more at Inc.

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Erin Venza in a black blouse with lights, portrait. Lead Clinician

Erin Venza, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Director of Research Operations

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