Overloaded Circuits: Why Smart People UnderperformBY: Edward M. Hollowel

Submitted to: Sir Ashfaq Ahmad Khan LodhiSubmitted By:Zeeshan Ali KhanIshtaiq AhmadHassan Fraz

Why Smart People Underperform

Norms of our Society Work attitude and Environment Overloaded Brain Circuits Brain Function Attention Deficit Disorder and

Attention Deficit Trait

NORMS OF OUR SOCIETY

The chief value of the modern era is speed – the form of ecstasy that technology has bestowed on modern man. –Milan Kundera

Why Smart People underperform

While you give your best to work but sometimes it is difficult to understand why you underperform, in spite of you being Smart, Then its time you should know a couple of things about your Work, Attitude and Environment.

What contributes to brain overload today?

Increasing demands on our attention… Waterfall of information Tidal wave of tasks Relentless requests Ongoing shifts of context E-mail, phones, cell phones, voice-mail, text

messaging, Blackberrys Push to do more with fewer people Expansion of world to encompass the globe Addiction to speed…do everything faster, faster,

faster

“Never in history has the human brain been asked to track so many data points…”

What is the result?

Fear or Panic Guilt that you can’t keep up—or

can’t just suck it up Rushed in everything you do Curt or irritable Flexibility and creativity decline Working memory declines (the

number of data points you can keep track of at once)

Brain Overload:

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

A phenomenon in which the Brain is effected by the physical and chemical changes. ADT (Attention

Deficit Trait)A newly Recognized neurological Phenomenon.

Brain Overload Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD or ADHD)

Rooted in genetics, affects brain physically and chemically

A performance, rather than knowledge, deficit Attention Deficit Trait (ADT)

Upon overload, brain fires signals of crisis:▪ Fear▪ Anxiety▪ Impatience▪ Irritability▪ Anger▪ Panic▪ Impacts endocrine, respiratory,

cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and peripheral nervous systems

ADT (Attention Deficit Trait) What does ADT stand for ?

ADT : Attention deficit trait Cause : Brain overload caused by overwork Symptom : Distractibility, inner frenzy and

impatience Result : Difficulty in staying organized, setting

priority and managing time.

As our minds fill with noise, the brain gradually loses its capacity to attend fully or thoroughly to anything

ADT

The ADT sufferer feels a constant low level of panic or guilt. Facing a tidal wave of tasks, curt, peremptory and unfocused, while pretending that everything is fine.

ADT is characterized by ADD’s negative symptoms which include a tendency to procrastinate and miss deadlines.

ADT: Triggered by trying to deal with more input than you can

Results in “survival mode” behavior: Impulsive judgments Hard to think clearly Black-and-white thinking Angrily rushing to closure on tasks, decision, etc. Robbed of flexibility Sense of humor evaporates Forget big picture, goals, values Lose creativity and ability to change plans You may meltdown, blame others, sabotage

self…or, go into avoidance mode and denial

Strategies for Best Thinking: Preventative measures

Promote positive emotions▪ Create a trusting, connected work

environment – promote brain power by fostering connections and reducing fear▪ Have a friendly, face-to-face talk with a

person you like every 4-6 hours

Strategies for Best Thinking:Preventative measures

Take physical care of your brain▪Sleep▪Good diet, lower in refined carbohydrates▪Take a multivitamin suppliments▪Exercise (your brain loves the chemicals that result from moving your body)▪Don’t drink much alcohol

Strategies for Best Thinking:Preventative measures

Organize for ADT▪ Keep your frontal lobes in control▪ Break large tasks down into smaller ones▪ Keep a section of your work space clear at all times▪ Keep a portion of your day free of appointments and e-

mail▪ Limit your e-mail hours▪ Attend to critical tasks first when you start your day…

don’t get sucked into the e-mail or voice mail black hole▪ At the end of the day, make a list of no more than 5

priorities for the next day▪ Do your most important work during your best time of day▪ Note how you work best (music, standing, walking around,

etc.) and set up your work space to allow for it

Strategies for Best Thinking: Preventative measures

Protect your frontal lobes

▪ Take time to comprehend what’s going on▪ Listen, ask questions, digest

What to do if you begin to feel overwhelmed

Slow down Do an easy rote task Move around Do not worry alone – ask for help,

delegate, or brainstorm with a colleague

FACT

As demands continue to increase, a toxic, high pressure environment leads to high rates of employee illness and turnover.

What leader can do ?

Leader should invent a positive environment

Leader should match employees’ skills to tasks.

WHAT A COMPANY CAN DO?

1. In Firms, that ignore ADT symptoms EMPLOYEES Underachieve Create clutter Cut corner Careless mistakes etc. etc.

2. In fact the company should make A friendly work environment Less stressed work load

FIRST THINGS FIRST(PRIORTIZE)

Almost all management of self-improvement books talk about prioritizing work or every task that you take up.

You need to ask yourself how important is this task and when you need to finish it? You do not have all the time and energy to do all things.

If you don’t prioritize, many things will be undone and if they are important things, then it purely affects your performance.

When you focus on the top priority activities, you will achieve much more than before.

Key finding and learning

Quality sleeping -> Quit smoking Standing, walking and thinking while

working hours Exercise

Playing tennis Hiking -> mental refresh-ness

Reading the book Clear your desk Put your things in right place

Reference:

“Overloaded Circuits: Why Smart People Underperform,” by Edward M. Hallowell, MD. Harvard Business Review, January 2005

Thank You