I know it's been a while for many people now working from home, but can you remember your commute to work, or back home after work? Unless there was an accident or an unusual deviation, this journey is quickly disregarded. I live in South Florida, home to reckless driving and tourists, and I still don't recall how I made it home most days. This is due to spatial mapping. This same process happens when we wake up in the middle of the night to get a cup of water or release our aging bladders in complete darkness, somehow surviving the many pinky toe injuries along the way. Another product of adaptation also unfolds, autopilot. After driving the same route or walking the same hallway so many times, these tasks no longer occupy the "thinking" part of the brain. They get placed in storage as information, much like a fact. We rely on this information to stay the same, which is why when your kids leave their legos in the middle of your room and you get up at 3 am to use the bathroom, you step right on them, they're not "supposed" to be there. This might happen a few times before your brain adjusts and says, "Ummm... let's turn the light on this time." I hope your feet survive the journey.
Have you seen the new movie Sonic? I watched this recently with my son, super cute movie. In one scene Sonic is playing baseball by himself when he becomes emotional and starts ferociously running around the field. After repeated laps, he creates deep grooves that he sinks in to. He ultimately emits a burst of energy and gets the hell out of there. If only it were that simple for us mere humans. Our brains create these same deep grooves, called pathways. After repeated exposure with the same response, our brains assimilate this behavior as "normal." And, voila, your shortcut has been created. Autopilot can be a good thing. It is based on survival instincts that allow us to focus on what is different in our environment, like a potential threat. It also allows us to classify objects and ideas together for more efficient brain utilization. The problem is when you get stuck in autopilot and don't see all the minor variations happening around you, and they are constantly happening. The deeper the grooves, the harder it is to jump out of them. This is (one of the reasons) why children say the funniest things and even sometimes create "aha" moments. Their brains are still growing at such a rate that there are very few pathways, leaving all options open for the taking. At least until mom or dad steps in and "corrects" the thought pattern, reinforcing an idea that the child will grow to learn and practice, eventually creating his own pathways (this is why we turn into our parents as we age). Once your brain categorizes an event or reaction as your "normal" response, what happens when that is challenged?
Introducing the threat stress response, "OMG this is different, it, therefore, must be dangerous... run!" We see this all the time, usually close to political and religious beliefs. If not mindful, this response creates a cyclical pattern of reinforcement, and mental growth is halted. You see why this is so dangerous. Applied to the professional arena, if you're on autopilot surely you're missing vital opportunities all around, such as. unique financial gains, or the chance to help out a fellow team member, even social gatherings. The good news is, with additional awareness, and effort, the brain is flexible (termed plasticity) enough to make any changes you push it to. I encourage you to practice metacognition, which basically is thinking about thinking. Before you respond or make a decision, ask yourself if your response is based on a pattern you don't really own, or on the specific situation presented before you. Start small, take a different route to work, eat outside, have breakfast for dinner, there are so many minor things you can do at any time throughout your day to reduce autopilot. Then start applying this theory of mind to cognitive function by playing devil's advocate. Try to see the many different ways to approach a particular situation. Even if your response stays the same, by practicing these mental somersaults, your brain starts to think a little more creatively each day, and you start controlling your decisions, instead of your decisions controlling you.
Another day we'll talk about how this same process can affect your personal values, and reevaluate where you really stand.
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