Sue France FCIPD INLPTA https://www.suefrance.com International, motivational speaker, trainer and coach for Office Managers, Executive Assistants, Secretaries and Professional Administrators. Author of 'The Definitive Personal Assistant & Secretarial Handbook’ and ‘The Definitive Executive Assistant & Managerial Handbook' Fri, 16 Jan 2015 15:23:55 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 Neuroscience – the brain is the most complex living structure in the Universe – aren’t we lucky! https://www.suefrance.com/2015/01/neuroscience-the-brain-is-the-most-complex-living-structure-in-the-universe-arent-we-lucky/ https://www.suefrance.com/2015/01/neuroscience-the-brain-is-the-most-complex-living-structure-in-the-universe-arent-we-lucky/#respond Fri, 09 Jan 2015 02:12:00 +0000 http://www.suefrance.com/2015/01/neuroscience-the-brain-is-the-most-complex-living-structure-in-the-universe-arent-we-lucky/ “Neuroscience – the power and excellence of your brain is down to you!” By Sue France FCIPD INLPTA international motivational speaker and facilitator of workshops for Secretaries, Executive Assistants and Office Managers We are all very lucky that each one of us owns the most complex living structure in the Universe – our brain!! Unfortunately […]

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]]> “Neuroscience – the power and excellence of your brain is down to you!”
By Sue France FCIPD INLPTA international motivational speaker and facilitator of workshops for Secretaries, Executive Assistants and Office Managers
We are all very lucky that each one of us owns the most complex living structure in the Universe – our brain!! Unfortunately our brains do not come with an instruction book and would we read it anyway?
In order to maximize the power of our brain we need to understand how it works.  Neuroscientists are discovering more about our brains every day and have recently discovered that our brains have neuroplasticity which means our brains can change and keep on changing. This is good news for us because it means that we are able to cope with our fast changing world of work and life as a whole.  So it is up to us to make our brain change for the better and to keep it as healthy as possible to help us in pursuit of excellence. It is also worth noting that as soon as our brain thinks of change it produces a threat response of fight, flight, fright or freeze, so the sheer fact of understanding the fact that we naturally resist change gives us ammunition to prevent this from happening. We should tell ourselves to STOP and think about exactly what is going on here.
Check yourself and realise what you are thinking. 
What you need to do to maximize your brain for excellence is use self-directed neuroplasticity by building self-awareness.  You need to make sure you constantly and rigorously observe yourself so that you notice what you are thinking and feeling and what that means to you in any given moment.  You can only make new and informed choices when you are conscious of the ones you are making now.
A friend of mine was seriously ill in hospital with septicaemia – blood poisoning and she ‘died’ and was revived 5 times in intensive care. She was in hospital for a few months and at first she couldn’t lift her knife and fork to eat and couldn’t walk but gradually with practice and determination and gradual usage she is now back to normal.
So imagine what a healthy brain can do – neurons take on the job of neurons that die – when you tell yourself you can’t then you can’t but if you tell yourself you believe you can your neurons will create those new pathways and you can!  You need to shift your mind set about what you are able to do.
Neuroscientists also state how important sleep is for our health and in particular our brain. It is interesting to note that we use 100% of our brains over a 24-hour period and fascinatingly our brains work 20% more during sleep than it does when we are awake.
  
The importance of sleep
During sleep our brains get rid of the toxic poisons that we create when we are awake such as cortisol, which is known as our stress hormone. Cortisol can be quite debilitating if we have too much of it over long periods. In work there are many occasions where our cortisol levels may increase such as working with difficult colleagues or simply being left out of a meeting or not been asked to lunch with the rest of the team leaving you wondering why. An adult needs between 6 and 8 hours sleep so your brain can keep itself clean and healthy. If you are not getting enough sleep it means that your brain is operating with toxins floating around which are poisons that prevent you from thinking clearly. Sleep also plays an important part in the memory and learning process.
During sleep your brain tidies up ideas and concepts that you are thinking about or have been learning. It erases the less important parts of memories and simultaneously strengthens areas that you need or want to remember. During sleep your brain rehearses some of the information you are trying to learn, going over and over neural pathways to strengthen and deepen them. Sleep also makes a difference in your ability to figure out difficult problems and understand what you are trying to learn so your brain is working for you even during sleep.
If you go over what you are learning just before you sleep and set your mind to dream about it, you have an increased chance of dreaming about it and learning whilst asleep. 
Sleep is needed for the regeneration of neurons and for putting your short-term memories into long-term memories and generating new synaptic connections and new memories. After periods of extended reduced sleep neurons may begin to malfunction, visibly affecting a person’s behaviour.
Moods
With insufficient sleep during the night, many people become agitated or moody the following day. When limited sleep becomes a chronic issue, studies have shown it can lead to long-term mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.
The benefits of sleep are extensive and can make a difference in your quality of life and of those around you whether at home or work. Therefore, it is vital to place a priority on getting plenty of consistent sleep so you wake up in a good mood with boosted optimism and positivity and ready to make a difference and add value and ultimately live a longer life.
Similarly your brain needs rest periods during the day to ‘reboot’ so make sure you take short breaks during the day plus your lunch hour especially when you are working on complicated matters and problems. You can ‘incubate’ problems by writing them down on a white board and leave them there so you know you won’t forget. Then get some exercise and take a walk in fresh air get your lunch and when you come back you will find that your subconscious brain will have been working on it for you and you may well find that you have thought of solutions and the way forward. 
The importance of Exercise for boosting brainpower
The role of exercise on thinking clearly, feeling happy and less moody is profound and neuroscientists have found that using exercise instead of anti-depressants can work just as well if not better. They have proven that exercise increases brainpower including thought processes and problem solving and can even help delay diseases like Alzheimers.
When you first start exercising, your body recognizes this as a moment of stress as your heart pressure increases and the brain thinks you are either fighting or fleeing and in order to protect yourself and your brain from stress you release the feel good hormones such as endorphins and it also regulates the release of 3 useful neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine which are most commonly associated with the maintenance of good mental health and happiness.  That is why we often feel at ease, happy and things are clearer after exercising.
Therefore to help maximize your brains for excellence you need to make sure you realise what you are thinking at all times and tell yourself to STOP whenever negativity or threat responses arise and to tell yourself to think clearly.  In order to be able to think clearly you need to make sure you get plenty of sleep as well as exercise.
Of course neuroscientists have discovered a lot more about our brains and continue to do so therefore watch out for my next blog on further tips to maximize your brain for excellence.
Sue specializes in teaching secretaries, executive assistants and office managers in bespoke workshops lasing from 1 hour to 5 days depending on your needs and is happy to travel anywhere in the world. Check out www.suefrance.com and you can contact sue at sue@suefrance.com
Article by Sue France FCIPD INLPTA
Trainer, coach, Author and conference Chairman
Author of “The Definitive Personal Assistant & Secretarial Handbook and
“The Definitive Executive Assistant & Managerial Handbook”
Qualified FCIPD L&D Practitioner and coach
Certified Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner
Certified TetraMap® Facilitator
Neuroscience enthusiast

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]]> https://www.suefrance.com/2015/01/neuroscience-the-brain-is-the-most-complex-living-structure-in-the-universe-arent-we-lucky/feed/ 0 How to remember people’s names especially when networking: https://www.suefrance.com/2013/04/how-to-remember-peoples-names-especially-when-networking/ https://www.suefrance.com/2013/04/how-to-remember-peoples-names-especially-when-networking/#respond Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:20:00 +0000 http://www.suefrance.com/2013/04/how-to-remember-peoples-names-especially-when-networking/ How to remember people’s names especially when networking: First – prepare, then –  pay attention and finally – practice Prepare a strategy for who you are going to meet. When attending any kind of networking event try and get hold of a list of attendees and research some of them so you know a little […]

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How to remember people’s names especially when networking:
First – prepare, then –  pay attention and finally – practice
Prepare a strategy for who you are going to meet. When attending any kind of networking event try and get hold of a list of attendees and research some of them so you know a little about them. Decide to give them full eye contact, and concentrate on them fully, with no distractions and actively listen. Decide that this person is really important, and that their name is the most personal thing they own remembering that people like to hear their own name spoken.
By Paying Attention, you take in the first impression the person makes and hear and focus on their name. When you meet someone and you introduce yourselves to each other.  You should help them remember your name by saying “Hello my name is Sue (then pause and repeat your first name and then your last name) Sue France”.   Make sure your hear their name correctly and repeat their first name back to them to help put it in your long term memory (rather than your short term memory).
 “Hello, Fiona, it’s nice to meet you. So where are you from, Fiona?” Allow the conversation to continue, and use their name once or twice more. When you depart, remember to say their name as you are departing and ask them for their business card, and their LinkedIn account details, so you can keep in touch.
You can write on their business card any details that you want to remember about them including how they looked, their dress sense, their mannerisms and anything else that stands out if it helps you remember their name for the next time you meet.  You should also write on their card anything you may need to follow up on like sending them an email with information that you agreed to send etc
Then – practice. Create a link between what you see and then say their name to yourself. Repeat their name in your mind a few times. Practice this linking pattern so your brain has a chance to associate the name with your visual memory.
By preparing well, paying attention and then practicing what you have picked up, you have great opportunities to improve your memory and start remembering those names and faces. And that will help you in your overall communication skills

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]]> https://www.suefrance.com/2013/04/how-to-remember-peoples-names-especially-when-networking/feed/ 0 Do you want to be included in my new book for secretaries, assistants and office managers? https://www.suefrance.com/2011/12/do-you-want-to-be-included-in-my-new-book-for-secretaries-assistants-and-office-managers/ https://www.suefrance.com/2011/12/do-you-want-to-be-included-in-my-new-book-for-secretaries-assistants-and-office-managers/#respond Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:21:00 +0000 http://www.suefrance.com/2011/12/do-you-want-to-be-included-in-my-new-book-for-secretaries-assistants-and-office-managers/          I am always being asked “What was the reason for you to start writing your book “The Definitive Personal Assistant & Secretarial Handbook”? I started writing the book because after I was awarded “The UK Times Crème/DHL PA of the Year 2006” I was frequently asked to present at PA conferences.  Whilst at one particular […]

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]]>          I am always being asked “What was the reason for you to start writing your book “The Definitive Personal Assistant & Secretarial Handbook”?

I started writing the book because after I was awarded “The UK Times Crème/DHL PA of the Year 2006” I was frequently asked to present at PA conferences.  Whilst at one particular conference in London, I had just presented and I was listening to the next speaker on innovation and creativity through mind-mapping.  He asked us to draw ourselves in the middle of the A4 page and mind-map all the different areas of our lives being as creative as we could incorporating ambitions and letting us know that everything we wanted was possible and it didn’t matter how far-fetched it sounds.    With my creative juices flowing, ‘Secretarial handbook’ popped into my brain so I wrote it down on the ambition branch.   I was asked to share my mind-map with the delegates and when I said “secretarial handbook” the delegates immediately shouted out I should write one as there was a gap in the market for such a book for the 21st century assistant.  One particular delegate said that she had searched the internet and bookshops for an up-to-date secretarial handbook for the 21st Century assistant and could not find one suitable for her needs and another delegate confirmed this to be true and to be quite honest I also thought that there was a lack of good books for the needs of today’s Assistant.  At breaks and lunch more delegates were asking me if I would indeed write a book so I agreed that I would see if I could find a publisher.    I believe if you don’t ask you don’t get so I went to The Times editor who had awarded me the PA of the Year title and asked if The Times would find me a publisher which they did.  They introduced me to Kogan Page and in August 2009 my book was published and it has sold over 19000 copies worldwide and is still selling successfully.
Testimonial for current book:  
 
“I have just read your book and wanted to say how motivated I feel having done so.  I actually carry it around so I can refer to it and I have even started looking at how to do things differently.  I have adopted the Work Matrix, which is working extremely well and you know, I think I even feel more confident than I have in a long while.”  Michelle Connolly
If anyone would like to buy my book you can buy it off my website and I will sign it personally for you.  I will also give you 20% off for reading this blog.  All you need to do is put the word FAVOUR (in caps) in the code box. 
I am now writing my 2nd book “The Definitive Executive Assistant & Managerial Handbook” which will help every assistant who manages other people and that means all assistants as we all manage our bosses!  
If any experienced assistants who supervise, lead and manage others would like to be included in my book and possibly have your quotes included as well as being acknowledged on my acknowledgements page then write to mewith your advice for everyone at sue@suefrance.com and you will be in print forever.  
One of my New Year resolutions is to write blogs and this is my first one so the more interest I get the more I will write and they will include helpful hints, tips and success stories in the assistant world.  
I sincerely hope you all have a healthy, prosperous, happy and wonderful 2012.
Sue France

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