Did you know your brain has 3 gears? Is your brain in the right gear?

​Scientists have quite recently discovered that a blue dot deep in our brain actually acts as a master switch for our brain with three settings.

This blue dot is called the locus coeruleus, and the best way to think about it is as a tiny little gearbox with 3 gears.

Gear 1, the slowest mode, is where your mind is just wandering aimlessly and we tend to day-dream (scientists call this the default more network).

The good thing about this gear is it can unlock our creativity and help us see connections we might otherwise miss.

Gear 2, the intermediate speed mode is actually the sweet spot that we want to be in when you need to get stuff done, especially when you’re doing important work.

In this gear, you are able to focus effectively on the task at hand and get things done. We can call this execution mode.

Gear 3, the fastest speed mode, is where everything in terms of information processing is happening much faster.

But this isn’t necessarily a good thing because there is a speed vs accuracy trade-off. The thinking part of your brain isn’t fully online at this point and you’re likely to make mistakes.

If your brain spends too much time in gear 3, you’re basically in a more stressed and reactive mode and are just responding to things instead of being able to step back, analyze the situation and come up with creative solutions.

So, ideally you want to start off your day in gear 1 – a good way to activate this state is to NOT look at your phone first thing in the morning but to get outside within about half an hour of waking and get some health sunlight into our eyes which stimulates creativity.

Then within about 2 or 3 hours you want to get into gear 2, and brighter lights help with this in making you more alert so you can be more focused and get into GSD (Get S@#! Done) mode.

You want to avoid getting into gear 3 as much as possible because that will activate the stress system of your body and can ultimately lead to burnout.

Here are 3 things you can do to keep your brain in the goldilocks zone:

• Mindful Focus: Incorporate short, mindful breaks to shift your brain into a more creative state.
• Novelty: Engage with new and challenging experiences to stimulate brain plasticity.
• Sleep: Ensure you're well-rested, as sleep is critical for your brain’s recovery and optimal performance.

So, what gear do you think your brain is in right now?

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