Dr. Tharaka
Dr. Tharaka 'Dr T' high performance expert and psychiatrist, is a three-times TEDx speaker, Podcaster and has recently appeared in the new celebrity TV series in the UK - "Can I Improve My Memory?" on Channel 4. As creator of the 'Mind, Action, Profit' Blueprint, with his unique Medical background and motivational style, he brings his 'mind and performance' insights to professional audiences around the globe in order to help them improve their personal wellbeing, effectiveness, leadership, teamwork, focus and concentration. He believes that when you 'manage the mind, you can manage your bottom line'
Less Stressed (but more productive)
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"Stress and Burnout are on the rise in the workplace now more than ever before. This attacks our wellbeing, performance and company profit. The post-lockdown working world seems to have turned up the dial on the demand in our lives - more message requests, too many tasks, not enough time, less 'off' time, less interpersonal community at work, the house needs cleaned, the cat needs to go to the vet…the list goes on! In this practical science-based Leqture, Dr T will give you an insight into stress in your personal and professional life, how to spot burnout, and ways to combat it. In this Leqture, you will:
- Understand the mechanics of stress in the brain and body
- Understand Dr T's Burnout Triangle
- Utilise the Stress Bucket Model to decrease Stress in your Personal and Professional Life
- Learn ways to reduce the risks of Burnout at work
You can maximise your wellbeing and performance in Personal and Professional life!
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During the expert session, Dr. Tharaka engages the audience through a live demonstration using the Mentimeter app, where they identify stress coping mechanisms by drawing and labeling them on a virtual bucket. Tharaka also leads an interactive activity involving multitasking tasks to highlight its impact on performance and brain health. Throughout the session, he shares valuable tips for managing multitasking, burnout, and productivity traps, encouraging participants to prioritize self-care and effective communication.
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- Recognize and Manage Stress Effectively: Identifying personal coping mechanisms and making time for them is essential for maintaining balance and preventing burnout in both personal and professional life. (Dr. Tharaka's expert session emphasized the importance of a stress bucket, highlighting relaxation techniques, hobbies, effective communication with colleagues, and prioritizing self-care.)
- Mastering Multitasking: Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is not an efficient way to get things done. Focus on one task at a time and take regular breaks to give your brain a rest for improved productivity and mental wellbeing. (Dr. Tharaka demonstrated the negative effects of multitasking during his expert session and advised participants to stay focused on one task to avoid brain fatigue and toxic stress.)
- Productivity Tips and Tricks: Overcoming productivity traps like people pleasing and perfectionism can significantly improve your work-life balance. Practice saying "soft no's" when dealing with distractions, take time to make decisions, and aim for progress instead of perfection. (Dr. Tharaka shared valuable tips during his expert session on managing multitasking in today's fast-paced world, including staying mindful of productivity traps and employing effective strategies to overcome them.)
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In this expert session, Dr. Tharaka sheds light on the significance of managing stress in both personal and professional aspects of life. With our increasingly hectic schedules, self-care often takes a back seat, leading to potential mental health issues. Tharaka introduces the concept of a "stress bucket" – if we fail to manage our stress effectively, it can overflow and manifest as emotional or mental health problems.
To help prevent burnout, Tharaka encourages identifying coping mechanisms and setting aside time for them. He suggests creating a bucket diagram with a tap representing life's demands and an overflow symbolizing potential stressors. Participants are then encouraged to identify their top coping mechanisms by drilling holes in the bucket and labeling them.
Tharaka emphasizes the importance of recognizing what helps individuals manage stress, be it relaxation techniques, hobbies, team lunches, or effective communication with colleagues. He advises prioritizing these coping mechanisms and protecting them at all costs.
The expert also discusses productivity traps such as people pleasing and perfectionism, offering tips for managing these challenges effectively. Tharaka suggests practicing a "soft no" when dealing with distractions or non-priority tasks, taking time to make decisions, and aiming for progress rather than perfection.
Tharaka then shifts the focus to multitasking in today's fast-paced world. He explains that despite our best efforts, people are multitasking more than ever before, with work culture changing due to the pandemic. Tharaka emphasizes the importance of being aware of this trend and its potential negative effects on brain health and productivity.
To illustrate his point, Tharaska conducts an interactive activity using the Mentimeter app. Participants are asked to identify various elements occurring in a picture and multitask by answering multiple-choice questions while writing digits under each corresponding letter. The results show significant differences in performance among participants.
Tharaka concludes that there is no such thing as multitasking for the brain; instead, we're single-tasking and giving ourselves an illusion of doing multiple things at once, which can lead to increased brain fatigue and toxic stress. To combat this, Tharaka advises staying focused on one task at a time and taking breaks to give your brain a rest.
Throughout the session, Tharaka shares valuable insights on managing multitasking, recognizing stressors, prioritizing coping mechanisms, and maintaining work-life balance. Participants are left with actionable tips for improving their overall wellbeing in today's fast-paced world.
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"Your Brain at Work: Neuroscience Keys for Optimised Mind & Performance"
To achieve different results, you must first change behavior by changing the mind. In this high-energy session, Dr. T will share practical tips to help individuals and teams optimize their mind and performance, including enhancing energy, assessing wellness, focusing on controllables, debunking the multitasking myth, and maintaining motivation.
Practical Psychological Safety
Psychological safety, a key driver of high performance, fosters an open environment where team members can freely speak up, ask questions, and challenge perspectives. This session will teach you to define psychological safety, understand its brain-science, use the 4 Step Staircase Model, assess your team's current safety levels, and develop a practical plan to enhance psychological safety, inclusion, and communication.
"What's their name again? Why did I walk into this room? What were my 4 actions from that last team meeting? Where did I put my car keys?! Aaaargh!" We all have 'memory' but we all seem to want to improve it. But how? After all, those with a good memory are often more productive, accurate and perceived to be more reliable and trustworthy. In this insightful, fun and massively practical Leqture, Dr. T will take you on a journey into the mechanics of memory, explain why our brains forget and teach you some techniques to radically improve your memory power.
