Brain Rules
12 Principles for surviving and
thriving at Work, Home and School
Presented By: Emad Selim
About the Author
Dr. John Medina is a
developmental molecular
biologist and research
consultant. He is an
affiliate Professor of
Bioengineering at the
University of Washington
School of Medicine. He is
also the director of the
Brain Center for Applied
Learning Research at
Seattle Pacific University.
Introduction
• Go ahead and multiply the number 8,388,628
x 2 in your head.
• There is a young man who can double that
number 24 times in a few seconds.
• There is a boy who can tell you the exact time
of day at any moment, even in his sleep.
• There is a girl who can correctly determine the
exact dimensions of an object 20 feet away
Introduction
• There is a child who at age 6 drew such lifelike
and powerful pictures, she got her own show
at a gallery on Madison Avenue.
• Yet none of these children could be taught to
tie their shoes.
• None of them have an IQ greater than 50.
•
The brain is an amazing thing.
About Brain Rules
• All these rules are based on “science” not
speculations.
• All rules are collected from research published
and reviewed
Who cares?
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
• Strength of mind is directly related to the level
of activity.
• Exercise improves cognition for two reasons:
- Increases oxygen flow into the brain
- Acts directly on the molecular machinery of
the brain itself
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Source: Colcombe, S and Kramer, AF (2003)
Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: a meta-analytic study
Psych Sci 14: 125 - 130
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
And Yet …..
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
And Yet …..
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
• How much exercise is enough?
• 30 minutes of cardiovascular 2-3 times a week
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Some Tips:
• Try walking while speaking on the phone.
• Try Parking away from the destination.
• Try taking the stairs instead of elevators.
Bottom line: simple things do make a difference
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Exercise is the “one” factor that can predict how
well we will age.
Exercise benefits the whole body.
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Rule #1
“Exercise boosts brain power”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Messages that grab your attention are connected
to:
Memory
Interest
Awareness
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
• How would that affect software development?
• “"A specification that will not fit on one page of
8.5x11 inch paper cannot be understood."
• What do we feel when hearing that new project
must be:
– Scalable
– Maintainable
– Etc.
Rule #4
“We do not pay attention to boring
things”
• Fully understanding an average software application
requires enormous capacity to absorb and relate
details.
• No one is intelligent enough to program a computer
without simplifying the task.
• Worst Programmers refuse to realize it and try to keep
everything in their head. They ultimately fail. Their ego
prevent them from being better programmers.
• The more you realize your limited capabilities, the
better programmer you are.
Rule #5
“We need to repeat to remember”
People usually
forget
90
percent
of what they
learn in a
class within
30 days
Rule #5
“We need to repeat to remember”
Talking
about an event
immediately after is has
occurred
enhances
memory
for that event
Rule #5
“We need to repeat to remember”
Rule #5
“We need to repeat to remember”
Rule #7
“Sleep well to think well”
Loss of sleep hurts attention, executive
function, immediate memory, mood,
quantitative skills, logical reasoning, general
math knowledge and even motor dexterity.
Rule #7
“Sleep well to think well”
• When we’re asleep, the brain is not resting at
all. It is almost unbelievably active! It’s
possible that the reason we need to sleep is so
that we can learn.
• Sleep must be important because we spend
1/3 of our lives doing it!
• We still don’t know how much we need! It
changes with age, gender, pregnancy, puberty,
and so much more.
Rule #7
“Sleep well to think well”
• Napping is normal. Ever feel tired in the
afternoon? That’s because your brain really
wants to take a nap.
• Taking a nap might make you more
productive.
• In one study, a 26-minute nap improved NASA
pilots’ performance by 34 percent.
• Don’t schedule decision meetings at 3 p.m. It
just doesn’t make sense.
Rule #7
“Stressed brain do not learn the same
way”
• In almost every way it
can be tested, chronic
stress hurts our ability
to learn.
• Specifically affected are
the skills needed to
excel in school and
business.
Rule #7
“Stressed brain do not learn the same
way”
Chronic stress:
• Dangerously deregulates a system built only to deal with short-term
responses.
• Creates too much adrenaline, leading to high blood pressure, and
elevating the risk for heart attack and stroke
• Ravages parts of the immune system involved in producing antibodies.
Rule #7
“Stressed brain do not learn the same
way”
How does that affect software development:
• “Adding people to a late project makes it even later” .
• Working in noisy offices
• Project Heroics  “we will work on Weekends, stay late to finish on
time”.