Written by: Adam Harris on April 6, 2023

My parents got divorced when I was young, so I never really knew my Father. That is until he came to stay with us for about a month when I was eleven. I was so happy to see him arrive and even happier to see him leave. He was not what I was expecting. He was authoritative and intense. He immediately started disciplining me like he did new military recruits when he was a drill sergeant in the Army. One punishment was called the “brain drain”. You put your hands behind your back, lean your head on the tile floor, and stay there until you’re allowed to get up. It was not fun and after several rounds I can still remember the exhaustion. Weirdly, I couldn’t help but think about this while reading David Rock’s book.

Although this is a very different scenario, David Rock’s book, Your Brain at Work, is aimed to help people manage their “brain drain” and energy levels. According to Rock, the brain only has so much energy so it’s important to manage it well by knowing yourself and knowing what drains it the most. As he says, “It’s helpful to become aware of your own mental energy needs and schedule accordingly.”[1] Making decisions, deeper thinking (System 2), switching tasks, inhibiting choices, problem solving, constantly checking messages, and new concepts can diminish our energy levels and even lower IQ.[2]

One of the standouts, and reoccurring themes in some readings over the years is how joy and playfulness can energize us, help our creativity, and grow our leadership.[3] “Increasing happiness increases the likelihood of insight, while increasing anxiety decreases the likelihood of insight.”[4] This connects to what Edwin Friedman says in Failure of Nerve, “Chronically anxious families (including institutions and whole societies) tend to mimic the reptilian response: Lacking the capacity to be playful, their perspective is narrow.”[5] Seems obvious, which is how insights work according to Rock, but the degree of joy and playfulness we carry likely reflects how much creativity is in our lives and if we are living from a place of self-differentiation or anxiety.

Of course, we all have different personality types so I don’t think we should all strive to be chuckles the clown. We also hit low patches and should “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15), but I am realizing more and more that joy and living playfully are important qualities for leaders to have. When it comes to our beingand the presence we carry, Paul lists the second fruit of the Spirit as JOY. Go figure!

On a practical level, when I find joy in what I do or shift my mindset to “I get to do this” instead of uhhh “I have to do this”, I notice a huge difference in my energy levels, curiosity, playfulness, and happiness while doing it. David says this helps reinterpret the event and repositions our perspective. Although Rock says reappraisal does spend more energy, it is worth the cost. He also says it gets easier over time. “Optimists may be people who have embedded an automatic positive reappraisal to life’s knocks.”[6] He also says humor is a form of reappraisal, and a cheap one at that.

This was one of the qualities I noticed and admired in Desmond Tutu while at his exhibit in Cape Town, South Africa. He dealt with and fought against major social issues that broke his heart and led him to tears. However, for those who knew him, they said he was a jokester. Seeing the art piece of him swinging from the chandeliers was not what I expected when I first walked into the exhibit, but it gave me a quick idea that he did not fit my “Bishop” expectations. He took his devotion to God, love for people and injustice seriously, but he did not take himself or life too seriously and those around him admired him for it. When I think about being a non-anxious presence, peace usually comes to mind, but I don’t think joy should be too far behind.

Ways to Avoid Brain Drain Through Joy

-Relax, don’t take myself too seriously

-Let my inner child out more. Play, explore, be curious, let go of what others think.

-Quickly reappraise events and situations as opportunities to learn, grow, connect, have adventures, etc.

-Delegate to spend more time doing what I love.

[1] David Rock, “Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long” (New York, NY: Harper Business, 2009), 15.

[2] Kahneman, Daniel, Thinking, Fast and Slow, (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013).

[3] Rath, Tom, and Donald O. Clifton. How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life. (New York: Gallup Press, 2004).

[4] Ibid, 60.

[5] Edwin H. Freidman, Margaret M. Treadwell, and Edward W. Beal, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, (10th anniversary revised edition. New York: Church Publishing, 2017), 55.

[6] Rock, Your Brain at Work,  92.

About the Author

Adam Harris

I am currently the Associate Pastor at a church called Godwhy in Hendersonville, TN near Nashville. We love questions and love people even more. Our faith community embraces God and education wholeheartedly. I graduated from Oral Roberts University for undergrad and Vanderbilt for my masters. I teach historical critical Biblical studies at my church to help our community through their questions and ultimately deepen their faith. I love research, writing, learning, and teaching. I oversee our staff and leadership development. Before being at Godwhy I worked as a regional sales coach and director for Anytime Fitness. I've been married for over 13 years to my best friend and we have two amazing boys that keep us busy.