Challenging yourself to learn new, complex things is great for your wellbeing. Exposing your brain to complexity stimulates neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganise itself by forming new neural connections), and has also been shown to boost self-esteem, life satisfaction, and optimism.
The workplace is an excellent place to challenge yourself to learn new skills. Here are some ideas.
See if you can shadow a colleague in a different role to yours for half an hour. This is a great way to learn new skills and develop closer cross-functional connections.
Challenge yourself to learn – and remember! – something new about 10 coworkers. Some ideas for things to learn include middle names, favourite ice cream flavours, or where they grew up.
Every month on Channel Groov, behavioural scientist and Groov Clinical Lead Dr Fiona Crichton shares the science behind a different wellbeing topic. Check out last month’s episode on Financial Wellbeing.
Tune into a podcast related to your speciality to discover new perspectives and learn new skills.
Are there some departments you barely interact with, let alone understand? See if you can drop by to say hello and learn a little more about how other teams work.
Whether it’s Wordle or a current affairs quiz, get a little competition going with your teammates for some daily brain training.