As Mental Health Awareness Week draws to a close, this week I'm focussing on how we can get into a positive upward spiral.

As art-making has such a positive impact on me and my client's teams, I've been researching the science behind why this is.

One of the reasons is quite a simple phenomenon; novelty.

It turns out that novelty and dopamine (the feel-good brain chemical) go hand in hand!

When dopamine is flooding your brain, you feel joy, satisfaction and motivation as well as improved memory, mood, sleep, learning and concentration.

So how can this help us build deeper affiliation to new ideas, ways of working and to each other?

Benefits of Novel Approaches;

- It grabs & holds people's attention - It's so easy to fall into the trap of doing what we've always done, trying to limit "risk". But if you want to break through and make a real change, it's a good idea to introduce something novel - a new image, story, or idea.

Neuroscience research by UCL suggests novelty is so powerful because, in evolutionary terms, the release of dopamine in the brain acts as a reward, encouraging us to find out more.

- It helps people learn & makes learning stick - It’s long been known that novelty helps us learn more effectively. But we didn’t know why until relatively recently when two neuroscientists, Bunzeck and Düzel used fMRI technology to examine people’s brains whilst they looked at novel images. They found that the area of the brain closely linked to memory and learning lit up! 🤩

- It drives connection and helps build relationships - Novelty is one of the most important tools for anyone who wants to tell memorable stories. And we don't need to over-think this one. People share their own personal stories in our workshops, which are new to their colleagues and this has a profound impact on how they see each other and bond as a team.

Ideas for Action 👉

So how might you build in novelty the workplace?

- Suggest a change of scene - With one of my former CEO's who had been stuck in a dark, stuffy meeting room all day, I gave him the option of stepping outside into the sunshine with me. He thought for a moment, then a big smile lit up his face and he said, "That sounds like a much better idea!" By leading with empathy for the human in front of you and suggesting something new to them in that moment, you really can improve your level of influence with decision-makers.

- Do a novelty sense check - When you're trying to get your colleagues or team to understand something important, ask yourself whether you're making it memorable and engaging. By raising the bar, even a little, starting with an interesting story or playing a podcast or YouTube clip, you really can shake things up just enough to get a more receptive response.

The science really has proven that our brains crave novelty and if we can make small changes, we really can get people to feel more open to change and connect on a deeper level.

So I encourage you to get creative with how you introduce novelty, either through the arts, storytelling or changes to your physical space.

This Week's Sketch🖼️

This week I sketched an eye to express how we're all on the look-out for novelty!

Have you played with novel approaches to connecting in the workplace? Let me know - I'd love to hear from you!