Session Description

If you've ever overthought an email, procrastinated on an important project, stared at your to-do list without knowing where to start, felt completely drained after a day of back-to-back meetings, or wondered why you can't seem to "just deal with it" - congratulations! Your brain is doing exactly what we'd expect.

The problem isn't that you're lazy, unmotivated, or bad at your job. The problem is that human brains weren't designed for constant change, endless notifications, overflowing inboxes, artificial intelligence, competing priorities, workplace uncertainty, and the relentless demands of modern work. They're running ancient survival software in a BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) world, and sometimes the results are spectacularly unhelpful.

In this fun, interactive session, we'll explore the neuroscience behind why work feels so exhausting and why smart, capable people struggle with stress, overload, overthinking, change, and decision fatigue. You'll discover why many of the workplace habits we beat ourselves up for are actually predictable responses to an increasingly complex environment and why simply trying harder often isn't the answer.

Through practical examples, engaging activities, and science-backed strategies, you'll learn how to work with your brain instead of against it. You'll leave with a better understanding of how your brain really works, practical neuro-hacks to build cognitive agility and adaptability, and simple tools to protect your cognitive resources, manage workplace demands, navigate uncertainty, and perform at your best in an increasingly complex world.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain how the demands of modern work create cognitive overload and affect workplace performance.
• Recognize why stress, overthinking, decision fatigue, and resistance to change are predictable responses to an increasingly complex work environment.
• Implement practical neuro-hacks to protect cognitive resources, build cognitive agility, and improve effectiveness at work.

About the Speaker

Jamie Lewis Smith, PhD (aka the NeHRd Lady) is what happens when a psychologist escapes the therapy room and infiltrates Corporate America with one mission: to make managers suck less!

As CEO of Pixel Leadership Group, Jamie leads a team of 30+ nerdy-but-fun executive coaches, leadership experts, and organizational consultants who help organizations solve business problems by better understanding human behavior. Pixel combines brain science, psychology, leadership research, and practical coaching to help leaders navigate change, improve employee engagement and retention, strengthen teams, and drive meaningful organizational results.

A clinical psychologist by training, Jamie has spent her career helping organizations make sense of the wonderfully weird things people do at work. She has served as an HR leader, executive coach, and trusted advisor across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, helping leaders and organizations build the cognitive agility needed to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

A published author, international speaker, and Forbes Coaches Council member, Jamie is known for translating complex brain science into practical tools that help people think, adapt, and perform at their best. Whether she's coaching executives, developing leaders, or speaking on stage, Jamie's goal is simple: build better leaders, create better workplaces, and help HR finally get some sleep at night.