Be on guard
for the inner crocodile

Our brain is a complex organ, but it's explained here in a very simplified way based on what happens when we feel pressured in daily life. When we are threatened or feel stressed, our reptilian brain takes over. This is the part we popularly call the "crocodile brain." Although research today shows that the concept of the reptilian brain is somewhat of a myth, the term is still used and makes it easier to explain the brain's reaction patterns. The command center of the reptilian brain, the amygdala, activates the production of stress hormones,

when you feel threatened or pressured in everyday life. It doesn’t distinguish between being scared of a full inbox or encountering a bear, and it reacts by making you super strong so you can run or fight. When our reptilian brain is in control, we fight, flee, or freeze in the situation, and our IQ and social intelligence decrease. Everything now becomes about survival – and that’s when we turn into "Joe".

Our brain is a complex organ, but it is explained here in a very simplified way based on what happens when we feel pressured in everyday life. When we are threatened or feel stressed, our reptilian brain takes over. This is the part we popularly call the "crocodile brain." Although research today shows that the concept of the reptilian brain is somewhat of a myth, the term is still used and helps explain the brain's reaction patterns. The command center of the reptilian brain, the amygdala, activates the production of stress hormones when you feel threatened or pressured in everyday life. It doesn't distinguish between being scared of a full inbox or encountering a bear, and it reacts by making you super strong so you can run or fight. When our reptilian brain is in control, we fight, flee, or freeze in the situation, and our IQ and social intelligence decrease. Everything now becomes about survival – and that's when we turn into "Preben."

You can control those thoughts,
that come with an emotion,
and you have a great degree of control over,
how you react to an emotion
– as long as you are aware of it.

Travis Bradberry, author and researcher

And keep an eye on your energy

You carry your personal energy with you all the time. It can be positive. It can be negative. But even though we live in a time where we are busy talking about our mental well-being, both individually and at a societal level, we unfortunately often overlook an important area in the energy balance that reflects our mental surplus. Namely, our own energy. Your personal energy balance is essential for whether you thrive. Do you always have a surplus or a deficit on your energy account? Who is withdrawing from the account? Who is adding to it? And how do you affect others' energy accounts – both those close to you and those on the periphery?

In my book BEFRI PREBEN, I delve even further into emotional economy and energy levels. How you can control your emotional economy – and make it interact with others. You’ll also get plenty of ideas on how to free yourself and your colleagues from all the emotional pollution we expose ourselves and each other to.

Try our free Joe test right here >>