Today we are talking about a topic close to our hearts: working with your brain.
Before we begin, let's acknowledge the growing conversations about neurodiversity in the veterinary world - congratulations to Vetlife on recently winning an award for their neurodiversity initiative.
This article applies to everyone, and it's a bit of a game changer (do we say that in every article? I think we probably do 👀.)
At Vet Empowered, we've always championed embracing what works for individuals. After all, you're one-of-a-kind, so why wouldn't your brain be uniquely wired too?
We're not about a one-size-fits-all here, we want to celebrate your uniqueness.
What does "working with your brain" mean?
Simply put, working with your brain means understanding your strengths and challenges, then structuring your life and work to play to those strengths while managing the challenges.
It's about being your own best friend, rather than constantly fighting against your natural tendencies.
Think of it like this: if you're left-handed, you wouldn't force yourself to write with your right hand just because that's what most people do. (This still happens, wildly)
Does that change the game for you?
The same principle applies to your cognitive style. Why struggle against your natural way of thinking and processing information when you could harness it instead?
Side note: this doesn't mean we are totally inflexible, or don't grow, but working on the same team as ourselves.
Growth and Acceptance: Finding the Balance
At Vet Empowered, we absolutely believe in growth and development.
But here's a thought: what if we focused our growth efforts on areas that align with our strengths and passions, rather than constantly trying to "fix" our perceived weaknesses?
Our fixation with this often comes from school where we were constantly told to double down on our weak areas. As you'll come to realise, much of the school system really wasn't that helpful (controversial take alert 👀).
Yes, we can grow and change our brains – neuroplasticity is a wonderful thing. But let's be strategic about where we direct that growth. Instead of trying to become good at everything (which, let's be honest, is impossible), what if we became exceptional at the things that come naturally to us, and found ways to manage or delegate the rest?
For instance, if you're fantastic at problem-solving complex medical cases but struggle with administrative tasks, why not lean into developing your diagnostic skills even further?
Meanwhile, you could explore ways to streamline, automate or delegate your admin work, rather than spending hours forcing yourself to become obsessed with colour-coded folders and trying to remember your to-do list without a pen. Equally, you might be able to find what 'organised' means to you, or try something new with curiosity.
Embracing Strengths and Accepting Challenges
Working with your brain isn't just about leveraging your strengths – it's also about accepting and managing your challenges. This doesn't mean giving up or making excuses. It means being realistic and compassionate with yourself.
For instance, if you know you struggle with time management, accept that this is a challenge for you. Then, instead of berating yourself about it, put systems in place to support you. This might mean using a timer app, scheduling buffer time between appointments, or partnering with a colleague who's great at keeping things on track.
The key is to approach your challenges with curiosity rather than judgement. Instead of thinking, "I'm bad at X," try "X is challenging for me. How can I manage this in a way that works for my brain?"
Let's put a couple of examples to this:
Here are a few real life examples at Vet Empowered of us putting this into action.
An example for Vet Empowered HQ a few months ago. Our founders both have very active and creative brains, but often they're bombarded with new and exciting ideas. We had a particular online folder that needed to be checked more frequently, but because it was out of sight, it often was out of mind. In a conversation, one team member said "I just need to be more disciplined and check it more frequently". The brain first approach here was that being more disciplined might be possible, but it would take a lot of energy. Katie suggested that instead we find a way to automate this process, and so we found a tool that integrated it into a system that we use every single day. Less energy expended, nobody needed to change - we just set up life differently. That's really cool.
A personal example from Vet Empowered founder, Katie. "I find keeping my house tidy a challenge. It's not dirty, it's not disgusting, but it's often disorganised - we run four businesses from home in this house. For years I tried to stay on top of it constantly. I'd spend entire weekends top to bottom cleaning the house and frustrated for the rest of the week(s), it was very all or nothing. I'd panic if someone was going to visit. Society's 'shoulds' and my childhood experiences of shame when friends visited added pressure. I realised that my present system of trying to bully myself into being tidier wasn't working. I did want it to be tidy, but acknowledged it didn't need to be perfect and the pressure of needing 2 days solid of cleaning was making me procrastinate. Rather than tidying all in one go, I started making it into a game and doing 15minute timed tidying sessions through the day. I'd see what I could do in the time the kettle was boiling, and time tasks to realise it wasn't that I'd have to spend the entire weekend - e.g. the dishwasher takes 7minutes. I also worked my budget to have a cleaner come every few weeks too, which I realise is a privilege.
Neurodiversity in Veterinary Medicine
As we mentioned earlier, there's a growing awareness of neurodiversity in our profession, and that's something to celebrate. Whether you're neurotypical or neurodivergent, the principle of working with your brain applies.
For our neurodivergent colleagues – working with your brain can be particularly powerful. We have neurodivergent members of our team, and you will in yours too - whether they know it or not. It's about recognising that your brain works differently, not deficiently. Your unique wiring can bring valuable perspectives and skills to our profession, without it being comodotised into being a 'super power'.
Steps to Start Working With Your Brain
Ready to start harnessing the power of your unique cognitive style? Bring curiosity rather than criticism. Here are some steps to get you started:
1. Self-reflection: Take some time to think about when you're at your best. What kind of tasks energise you? When do you feel most in flow?
2. Seek feedback: Ask trusted colleagues or mentors what they see as your strengths. Sometimes others can see our superpowers more clearly than we can.
3. Experiment: Try structuring your day or your tasks in different ways and see what works best for you. Maybe you do your best work in short bursts, or perhaps you need long, uninterrupted periods of focus.
4. Embrace tools and technology: Find tools that support your cognitive style. This might be noise-cancelling headphones, productivity apps, or specific note-taking methods.
5. Communicate: Once you understand your cognitive style better, communicate with your team. Let them know how you work best and where you might need support.
6. Celebrate your strengths: Take time to acknowledge and appreciate your unique abilities. You bring something special to your team and your patients!
7. Seek support! Coaches, mentors, therapists, online communities - there are plenty of people who want to help and support you.
The Vet Empowered Approach
At Vet Empowered, we're all about helping you uncover and leverage your unique strengths. Our Signature Programme is designed to support you in understanding your cognitive style, identifying your core values, and aligning your career with your natural abilities.
Check out our Vet Empowered Signature Programme or drop us a line at hello@vetempowered.com to learn more about how we can help you create a career that's perfectly tailored to your unique, wonderful brain.
Want to know more about coaching with us? Download our FREE PDF here.
Here's to embracing our diversity and creating a veterinary profession where everyone can thrive!
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