We all do it - put things off, tell ourselves we'll start tomorrow, and somehow still miss the deadline. But chronic procrastination isn’t just a bad habit; it’s self-sabotaging behavior that can derail our goals, relationships, and even our health. Psychologist Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a leading expert on procrastination, breaks down the emotional roots of procrastination, debunks the myth that we “work best under pressure,” and offers science-backed strategies for change. Plus - meet one of history’s most legendary procrastinators: Leonardo da Vinci. Find out how his epic delays shaped the Mona Lisa, and why some believe he never truly finished it.

  For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com  

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org  

 

We’ve got a fascinating season in store for you, with episodes exploring a wide range of brain related topics. 

We’ll kick off this week with a look at the psychology behind chronic procrastination – what causes it, how to remedy it, and how to tell if apart from common everyday avoidance.

If you’ve enjoyed our previous seasons, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts  - or wherever you get your podcasts. 

https://thisisyourbrain.com/ 

For five seasons now, I've been delighted to explore the wonders of the brain with my guests as well as with you, my listeners. Podcasting is fun and enlightening, and I've heard from many of you that it's been helpful as well as informative. It's also time-consuming, especially given my busy practice and my administrative duties as department chair. That's why the podcast is going on hiatus before Season 6 begins to let me attend to some of my other work for a while.

I hope you take this opportunity to catch up on episodes you may have missed over the past five seasons. There are more than 100 fascinating guests and topics to explore at your leisure. From anger to dance moves to stem cells, these episodes cover a fascinating range of topics, all centered on our most intricate and complicated organ, the brain.

See you in season 6!

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For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com  

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org  

 

Humans are born with billions of neurons that need connecting – and how those synapses develop helps determine how our brains will work. There is ample evidence that a loving, nurturing environment in infancy and early childhood provides the most fertile ground for brain development.

Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, explains why a well-loved baby or child simply learns better than a neglected one, and how our contracting social circles endanger our kids.

Plus… the mystery of why average IQs rose for decades, until recently. Are technology and isolation affecting our intelligence?

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

 

There is ample evidence that a loving, nurturing environment in infancy and early childhood provides the most fertile ground for brain development. Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, explains why a well-loved baby or child learns better than a neglected one.

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

 

It’s no surprise that feeling lonely is associated with depression, but did you know that loneliness may also lead to chronic inflammation, changes in the brain, and even premature death? Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology at Brigham Young University and an expert on the physiological effects of social connections, explains how our current crisis of loneliness is as much a public health threat as smoking, alcohol use, and diabetes. Discover the behavioral, psychological, and biological factors affected by loneliness, which groups are most at risk, and what we can all do to reconnect.

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

In our next episode,  Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology at Brigham Young University and an expert on the physiological effects of social connections, explains how our current crisis of loneliness is as much a public health threat as smoking, alcohol use, and diabetes.

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

Pain and fear are inevitable, especially these days, but we can retrain our brains to reduce suffering. Dr. Sara Lazar, Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School, reveals how just eight weeks of mindful meditation can visibly change parts of the brain to be less reactive to pain.

Plus... how meditation apps put the power of mindfulness right in your hand.

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

Dr. Sara Lazar, Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School, reveals how just eight weeks of mindful meditation can visibly change parts of the brain to be less reactive to pain.

 

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org

Humans are so powerfully wired for survival that it can be hard to understand suicide - especially in adolescents. What happens in the brain that can override such a profound instinct for self-preservation? Dr. Sakina Rizvi, a researcher and psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada specializing in suicide prevention, reveals the social, biological, and psychological facets of suicidal ideation. Hear how childhood trauma, current life stressors, and brain impairment may all play a role in suicide, and learn how to recognize warning signs in a loved one.

Plus… the do’s and don’ts of talking to someone at risk.

For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com

For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org