This exclusive interview with Amy Brann was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.
Amy Brann has spent more than 20 years examining why capable people struggle to focus, make decisions and perform consistently at work. As the founder of Synaptic Potential, she advises leaders on using neuroscience and behavioural science to reduce cognitive overload and create healthier, more effective workplaces.
Recognised as a psychology & neuroscience expert, Amy has worked with organisations including EY, Twinings and Haleon and has been named among HR’s Most Influential Thinkers. She is an associate of the Møller Institute at the University of Cambridge and the author of three books, including Make Your Brain Work and Engaged. Her work has also appeared in the Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, the BBC and The Observer.
In this exclusive interview with the Mental Health Speakers Agency, Amy explains how workplace design affects the brain, how leaders can reduce decision fatigue and which warning signs suggest cognitive overload is beginning to damage an employee’s performance and health.
Question 1. What does neuroscience reveal about sustaining high performance without pushing employees towards burnout?
Amy Brann: “Sustainable high performance comes from aligning work with how the brain functions. The brain is an energy-efficient organ that constantly tries to conserve resources. When it is overloaded with distractions, excessive decisions or unclear priorities, performance drops quickly.
“At a neural level, high performance relies on the interaction between several systems. The executive function network supports focus, while the default mode network is important for creativity and insight. The reward system drives motivation and reinforces behaviour.
“When these systems work in harmony, people experience clarity, energy and momentum. When they do not, we see fatigue, overwhelm and disengagement.
“Many organisations are unintentionally designed against the brain. They fragment attention through constant interruptions and make cognitive overload the norm. It is predictable that 70% of change interventions will fail because of how the working environment is structured.
“Sustainable performance comes from designing better defaults. Our Whole Brain Potential Framework examines how organisations can reimagine, redesign and reinforce their approach. It helps people align their mindsets, behaviours and physical environments so the brain can do its best work.
“The result is a move from effortful to effective performance. People achieve more with greater clarity, enjoyment and well-being.”
Question 2. How can leaders redesign the workplace to reduce decision fatigue?
Amy Brann: “Decision fatigue occurs when we deplete our cognitive bandwidth, the finite mental resources available for thinking, prioritising and making choices.
“Every decision draws on this resource, regardless of how small it is. When our cognitive bandwidth runs low, we resort to shortcuts, avoidance or poor judgement.
“The problem in many organisations is the volume of decisions people must make in cognitively cluttered environments. Leaders often underestimate how much friction this creates.
“The first step is to reduce unnecessary decisions. Leaders can establish clear frameworks, default options and consistent processes so employees are not constantly reinventing the wheel.
“They should also protect cognitive bandwidth by reducing distractions, limiting interruptions and allowing more focused working time.
“Important decisions should be made when the brain is freshest, such as earlier in the day or after a period of rest. High-value decisions should be prioritised accordingly.
“Clear expectations and goals also allow the brain to spend less energy determining what matters. That energy can then be preserved for better thinking.
“In my keynotes, I encourage leaders to become architects of attention. They can design working environments in which better decisions become the default.”
Question 3. Which warning signs suggest that cognitive overload is beginning to affect an employee’s performance and health?
Amy Brann: “Cognitive overload is one of the biggest hidden barriers to performance, and it often goes unnoticed until it affects results.
“It occurs when the volume of information, decisions and stimuli exceeds our cognitive bandwidth. The brain then shifts into a more reactive and less effective mode.
“Early warning signs can include difficulty concentrating, rereading information, slower thinking and making more errors. People may describe experiencing mental friction or feeling busy without being productive.
“As cognitive overload builds, behavioural symptoms become more apparent. People may switch repeatedly between tasks, procrastinate, struggle to sustain attention or avoid decisions. The brain is trying to conserve energy and reduce its workload.
“Emotional signs can include irritability, impatience and feeling overwhelmed. Over time, cognitive overload can contribute to disengagement, physical health problems and burnout.
“One of the biggest causes is attention fragmentation. Constantly switching between emails, messages and tasks leaves an attention residue. This reduces the brain’s ability to direct its attention and energy towards the most important task.
“If people are struggling to focus, organisations should examine how their systems are designed. Reducing noise, improving workflows and protecting thinking time can significantly reduce these symptoms.”
Question 4. What lasting change do you want audiences to make after hearing you speak?
Amy Brann: “I want people to leave with a sense of their potential and a clear way to act on it.
“Most of the people I work with are highly capable, but they operate within systems that make their jobs harder. Understanding how the brain works helps them recognise that they need to work differently.
“I want audiences to leave with three things. The first is clarity: a simple, science-backed understanding of what drives focus, performance and well-being.
“The second is ownership. I want people to ask, “What will help my brain work best right now?” They can then make intentional choices about their attention, behaviour and working environment.
“The third is action. I give audiences practical tools they can use immediately to reduce distractions, improve decision-making and create better team dynamics.
“My goal is to help people move from reactive, overloaded working practices towards more intentional, brain-aligned performance. When people understand how their brains work, they perform and feel better. That is where sustainable impact happens.”
