A R T I C L E S
“Nice article @M2magazine on maximising rewards / minimising threats to brain. Reducing multi tasking key for me.”
Keith Roberts | Virgin
"I picked up M2 Magazine with your article 'Movement Is Our Life-Force'. It's the best thing I have ever read. Thank you for creating it."
Ron Prestage | Master Records Holder
M2 (NZ) JAN/FEB 2020
Eroding Aspirations
Our goals drift in strong currents
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a phrase originated by Peter Drucker. It concludes that new approaches weaken in the hands of existing cultures (a groups existing characteristics, beliefs, or practices). If you merely consider how difficult it is to start or stick to a new diet during the Christmas season, you'll get the gist.
M2 (NZ) NOV/DEC 2019
Beware The Excitement Trap
How your well intended enthusiasm, inspiration and motivation can be a danger to you in life!
Ever sent an email in a reactive, angry, upset and agitated state, then realised later you wish you didn’t send it, regretting what you said? Influence Ecology co-founder, Kirkland Tibbels, has a phrase for this - “Don’t let the lizard press send.”
M2 (NZ) OCT 2019
How Resilient Are You?
Why do some quit while others bounce back?
Success is not for the faint of heart. Lofty goals are challenging to achieve, and most won’t reach them. But why do some quit while others bounce back? How do some muster up the resilience to try again when faced with failure?
M2 (NZ) SEP 2019
The Advantage Of Consequences
Elite performance: big carrots or big sticks?
People sometimes lie to give us hope, stroke our confidence, and make us feel good about ourselves. We can surround ourselves with friends who won’t check our hubris (or we theirs). We can fall prey to a group bias for thinking we’re performing well and winning when we’re not…or making the right choices when we’re not.
M2 (NZ) AUG 2019
Deliberate Fitness
Organisational fitness for the new era of coordinated action
Remember an ambitious time, a period or substantial or life-changing activity, growth, or change. It was likely months in the making and could’ve lasted a few years that took you to a new level of performance, ability, or accomplishment. You grew proud of yourself and perhaps evolved into someone that others admired. Do you have that time in mind?
M2 (NZ) JUL 2019
Are You Fit For The Evolution Of Technology?
Is your environment the tool you’ve overlooked?
We seem to be working hard to function better as individuals utilising all manner of tech to improve our productivity and happiness - with catchy sayings like “I’m working smarter not harder.” Most people are finding that dealing with technology in this way frequently adds its own overwhelm, stress and keeps us “busy”.
M2 (NZ) JUN 2019
Why “Self” Might Not Be The Thing That Needs “Help”
Influence ecology vs conspiracy ecology and how to accelerate getting things done, working less and making more. According to MarketResearch.com, self-improvement programs are less popular today. It’s important to grow and improve our “self” but perhaps it’s missing part of the solution.
M2 (NZ) MAY 2019
Surviving The Modern-Day Saber-Tooth
Stress in the 21st century
It’s not news that our ancient biology was not designed for the modern-day stressors we are now having to face. The rapid change in our environment has seen our stress levels soar to the extent that we are experiencing a chronic stress epidemic.
M2 (NZ) APR 2015
Focus Your Mind For A Productive And Successful 2015
One of the tings I observe about people is that once the clock rolls over to the first day, of the first month of a new year, we suddenly start to reflect on the previous 12 months, while making all sorts of declarations for the year to come.
M2woman (NZ) NOV/DEC 2014
Surviving The Modern-Day Saber-Tooth
While our smartphones might have the latest software updates, our brains are 50,000 years out of date when it comes to stress. Drew Knowles, New Zealand’s Expert on Stress, looks at ways for us to put worries into a modern perspective.
M2 (NZ) OCT 2014
Are You Overloaded With Stress?
The consequence of elevated levels of stress hormones and the ever-increasing amount of stressors we have to try and cope with in our body and mind is a serious problem of the 21st century. Stress can lead to brain burnout and behavioural, psychological and physical issues, which can be detrimental to your life.
M2 (NZ) JUL 2014
Do You Feel Like A Fraud?
In Wikipedia, ‘impostor syndrome’, sometimes called ‘impostor phenomenon’ or ‘fraud syndrome’, is described as a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalise their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved.
An imposter in your own mind
M2 (NZ) MAY 2014
How To Manage A Meltdown
In today's modern-day info-tech-rich world we are constantly over-stimulating and filling our brains with huge volumes of information - telling ourselves that there is more stuff than ever before for our brains to determine what to remember or not. And this makes it harder to stay on top of all the things you need to do and handle.
M2 (NZ) APR 2014
The One Thing That Will Make Everything Else Easy
Modern life has turned our day to day activities to a 24/7 constant information stimulation and state of availability for whatever demands we have to fulfil on. This requires the capacity to manage one’s attention: to focus entirely on the person or task at hand while also exerting self-control to block out interferences.
M2 (NZ) FEB 2014
End The New Year’s Resolution Diet Mania
Nutrition and eating habits for living a wellness lifestyle
Another year rolls over, and we make all kinds of declarations and statements about how we intend to act this year, mostly with very little thinking about how we will actually achieve them. Often, at least one of those statements or declarations is about health, namely diet or exercise.
Movement is essential for you to live a happy and prosperous life. In short, movement is life. Without movement you cannot survive. Movement is required for proper brain function for the coordination of activities such as concentration and learning, emotions, motor control, and organ function. Sufficient movement creates the environment in your body-mind for you to live a wellness lifestyle.
M2 (NZ) DEC 2013
Movement Is Our Life-Force
M2 (NZ) OCT 2013
Burning Out Our Brain
The Brain Burn Out Series - Part 4
What does it take to manage your mind at a high level to ensure you avoid ever burning out your brain? What is the “Matrix Effect”? We all have room for improvement with our mental performance. Whether you are an experienced biohacker or don’t even know what it is, there are things you can do for your mind and brain to become even better than you are right now.
M2 (NZ) SEP 2013
Burning Out Our Brain
The Brain Burn Out Series - Part 3
Discover the five main areas to focus on and practice to use your mind and brain for best performance and productivity, to get an edge over those you are interacting with and wanting to get results from in the marketplace.
M2 (NZ) AUG 2013
Burning Out Our Brain
The Brain Burn Out Series - Part 2
Learn to be aware of the signs and symptoms of how your brain is being used and functioning, and not to ignore the fundamental physiological signs of when you are pushing it beyond its capacity and burning it out.
Drew Knowles introduces the idea of the phenomenon of "Brain Burnout". From time to time we find ourselves working on a task or in a conversation with someone, and it becomes very obvious that you are not able to think clearly. You are slower in being able to respond or think about what action to take next, and you have top work hard to stay focused and concentrate on whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish.
M2 (NZ) JUL 2013
Burning Out Our Brain
The Brain Burn Out Series - Part 1
When you don’t respect that you have a limited amount of willpower available for the tasks that you must do in any given day or week, you will find yourself struggling to have the self-control needed to reach all your goals in the areas important to you. So what is willpower, and how can it be applied to day-to-day life so you perform better, be more productive, and have a better quality life?
M2 (NZ) JUN 2013
Using Up Your Willpower
You may know someone close to you that has or is suffering from one of the following conditions - burnout, adrenal fatigue, stress-induced depression and anxiety, mental fatigue and psychological (mental) distress - or you may have suffered from one of these yourself. These are all such common words you hear these days and more people are being affected as our modern info-tech world keeps demanding more and more or our brains.
M2 (NZ) MAY 2013
Are You Burning Out Your Brain?
M2 (NZ) APR 2013
Losing Our Focus
How the brain is not coping with today's work environment.
Focusing on today’s modern info-tech world is a challenge and it really takes something to get a grasp of how to actually stay focused, be productive and be able to elevate your performance without burning out your brain.
M2 (NZ) MAR 2013
Mr Money
When Health Meets Wealth
Drew Knowles travels to the home of consumerism and meets the man who is teaching to lead healthier and wealthier lives by getting a handle on their money. Meet Mr Money.
M2 (NZ) FEB 2013
How To Live Well In 2013
A new year means a new outlook on life, last month we looked at stress, now Drew Knowles shares his secrets for a more fulfilling life while optimising your wellness so you can achieve your personal bests.
M2 (NZ) JAN 2013
Using Your Mind As A Weapon For Success In 2013
Last month we looked at your mindless brain vs your modern mind. It highlighted that if you are not practicing and developing the muscle of your modern (conscious) mind to inhibit your mindless (unconscious) brain then you are likely to keep reacting to stressors, things that trigger a stress response in the same way.
M2 (NZ) DEC 2012
Your Ancient Brain vs Your Modern Day Mind
Stress. It’s something all of us are probably intimately aware of. Whether it’s stress from work life or your personal life, it all affects us. New Zealand stress expert, Drew Knowles looks at stressors, how to approach them and better yet, how to overcome them for ultimate success.
M2 (NZ) NOV 2012
The Saber-Toothed Guide To Upgrading Your Brain
While our smartphones might have the latest software updates, our brains are still about 50,000 years out of date when it comes to dealing with stress. Drew Knowles, Australia’s Wellness Guy looks at ways for us to put worries into a modern perspective.