Remembering lockdowns… or not

Brain Yapping

#Comedy #Cosmic Shambles #Trunkman #Brain #Dean Burnett #Rachel England #Neuroscience #Science #Natural Sciences #Cosmic Shambles Network

33:58

In this episode, we delve into the concept of being "qualified" in the workplace, examining who gets labeled as such, who doesn't, and the underlying reasons. We explore "competency checking"—the practice of scrutinizing individuals' abilities—and how it disproportionately affects underrepresented groups, often going unnoticed or unchallenged. Our discussion aims to redefine qualifications in a fair, equitable, and actionable manner. Our guest, Shari Dunn , is an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, university professor, and sought-after speaker. She has been recognized as Executive of the Year and a Woman of Influence, with her work appearing in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and more. Her new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work , unpacks what it truly means to be deserving and capable—and why systemic barriers, not personal deficits, are often the real problem. Her insights challenge the narratives that hold so many of us back and offer practical solutions for building a more equitable future. Together, we can build workplaces and communities that don’t just reflect the world we live in, but the one we want to create. A world where being qualified is about recognizing the talent and potential that’s been overlooked for far too long. It’s not just about getting a seat at the table—it’s about building an entirely new table, one designed with space for all of us. Connect with Our Guest Shari Dunn Website& Book - Qualified: https://thesharidunn.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/sharidunn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesharidunn Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Defy Expectations with Dr. Sunita Sah | 271 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

3年之前 29:21

MP3

Dean and Rachel return to their podcast after an unplanned hiatus, during which they genuinely forgot they were in the middle of doing a podcast. But problems with memory and thinking are thing that many have complained about during the pandemic. What’s going on there? Why would having a more predictable life make you less able to remember it? Our intrepid Brain Yappers explore. And Dean, who has a PhD in memory formation and retrieval mechanisms, finally gets to be an actual relevant expert for once, rather than just blagging it while Rachel humours him. Support the podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

24集单集

Brain Yapping

Remembering lockdowns… or not

Brain Yapping

50 subscribers

published 3年之前

MP3

24集单集

#Comedy #Cosmic Shambles #Trunkman #Brain #Dean Burnett #Rachel England #Neuroscience #Science #Natural Sciences #Cosmic Shambles Network

Wszystkie odcinki

Brain Yapping

1
Sometimes things are just crap. And that's OK 29:53

3 years之前29:53

29:53

And so we reach the final episode in this series of Brain Yapping, and after 12+ weeks of discussing how the brickbats and misfortunes of life have affected them, what have Dean and Rachel learned? They’ve learned, basically, that shit happens. But also, you aren’t obliged to find 'deeper meaning', or 'silver linings', or 'positive outcomes' from it. Not every trauma has to have an upbeat spin, and while it’s fine to acknowledge and accept that bad things happen, it’s also fine to wish they hadn’t. The modern obsession with focussing on the positives may be doing us more harm than good overall. N.B. This isn’t meant as a general review of the series. Thanks for listening. We’ll be with you again soon. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!…

Brain Yapping

1
A Wake to Possibilities 34:22

3 years之前34:22

34:22

Since the last episode, Rachel has gone on two trips, and Dean has attended his father’s wake, more than 18 months after his passing. As a result, our hosts discuss the importance of rituals and ceremonies for our wellbeing, the cons and unexpected pros of long intervals between, and whether the pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to rejig traditional customs, to make them more beneficial for everyone. Also includes the worst wedding tribute of all time. Support the podcast and The Cosmic Shambles Network by becoming a subscriber at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Exercising Restraint 31:56

3 years之前31:56

31:56

Throughout the pandemic and lockdown, a lot of attention and emphasis was placed on exercise, and keeping fit. Countless people insist that it’s a key facet of good mental health. But, is it? Can regular exercise really be such a potent benefit to Mental Health? If so, why? If not, what’s the deal there? And can it end up doing more harm than good? With both of them engaging in their own efforts to be fitter, Dean and Rachel explore this issue in depth. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!…

Brain Yapping

1
Remembering lockdowns… or not 29:21

3 years之前29:21

29:21

Brain Yapping

1
How's the Weather? 30:40

4 years之前30:40

30:40

The return to normal life continues apace, and having run out of everything else to talk about, Dean and Rachel fall back on the classic British standby: the weather. But for a good reason; with travel still restricted and indoor pursuits only tentatively available, the weather plays a bigger role in our day-to-day lives than ever. How does this affect our moods and mental wellbeing, and why? Support the Brain Yapping podcast and the CSN as a whole by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Returning to Normalish 31:08

4 years之前31:08

31:08

With vaccine rollouts proceeding apace, weather improving, and lockdown restrictions easing, it seems like life is returning to some sort of normality. But what’s it like to go from prolonged lockdown to in-person socialising? Are we going back to normal, or is it some strange new reality, with new rules and expectation? And what effects can this have on us on our wellbeing, and why are some people likely to find the process surprisingly stressful. Support the podcast, and the Cosmic Shambles Network as a whole at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Haters Gonna Hate: Criticism’s Impact on Wellbeing, in the Era of Covid and Beyond 35:26

4 years之前35:26

35:26

If there’s one thing that Covid and lockdown hasn’t been stingy with, it’s criticism. All the new rules, regulations and expectations introduced by the pandemic has inevitably led to many more opportunities to condemn people for getting things wrong. Why do we do this so readily? And why is criticism often so impactful, to the extent that it can interfere with our mental wellbeing? And what is it about Tinder that can lead to so much of it? NB: If you leave negative feedback about this episode, that’s just proving our point. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content…

Brain Yapping

1
Climate Change, COVID, and the Anxiety of Global Problems for Individuals 35:57

4 years之前35:57

35:57

The COVID 19 pandemic is a global problem. Climate change is an even bigger one. But people are individuals, and can rarely make meaningful interventions on such scales. This has many implications for our wellbeing and mental health. To mark the launch of her new book 'Everyday Activism - How to Change the World in Five Minutes, One Hour or a Day', Rachel leads the discussion for a change, as she and Dean explore exactly how much influence a single person can have, and how they can maybe change feelings of helplessness against seemingly insurmountable problems. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of extra content!…

Brain Yapping

1
The Darker Side of 'Protecting the NHS' 28:27

4 years之前28:27

28:27

The current mantra of protecting the NHS at all costs is logical and helpful, but nothing comes without cost. A listener reports that he’s been far less rigorous about seeking help for his health issues during the pandemic. This spurs Dean and Rachel on to discussing the possibility that, particularly with regards to mental health matters, the fixation on protecting the NHS could lead to increased stigma, judgement, and people enduring harm to their own health to spare any burden on the system that exists to prevent that exact thing. Support the podcast and the CSN writ large at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Won't SOMEONE think of the children! 31:37

4 years之前31:37

31:37

Dean has young children. Rachel doesn't, but knows many people who do, and it seems they’re all somewhat concerned about exactly what long periods of lockdown, isolation, and lack of school is doing to them, both in the short and long term. Dean and Rachel delve into the practicalities, science, and general misconceptions of just how vulnerable and fragile children are (or aren’t), in the third episode of Brain Yapping Battle Damaged. Support the podcast at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and get lots of exclusive extras!…

Brain Yapping

1
Why is Fight-or-Flight Still a Thing? 44:11

4 years之前44:11

44:11

Why is Fight-or-Flight still a thing? Our brain’s unhelpful primitive reactions to modern stresses. As a listener points out, a lot of the stress we experience in modern times, and the subsequent harm this does to our mental health, can be pinned on our brain’s fight-or-flight response, reacting to things unnecessarily. But if we now live in a world where physical threats don’t lurk around every corner, and fighting or flying are rarely any use, why do we still have this reaction at all? Dean and Rachel get into how the brain really evolves, and the time scales it requires, as well as unpicking the way modern lockdown life sets off our brain’s stress systems, in the second episode of Brain Yapping: Battle Damaged. Support the podcast, and the Cosmic Shambles Network by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Trauma Within Trauma 45:47

4 years之前45:47

45:47

We’re often told we should reach out and seek help when going through periods of poor mental health. But does this still apply when literally everyone else is in the same situation? This is the reality that the pandemic and lockdown has forced upon so many people. Particularly Dean, who experienced great personal tragedy in 2020 and found himself unsure about how to deal with it when everyone else had struggles and concerns of their own. He and Rachel thrash out what you’re supposed to do in such situations, and how it can affect people, in the first episode of Brain Yapping: Battle Damaged. Support the show and gets loads of exclusive content at patreon.com/cosmicshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Procrastination and... other stuff 39:44

6 years之前39:44

39:44

We’d write a tag for this episode, but we can’t be bothered… In this final episode for the series (or was that season?) Dean and Rachel talk about procrastination, laziness, risk and reward and the “gift" of emanating mess. Rachel and Dean will be back after summer, if they get round to it, (they will), with a brand new bunch of episodes for you. Support the show, and everything at the Cosmic Shambles Network, by visiting and pledging to our Patreon at patreon.com/bookshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Culture Shocking 36:04

6 years之前36:04

36:04

Travelling can be rewarding, exciting, mind expanding, and also, a little odd to wrap our brains around. Rachel and Dean talk about the weirdness of culture shock, from small differences (did you know Americans don’t use kettles) to cavernous shifts (in Mexico, according to Dean, you may find yourself on a bus, with people carrying chickens in boxes) and why it can feel so discombobulating. Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles…

Brain Yapping

1
Whiny Hangry People 31:51

6 years之前31:51