Cognitive neuroscientist Sahar Yousef grew up in the Bay Area, the daughter of Iranian immigrants. She became fascinated by human consciousness at a young age and she followed that curiosity to studies in philosophy, then all the way to a PhD in cognitive neuroscience. Now, she aims her brain toward helping leaders maximize their potential so they can do their best work, then go home to their families, and sleep! Here she shares what you need to know to accelerate your creativity and stop draining your brain. Listen:

Follow Sahar Yousef via her website at saharyousef.com.

This episode of Clever is brought to you by Fast Company Press.

Fast Company Press is the official imprint of Fast Company Magazine, and is looking for business leaders in innovation, technology, or design who have a wealth of experience and a story to share. Do you have what it takes to be a Fast Company Author? Visit fastcompanypress.com/podcast

How do you record your ideas?

I'm a sucker for a whiteboard. The bigger the better. I also write (old school pen and paper) and frequently meditate and reflect as a part of my brainstorming process.

Who do you look up to and why?

My grandmother. Although technically illiterate I have yet to meet a stronger and wiser human being.

What’s your favorite project that you’ve done and why?

I am grateful for every project I've experienced but my "favorite" project is always the next project. It's a hope to learn more, continue to push the next boundary, and contribute to humanity's understanding and knowledge pool.

Thanks to Adobe 99U Conference for connecting us for this interview.

Clever is produced by 2VDE Media. Thanks to Rich Stroffolino for editing this episode.
Music in this episode courtesy of El Ten Eleven—hear more on Bandcamp.
Shoutout to Jenny Rask for designing the Clever logo.

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