Meet Mark Tigchelaar: The Brain Expert Behind the Idea
Mark Tigchelaar is a psychologist specialising in cognitive neuropsychology and the author of six books published in five languages. As one of Europe’s leading keynote speakers on focus, productivity and learning, he helps organisations understand how the brain works and how small behavioural changes can lead to significant improvements in performance.
What sets Mark apart is his ability to translate neuroscience into practical advice that people immediately recognise from their own working day.
As he often says: “Every time you switch your attention, you pay a small stress tax, even if you don’t notice it.”
One Simple Question Can Break Your Flow
Imagine you’re deeply focused on an important project.
Ideas are flowing, you’re making progress and you’re completely immersed in your work.
Then someone asks:
“Would you like a coffee?”
A friendly question. You smile, briefly consider your options and reply:
“Yes, a double espresso would be great.”
It feels like nothing happened.
But according to Mark, quite a lot happened inside your brain.
To answer that simple question, your attention has to shift away from your work, process the question, make a decision and then return to the original task.
Although the interruption only lasts a few seconds, every switch in attention creates a small increase in the stress hormone cortisol. Because the interruption is pleasant and social, you don’t consciously experience it as stressful, but your brain still registers it as a disruption.
During one of his keynote presentations, Mark shared the story of an organisation where employees consistently felt exhausted at the end of each day. Initially, they blamed their workload.
After analysing their working habits, they discovered they were being interrupted every five minutes, not by lengthy meetings, but by countless small questions, casual conversations and coffee breaks.
Once the team became more intentional about reducing interruptions, perceived stress decreased noticeably and productivity improved.
No major organisational change was needed. Just small adjustments to everyday behaviour.
We’re Sitting More Than Ever
There’s another important reason to get your own coffee.
In the 1980s, office workers spent less than 35% of their day sitting behind a desk.
Today, that number exceeds 90%.
This shift has major consequences for both physical and mental health.
Movement doesn’t just benefit your body. It also improves blood circulation, boosts energy levels and enhances cognitive performance.
In his keynotes on vitality and mental wellbeing, Mark encourages people to use every natural opportunity to move throughout the day.
Walking to the coffee machine is a perfect example.
By getting your own coffee, you:
- Reduce unnecessary interruptions to your concentration.
- Add a natural moment of movement to your day.
- Give your brain a short, healthy reset.
When everyone adopts this simple habit, it can make a noticeable difference to the overall energy and focus within an organisation.
What Audiences Learn from Mark’s Keynotes
Organisations appreciate Mark because he makes complex neuroscience easy to understand and immediately applicable.
People don’t leave his presentations inspired alone. They leave with practical habits they start using the very next day.
Participants learn:
- How focus really works inside the brain.
- Why multitasking is one of the biggest productivity myths.
- How seemingly harmless interruptions quietly increase stress levels.
- Which simple daily habits improve concentration, vitality and mental wellbeing.
His presentations are interactive, humorous and thought provoking. Rather than simply explaining distraction, he lets people experience its effects for themselves.
That’s exactly why his message stays with audiences long after the event.
It’s never about working harder.
It’s about managing your attention and energy more intelligently.
What Does This Mean for Your Organisation?
Many HR professionals and leaders ask themselves the same questions:
How can we help employees stay focused, energised and mentally healthy in an increasingly distracting world?
How do we reduce stress related absenteeism?
How can we improve sustainable performance without launching another expensive wellbeing programme?
Mark demonstrates that the answer often starts with surprisingly small daily choices.
Like getting your own coffee.
It sounds almost too simple.
But that’s precisely what makes it so powerful.
It’s about creating awareness, understanding how the brain functions and building a workplace where focus and vitality become part of the culture rather than a matter of chance.
So the next time someone asks:
“Would you like a coffee?”
Perhaps consider replying:
“No thanks, I’ll get one myself.”
Not because you don’t appreciate the gesture.
But because you’re choosing focus, movement and better mental performance.
Help Your Team Improve Focus and Sustainable Performance
With his background in cognitive neuropsychology and years of experience speaking to organisations around the world, Mark Tigchelaar helps teams improve focus, productivity and mental wellbeing through practical, science based strategies.
Curious about what Mark Tigchelaar can do for your organisation? Get in touch for a no obligation conversation and discover how his keynote can help your team work smarter, stay focused and perform at their best.
