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How to Learn Instead of Waste Your Time Online

March 18, 2013 By

At the end of the day, do you feel smarter? Yet how much time do you spend reading blog posts, scanning articles, and rushing through ebooks to get the highlights? It’s likely this time is wasted. Even if you take time to savor a well-written, hands-on book, probably the only thing you will remember is that you enjoyed what you read.

Force-feeding your brain information will not make you smarter, wiser or more productive. You can only stuff so many bits of knowledge into your short-term memory before other pieces start dropping out. Even if you choose a few morsels as worthy of recall, you have to take specific, conscious steps to transfer what you learn into long-term memory or they won’t stick.

First, know this – if the information is good for you to know but not surprising, funny, fascinating, beautifully visual, shocking, challenging, or even offensive you will not retain it. You are wasting your time, surfing pages for no sustainable reason.

There must be an emotional spark to stimulate the consolidation and transfer of data. Not enough brain parts are activated unless there is novelty; the brain can’t remember when it is bored. The words will go into your brain and bounce out as if on a trampoline within 48 hours or less, often much less.

As a child, you had to put rote and mind-numbing facts to music or into a jingle to make it fun enough to remember. You still need to entertain your brain to make it work effectively.

If you know what you are reading will be useful to remember, there are other ways to help integrate the information into your memory bank making you wiser over time. Here are a few techniques you can try:

  1. Visualize how you will use the information.  Whenever you visualize an activity, the same brain areas light up as if you were performing live. If you read communication or relationship tips, see yourself using them in an upcoming interaction. If you read an article about how people behave in another country, see yourself traveling there and honoring their customs or trying them out for yourself. The movies you create in your brain will be easier to recall than words on a page.
  2. Transfer the key learning points into a story and tell it to others. It is likely that the information that caught your attention relates to something you have experienced in the past; most items that catch your eye either confirm or challenge what you know. Think of a time in your life where a lesson you learned, or should have learned, relates to the points you want to remember. Write the highlights of the experience into a story that includes 1) a brief setup, 2) the conflict or surprising event that led to the learning moment, and 3) a summary of the point you want to remember. Then tell the story to a number of willing friends.
  3. Teach a a skill or concept to others in an engaging, interactive way. A good way to learn a complex process, concept or skill is to plan and teach it to others. This activity uses many areas of your brain, consolidating and solidifying the material for permanent use in the future.
  4. Take full breaks and get a good night’s sleep. The brain needs processing time to transfer data from short- to long-term memory. Be sure you take real breaks during the day. Don’t just steal moments to check your email. Go for a walk and breathe in some fresh air. Find a friend to talk to about a movie you saw or share your plans for the weekend. Reflect on some pictures that make you smile. And most importantly, make sure you get a full night’s sleep. That’s when your brain does its best processing work.

The brain needs both stimulation and rest to create and strengthen neural connections. You can continue learning and growing smarter the rest of your life if you do more than just cram your brain with words.

Filed Under: Brain Tips, Problem-solving, Self-Awareness, Time Management

7 Ways to Unitask

June 2, 2012 By

Beware of praise for multitasking. For better results, be a serial unitasker.

“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl isn’t giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” ~Albert Einstein

Most heavy multitaskers rate their ability to do many things at once as very high on surveys. When tested, their perception is wrong. This ability rarely proves to exist. Multitasking may speed you through your to-do list, but it also makes you more likely to make mistakes and less likely to retain information.

You only have 100% of your attention to give. If you divide it up, something suffers.

Psychologists Strayer and Watson from the University of Utah have found those who talk on cell phones while driving have proven to be worse drivers than those with a legal limit of alcohol in their blood. When driving or even walking while multitasking can prove to be dangerous. Hands-free phones are less dangerous because they don’t impair your vision but they still impair your cognition.

Even the younger smartphone, e-reader, video game generation who grew up with abilities to shift attention quickly do not show any increase in abilities to effectively multitask than their parents. Only a small percentage of the population, maybe 2%, represent what scientists call “supertaskers” than can defy the odds and split their attention effectively.

True geniuses and those who achieve mastery know how to focus not split their attention.

Attention is limited in capacity. Complex tasks require both focus and the flexibility combined with the ability to block out distractions. In other words, you have to be able to not only tune out or suppress some input, you also have to know how to turn up the volume on what matters most right now. This is called “unitasking.”

Here are seven tips to help you unitask:

1. Carve out 20-30 minute slots to work. You can stack your slots but it is easier to keep your time “sacred” in smaller chunks. Remember to turn off your phone and close the door. You might let people know your schedule so they don’t judge you as rude or inaccessible.

2. Quiet internal distractions. The chatter in your brain tends to be stuck in the past or the future instead of the present. You have two choices:

  • Suppress your concerns and deliberately move your attention into the present or
  • Let go of what is not resolved from the past or you are worrying about in the future.

Consider these three trigger points – 1) a sense of security, 2) a feeling of control, or 3) a need to be accepted, respected or liked. When listening to the conversation in your head, are you trying to regain one of these three things from the past? Or is your fear of not getting one of these needs met transfixing your thoughts in the future? What can you do to let go of your regrets? What can you do to trust that the future will turn out all right? You can ruminate and worry later. You can even designate a time for these thoughts on your schedule. Take a breath and come back to the present for the next 20-30 minute time slot.

3. Ban external distractions. Be aware of what steals your attention. This includes background noise such as a television or music with lyrics. When interrupted, make a conscious choice to return to the task at hand.

4. Take breaks every hour to move your body. This gives your brain a chance to process what you have worked on. When you return to your task, you can refresh your focus and produce new ideas more easily. If you don’t get up and move, it’s likely your mind will drift because you need a break anyway.

5. Think good thoughts. Positive emotions improve the brain’s executive function and encourage creative and strategic thinking. It is possible that the dopamine released when feeling happy, laughing or appreciating someone or something can increase your ability to multi-task. Improve your emotional balance by actively thinking about things that make you happy.

6. Leave things behind. When you turn to a new task, part of your brain is still thinking about the last one. Before starting something new, go for a walk, climb stairs, or do some deep breathing to clear your head.

7. Finally, learn how to say “no.” You have to take control of your time or other people will enjoy controlling it for you.

 

Filed Under: Brain Tips, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, Time Management

4 Ways to Find More Time

May 5, 2012 By

There is never enough time. However, it is possible to find extra time if you are conscious about your judgment of time.

The following four thoughts about time may steal your time. A change in perception can give you a better sense of time.

1. Time is money. According to researchers Sanford Devoe and Julian House, thinking of time in terms of money shapes how we view time well spent. Devoe and House asked participants to take a period of time to enjoy music or putter around the Internet for pleasure.

Before one group started, they were asked to share their hourly wage at work. Devoe and House did not ask this question of the second group. Those that were asked to think about their paycheck first grew impatient with “doing nothing.” Based on their post-test comments, those who were asked about money had thoughts about the time not spent earning cash.

Those who didn’t think about money enjoyed their time. They found value in the exercise.

Do you need to account for every minute of you time or are there “non-productive” moments that are priceless?

Creativity demands we have periods of time where we don’t think about work or problems. The more complex a situation, the more there is a chance to overload your cognitive resources. When you instead sleep on it or distract yourself with something mindless or a physical activity, you give your unconscious a chance to sort through possible solutions which is more effective than consciously trying to sift through pros and cons. This is called the “deliberation-without-attention effect.”

There is a reason why you come up with great ideas in your sleep. Creativity peaks at times of mental fuzziness, when you are sleepy and non-focused. On the other hand, the need to work more, work harder and work faster doesn’t lead to more productivity and actually kills creativity.

2. There is not enough time. If you are conscious about how you are spending your time, you might be able to speed up time. How much evidence do you need before you make a decision? How deeply do you need to analyze each step in your plan? According to researcher Roger Ratcliff, decisions and tasks often take a long time because of a conscious choice to emphasize accuracy over speed.Trusting yourself to work faster can give you the gift of time.

Additionally, making a plan and sticking to it can narrow your focus so you can’t see alternatives and time-savers right in front of you.

Psychologist E.J Masicampo gave subjects a task of finding Bill Murray’s birthdate after completing another task. They were told they could find it on a particular movie site. About two-thirds of the participants overlooked the Wikipedia website on their screen, thinking they had to go to the movie site as planned. Finding the date on Wikipedia would have been easier than trying to discover it on the movie site.

Blindly adhering to a premeditated path can lead to expending more time, energy and resources on a problem than is necessary. How can you remind yourself to sit back, take a breath, and look around you for other possibilities even when you have many things to finish in a day? The Jesuits have a nearly 500-year old spiritual tradition that emphasizes a twice-daily practice of conscience. Do you have time for this?

3. I don’t have time now but I will later. Psychologically healthy adults tend to be optimistic about the future. This isn’t bad, but it could paint the present as worse than it is. When you are having a good time, you don’t worry about time. When you are not, time is either a drudge or stress producer.

Try to see what makes the present moment the best of times. Positive emotions improve the brain’s executive function and encourage creative, quick and strategic thinking. Gain time by actively thinking about things that make you happy, and then look for good reasons for completing the task in front of you. There may never be a better time than now.

4. Time is fleeting. All the “productivity tools” we have actually make us less productive. Constantly checking for emails, texts, the latest news, social media streams, relevant blog posts, and irrelevant but interesting articles keep our brains scattered and overworked.

When you are working to complete a task, ban the distractions. Be aware of what steals your attention. If you get interrupted or need a break, make a conscious choice to return to the task at hand with your full attention. Letting yourself wander for too long may lead you to having to repeat some of your work just to remember where you left off.

Also, when you leave one task to go to another, be sure you leave the last task behind. Before starting something new, go for a walk, climb stairs, or do some deep breathing to clear your head. Even if you think you are a good multi-tasker, the brain has only 100% of attention to dole out. Giving a task even 80% of your attention can lead to mistakes you will have to fix later, taking up precious time.

Now, I go make up the time that you have taken to read this article.

Filed Under: Brain Tips, Self-Awareness, Time Management Tagged With: , , , ,

A Healthy Supply of Energy is Needed for Success

August 19, 2009 By

I’ve been advised to persist all of my life. Hard work and a never-give-up attitude are the ingredients for success.

Yet for everyone who champions willpower and determination, there is a counterpart declaring, “I should have done something else.” Almost everyone I know harbors a number of personal and career regrets. Many an opportunity is missed when under the spell of persistence.

Therefore, I’m going to take a risk and tell you that there are times when a goal or an entire vision should be scrapped. This mandate may sound counter to the motivational concepts popular today. I believe in the power of goals. I also believe that if the wind is about to topple your ship, it’s time to change course. And when your child begs for attention, your ulcers scream for Mylanta, and everyone is telling you to give it a rest, heed the signals. A change of heart can save your heart, emotionally and physically.

How do you know when to dig in your heels or take flight? The Energy Allocation Exercise will help you make decisions. You can use it when facing a major issue or when you find yourself frustrated by a particular person or situation. Remember, moving on isn’t always a matter of giving up. Rather, it’s making conscious choices as to how to best divvy up your most precious resources — time, stamina, and the ability to create.

Step 1. Divide a sheet of paper in half.  Label the left side “Can’t Control” and the right, “Can Control.” Now think about the specific goal you’re struggling to achieve.

Step 2. Under “Can’t Control,” list the aspects of the situation that you’re unable to change. Be honest with yourself. If the person’s mind you are trying to alter or the people guarding the policy you’re trying to revise haven’t budged in months, it’s safe to say you’re wasting your time.

Step 3. In the “Can Control” column, list the aspects that are within your power to affect. Include yourself–your willingness to deal with the situation, your mindset and attitude, and the emotions that you need to feel so you can shift out of complaining and into action. Include everything within your “response-ability.”

Also, reconsider the items listed in the first column. Maybe these people and situations are not within your power to change. However, is there anything you can do to influence them? Can you ask someone to attend a meeting so you can participate in a critical discussion or make a phone call to someone in power to suggest a policy revision? Can you ask someone to have lunch with you, to take a moment to listen to your ideas? If the person you are struggling with got a phone call from you where you said, “I’m sorry,” would anything change? If you could say or do anything that would have a positive effect on the situation, add these items to your “Can Control” column.

Step 4. Return to column one, your “Can’t Control” list. How much energy do you put into these items, including complaining or worrying about them? These are your Dead Horses. You need to quit putting energy into what you can’t control. I see so many people screaming at the agents at the airport when they can’t make the plane arrive any sooner. If you put any energy into what you can’t control, you are “kicking a dead horse” and banging your head against the wall unnecessarily. You can kick your dead horses all you want, but they won’t budge. It may take time to bury a dead horse, but you’ll feel better when it’s over.

Are there any items you can release? Can you let go of the need to change something that you have no control over? Place a check mark next to each item you want to detach from your thoughts.  How can you release what you can’t control, which means freeing it from your mind? This doesn’t mean giving up. When you can finally let your manager’s insensitive remarks roll off your back and accept your spouse’s preference for getting ready at the last minute, you’ve disengaged from the struggle. Quit banging your head against the wall.  Open your arms and let the difficulty fly away.  The energy you’ll liberate can then be better placed.

Please don’t think that I’m saying it’s easy to abandon a cause. Letting go of something that you’ve deemed important is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. However, trying to ride a dead horse in the name of justice can sometimes mean losing ground in a relationship or negatively affecting your career advancement. Heed the wisdom of George Bernard Shaw who said, “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Step 5. Review the right column, your “Can Control” list. Which of these items are you working on now? Are there any you can commit to doing or beginning today? Place a check mark next to each item you will activate immediately. This is where you should expend your energy.  Few excuses justify inaction in this column.  If you feel trapped or helpless, direct your energy to where you can take charge.

Do you know why you’re not doing something you can do? When you don’t choose to change what you can, you’re susceptible to becoming a victim subject to the control of others. There’s a Yiddish proverb that says, “No choice is a choice too.” Inaction is a choice. When you ask yourself why you aren’t making the changes that are within your control, listen carefully to your answers. In the Bible, Job said, “Whe
n I defend myself, my own mouth defeats me.” Few excuses justify procrastination.

It only takes five minutes of bravery today to be stronger than you were yesterday. Many people who feel trapped or helpless would feel better if they took the first step, no matter how small it is, to change. Check the items off your Can’t Control List and set goals, intentions and steps to focus on what you Can Control.

Complete the Energy Allocation Exercise regularly. Over time you should find a greater sense of inner power with less anger and frustration. A healthy supply of energy is needed for success.

Filed Under: Brain Tips, Organizational Culture, Problem-solving, Professional Development, Time Management