published: 10 Oct 2020
5 min read | website: www.ebr.com.au
Most people associate fast thinking equates to level of intelligence, but sheer processing speed is often less valuable than accuracy.
Quickly learn 6 ways to help you think faster and more efficiently at work.
1) Take notes with a pen and paper:
To speed up your learning, skip the laptop and take notes the old-fashioned way, with a pen and paper. Research has shown that those who type in their lecture notes process retains the information at a lower level. Those who take notes by hand actually learn more.
2) Practice doing things you are good at, try faster:
If you play instrument, learn songs with a faster tempo. If you do puzzles or play games like chess, set a timer to force yourself to work faster. See how fast you can do a simple chore like cleaning your desk or preparing a meal. Don't try this with something you are still learning, as you will only get frustrated.
3) Stop trying to multitask:
Your brain can't focus on two tasks at once, but will instead, quickly toggles back and forth between tasks. It's well documented that trying to multitask can make you less productive and reduces mental performance, attention span, and ability to learn.
Get in the habit of giving one task at a time your undivided attention. Paying attention to just one thing is key to learning and memory performance.
4) Mindfulness:
A regular meditation practice builds a more efficient brain by stimulating the formation of new brain cells and neural connections and by increasing brain plasticity.
Meditation strengthens communication between neurons which, in turn, speeds up mental processing, enhances your capacity to learn, and improves your ability to concentrate.
5) Be Social:
Communicating via your electronic devices gives you time to ruminate over conversations while engaging with others face-to-face will force you to converse in real time, making you think faster.
6) Supplements That Promote Faster Thinking:
Another way to promote faster thinking is to take certain nutritional supplements.
Here's a look at those that have been shown to improve processing speed, processing accuracy, or both, thus promoting faster, more efficient thinking.
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