Clear Thinking
When you want clear thinking, start by resolving your "mind
irritations." Watch what's going on in your head. It takes
practice, but you can start right now. Sometimes a phone call
you need to make quietly bothers you all day, just below consciousness.
Maybe you're worried about an upcoming meeting. How do you find
and resolve these things?
Just take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and
tune in to your mind. As you become aware of these stressors,
do something to let them go. Make that phone call, or put it
on your "to do" list, and your mind will let go of
the concern for now. Sometimes bringing a problem to full consciousness
and telling yourself, "There is nothing I can do about this
until Friday," will stop the unconscious worrying.
When you start tuning into your mind, you'll find it becomes
easier to recognize what is just below the surface, irritating
you and sapping your brain power. Take care of those things,
and clearer thinking is automatic. This is a powerful technique
if you use it regularly.
Clear Thinking - More Tips
1. Clear space. It's rare that a person can work better in
clutter. An organized home or office space means you won't have
the thought "where is that..." distracting your mind.
2. Good sleep. Sleep requirements vary greatly, but the bare
minimum for almost everyone is somewhere around five hours. Many
of us suffer if we sleep less than seven hours. Research, however,
seems to indicate that after some minimum quantity, the quality
of sleep is more important for normal brain function.
3. Meditation. Close your eyes, relax, and watch your breath.
Your mind will wander endlessly, but just continually return
your attention to your breath. Do this for even five minutes,
and you'll feel better and think more clearly.
4. Walking. I think the research will eventually show this
to be one of the best things you can do to improve the quality
of your thinking. But don't wait for the proof. There are enough
other reasons to take a walk anyhow.
5. Avoid sugar. Eat a large piece of sugary cake on an empty
stomach, then try to do math problems twenty minutes later. You'll
understand "brain fog," or the "sugar blues."
6. Breath deeply through your nose. Three deep breaths through
your nose is like a mini-meditation. Nose breathing uses your
diaphragm more, drawing more air in, and therefore pumping more
oxygen into your bloodstream and brain.
7. Avoid alcohol. A beer or two might help your creativity,
but in general, alcohol is a hindrance to clear thinking.
Related Page: Creative Thinking
Problem Solving 101 | Clear Thinking |
