Discover the full collection of #ThinkfullyHabits
The human brain craves certainty. We like it when people take away what’s woolly and tidy up the edges of uncertainty. A confident and clear-cut explanation or story is psychologically reassuring and satisfying. It’s what we want to hear, and we’re often happy to bask in the false sense of security. We need to be careful we don’t give in to this temptation too easily.
Read MoreSpotting what seems a little strange can be important. We are far better at spotting patterns than we are at spotting the little things that don’t fit the patterns. We can struggle to recognise the importance of inconsistencies, outliers and anomalies.
Read MoreWe all know it’s good to take proper breaks during the day. There are endless articles giving endless reasons around increased mental and physical wellbeing, better work-life balance and improved performance. The focus is usually on the beneficial impact on our bodies and brains. However, it can also be the case that the activities we do in these breaks provide just the opportunistic spark of practical inspiration we need. Whatever we do, we shouldn’t waste these sources of inspiration right in front of us.
Read MoreIf a bat and a ball together cost $1.10, and the bat costs a dollar more than the ball, how much does the ball cost?
This is a question that Daniel Kahneman made famous in his book ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’. It’s a question that reveals how our instinctive, rapid response can lead us astray. Many of us will automatically generate the wrong answer of ‘ten cents’ in our heads. Our slower more logical thinking takes some time to catch up.
Read MoreIt often makes sense to look at other people’s solutions; to steal inspiration and nab fresh ideas. However, it also limits us to what other people have done. There’s a huge amount of inspiration that can come from looking beyond what others have already tried.
Read MoreHow often do your thoughts become clearer once given a bit of time to settle? Or an idea emerges from what originally seemed like a confusing mess of information? If we understood what occurs in our minds, perhaps we wouldn’t be so surprised when this happens.
Read MoreIn the same way that we can unexpectedly see something in the corner of our eye, a vague idea or trail of a thought can sometimes catch the edge of our attention; often fleetingly. It’s usually something outside of what we are paying attention to. Often it comes and goes with little consideration.
Read MoreDo you ever feel frustrated when you doze off when you don’t want to? But, what if dozing in and out of sleep was actually a helpful state to be in? What if we gave into it a bit more often (as long as we’re in a safe space and not operating machinery!).
At the onset of sleep there’s a state we enter called ‘hypnagogia’, which we experience as being half-asleep, half-awake. Charles Dickens talked of this as a time that enables the mind to “ramble at its pleasure.”
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