rst, the bad news: your brain was never designed to multitask well: To put it bluntly, research shows that we can’t multitask. We are biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously. Across the board multitasking lowers productivity: Our results show that multitasking is bad for productivity even if one is not concerned with average duration. Neither gender is better at it: We do not find any evidence for gender differences in the ability to multitask. But if multitasking doesn't work,…
e best way to pick a password or hiding spot you'll remember is to choose one quickly because you want something that will return to mind quickly: Via Why We Make Mistakes: The key to picking a good hiding place is hiding place is making a quick connection between the thing being hidden and the place in which it is hidden, says Alan Brown. Brown is a professor at Southern Methodist University who has studied where and how people hide…
e military makes soldiers stand up straight for a reason; there's an implicit connection between posture and power that has been demonstrated time and time again. Want to increase confidence? Make yourself tougher? Stand up straight. Clench your fists. Gestures should be palm down. Know how to speak with power. Deepen your voice. Speak first. Speak often. Repeat yourself. Interrupt people. Don't laugh. Elevate yourself when standing. Sit in the center during meetings. Dress appropriately. It makes a difference. People…
end more time outdoors. Nature has a myriad of incredible positive effects that have demonstrated by research: Being out in nature reduces stress. Nature walks or even looking at pictures of nature improves memory. Flowers increase romantic feelings. Nature can even make you a better person. Can't be bothered to step outside? Even a potted plant has been shown to improve attention span and increase creativity in an office environment. You might be inclined to discount this. I know that…
search says these tips can boost your memory: Closing your eyes does improve recall of information. And trust your memory: double checking makes you trust your memory less and reduces how vivid your memories are. Gesture when taking in new information and take a nap after you learn new things. Bet on your ability to remember things. (This makes it fun too.) Pictures of car accidents! Looking at emotional photos after taking in information led to greater recall. Be curious.…
bsp; 1) Your "feared self." Via Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy: In a surprising 2008 study, researchers at the University of Bath, UK, found that the fear of failure drives consumers far more than the promise of success; the latter oddly tends to paralyze us, while the former spurs us on (and pries open our wallets). In fact, as the study found, the most powerful persuader of all was giving consumers a…
earning occurs best when important information is selected from less important ideas, when selected information is organized graphically, when associations are built among ideas and when understanding is regulated through self-testing" Know the rules your brain works by and general tips for getting smarter. A negative attitude increases motivation to learn. Cheerful students think they're doing well but have lower GPA's. Good moods can harm your memory. Being social before a test increases performance. Testing yourself is the best way…
what we can do to prevent it? Distraction. Choking is frequently caused by thinking when we shouldn't be thinking. Counting backwards from 100 has been shown to occupy the conscious mind and allow competitors to perform uninterrupted by worries. Adapting to self-awareness. By repeatedly being videotaped while performing, subjects adapted to being watched and no longer found themselves choking. So regular practice in front of an audience (or whatever type of pressure you expect to deal with) can reduce anxiety.…
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