Recognize that your mind extends beyond your skull into your body, surroundings, and relationships. Actively leverage these external resources to enhance your thinking and learning processes, rather than relying solely on internal mental effort.
Get abstract thoughts and information out of your head and onto physical space, such as whiteboards, post-it notes, or multi-monitor setups. This makes thinking more efficient and effective by resembling activities your brain evolved for, like manipulating objects and navigating 3D space.
Practice body scans for at least a few weeks to tune into the continuous flow of sensations and signals within your body. Increased interoceptive attunement provides valuable non-conscious information, leading to better decision-making.
Incorporate physical movement into your work and thinking processes, such as taking walking breaks, dancing between meetings, or pacing when stuck. Moving your body, especially in fluid ways, can prime your mind for creative thought and help ideas flow.
Spend time thinking outdoors to replenish drained attentional resources, as the brain processes natural stimuli effortlessly. Indoors, use evocative objects that serve as cues of identity and belonging to prime positive associations and enhance focus.
Engage in social activities like productive debates, storytelling, or teaching peers to activate dormant mental processes. Looping your thoughts through others’ minds can enhance and improve your ideas in ways that solitary thinking cannot.
For complex group projects, establish a transactive memory system where individuals specialize in knowing different aspects of the project. This allows the group to access a vast pool of knowledge beyond what any single person could hold, improving overall effectiveness.
When mentoring or teaching, explicitly model your thought processes by breaking down complex tasks into micro-steps and exaggerating important aspects. This makes your expert knowledge accessible to beginners, overcoming the challenge of automatized expertise.
Allow and encourage yourself and others to gesture freely while speaking, even in formal settings like Zoom meetings. Gestures, especially symbolic ones, make thinking less effortful and expression more fluid, aiding both the speaker’s cognition and the listener’s comprehension.
Keep an interoceptive journal to track your internal body signals and what they suggest, then compare these intuitions against the actual outcomes of your decisions. This practice helps you learn when to trust your gut feelings and when to rely more on conscious thought.
Design workspaces and classrooms that allow for varied body positions and movements, such as standing desks, yoga balls, or wiggle stools. This helps individuals, especially those who are fidgety or have ADHD, regulate their arousal and alertness, leading to better focus and attention.
Promote synchronized movement, like walking together, or shared rituals, such as meals, within groups. These activities can create a sense of ‘groupiness’ and shared understanding, making cooperation and collaboration easier and more effective.
When assessing individuals, acknowledge that access to ‘outside the brain’ resources (like freedom to move, green spaces, or knowledgeable mentors) is unequal. Consider this ’extension inequality’ to identify untapped potential and avoid relying solely on brain-bound measures like test scores.
Introduce indoor plants and natural elements into your work or living environment. Even small amounts of greenery can provide a mentally calming and pleasing effect, similar to being outdoors, and help replenish mental resources.
Instead of only taking coffee breaks, incorporate short bursts of physical activity, such as dancing or a quick walk, between periods of intense mental work. This helps release energy, get the body moving, and refresh the mind.
When preparing for a talk or presentation, consciously consider and rehearse your hand movements and body language in addition to your verbal content. Symbolic and beat gestures can significantly enhance audience understanding and engagement.