Want clear thinking? Resolve your "mind irritations," by
watching 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?
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.
Start tuning into your mind, and you'll find it becomes easier
to recognise 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.
More Tips For Clear Thinking
1. Have clear space. It's rare that a person can work better in
clutter. An organised home or office space means you won't have
the thought "where is that..." distracting your mind.
2. Get enough 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. Try meditating. 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. Walk. 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
diaphram more, drawing more air in, and therefore pumping more
oxygen into your bloodstream and brain.
7. Don't drink alcohol. A beer or two may help your creativity,
but in general, alcohol is a hindrance to clear thinking.
About the author:
Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower enhancement, creative
problem solving, and related topics for years. Subscribe to his
free
Creative Problem
Solving Course, and get a free gift at:
http://www.ProblemSolving101.com