Change Is Good: Part 2
Episode #7 of the course How to stay focused: Ten top hacks for motivation by K.C. Finn
Having looked at how we can wake up our bodies to encourage focus and motivation whilst we work, we now turn to the mind and the ways in which we handle and process information. In this lesson, we will explore a few different mental approaches to changing the methods by which you work. These access the type of learning style that suits you most, and therefore produce greater results and engagement levels.
The Theory
Ideas surrounding learning styles and different types of learners are not new and have been labeled, re-labeled, and researched virtually to death in educational circles. Whichever way you choose to label them, and whichever school of thought you come from, it is clear that there are three primary types of learners. For our purposes here, we’ll call them visual, auditory, and kinetic learners.
As the name suggests, visual learners are more likely to take in their information through diagrams, pictures, and symbols, whilst auditory learners are more likely to retain information that is given to them through speech, music, and other sound cues. The kinetic learner, in contrast to these other types, is most engaged when using their physical presence to do tasks, for example, making things with their hands or following particular physical routines. Today’s practice relies on learning what methods you best respond to, and then transforming those into better working methods for improved productivity and focus.
In Practice
As a writer, you would imagine that the kinetic process of typing and the visual process of reading would be the most essential and responsive skill set for my working routine. My learning style, however, happens to be that of an auditory learner, which can place enormous obstacles in front of me when I find myself struggling to focus on large written tasks. It is for this reason that I often choose to alter my method when I’m faced with a blank screen and do not know what to type, switching to voice dictation where I can allow my thoughts to form in an auditory method that’s more suited to my engagement style.
As we discussed during Lesson Three, a plain old page filled with written information such as a to-do list can easily be transformed into a more visually appealing format for those who retain images, symbols, and colors better than simply the words themselves. There is also a kinetic, physical process to be had in taking your notes, for example, for an important report or presentation, and arranging them physically on a corkboard or display board, as opposed to simply scrolling through them and trying to organize them on a screen. If you are finding a task particularly difficult in terms of maintaining focus, examine the learning style and approach you’re taking with it, and see if you can find an alternative method of doing the task that better suits you and your educational needs.
Reflection
We’ve talked a lot about education during this lesson, and the reasoning behind that is that learning is a process which requires extreme focus and motivation in order to be successful, so getting your brain into an effective learning mode whilst you’re in the workplace can also produce those same ultra-productive results. Whether it’s found in talking your ideas through with a friend, translating your information into a more visually associated format using photographs, or having a series of physical cues that help you to remember a presentation you have to deliver, personalized approaches can be a fantastic way to keep your mind happy I see you fulfill your duties in your working day.
These last few lessons have begun the transition from specific work habits towards your general approach to work, and so we’ll now move to examine the much bigger picture. In the next lesson, we examine some healthy habits including food, hydration, rest, and movement which wake up the body to keep the mind going during your work.
See you then!
K.C.
Recommended reading
If you’re not sure about your learning type, Education Planner has a simple quiz that will give you a good indication of the style and approach that you tend to favor, along with a percentage breakdown of each type.
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