In order to make the “gray matter” work to the maximum, it is necessary to understand at least a little bit about its structure. It is also necessary to take into account the limitations beyond which even the most highly trained brain is unable to go. Demanding exorbitant results from yourself is a direct path to overwork and neurological diseases. However, each of us has an opportunity to optimize the work of the brain, and more precisely its prefrontal cortex, taking into account the peculiarities of its functioning.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
The prefrontal cortex is a fairly small part of the brain that helps us adjust behavior and make the right decisions. It takes up only 4% of the total volume. Business success largely depends on the workings of this area, and it is in our power to learn to master it. That’s what this article will talk about.
Form patterns – routine actions that need to be repeated many times
Consciousness is not capable of dealing with several tasks at the same time, but this problem is solvable. After all, some actions can be brought to automatism and then perform in the background. The structures of the forebrain called the basal nuclei (or ganglia) are responsible for the automatic performance of frequently repeated actions. They allow you to walk, write, type, and do other things without thinking about them. Repeating an action 3 times starts the process of putting it into automatic mode.
This process is called long-term potentiation, an increase in communication between neurons that lasts for a long period. Actions brought to automatism unload the prefrontal cortex area. That is, they can be performed while thinking about a serious and important topic.
When you first sat down at the computer, typing was time-consuming. Now, after years of practice, you’re not thinking about the placement of characters on the keyboard. You’re typing and thinking about the content at the same time. You’ll do even better if you master the technique of blind typing. It will finally save you from having to put your eyes down on the computer keyboard. That’s why many students turn to the EssayAssistant service in the beginning, and then learn and handle the assignments themselves.
In solving a chain of problems, follow a logical sequence
Suppose you are given the assignment to write an essay on a piece of work that you have never read. You realize that you will not be able to do this assignment because you have not done the previous one: you have not read the novel. This causes anxiety and tension. And no matter how hard you try to squeeze a line out of yourself, all your efforts will be in vain.
Or another example. You need to solve the problem, but you do not listen attentively to the teacher and have little understanding. No matter how you spin it until you get to the bottom of it, you won’t come to the right result. Decisions that you can’t make, as well as unresolved problems, create a “traffic jam” in your head and waste mental energy in vain.
What to do in such cases? Go back to the higher-level tasks! They should be solved first. Don’t understand how to solve the problem? Revisit the material of the lesson, and study it on your own until you get clarity. And only then take on the solution.
It works the same way in everyday matters. For example, you are going to a meeting and cannot decide on the choice of clothing. You begin to get nervous and even angry. And all because you have not yet decided on the impression you want to make. Go back to this question, think through an approximate plan of the meeting, and making all subsequent decisions will be much easier.
Learn to focus and not react to distractions
In today’s world, this recommendation is very difficult to follow. Smartphones with constant access to the web do not allow it. Regularly beeping messengers, app notifications, reminders of important and unimportant things to do – that’s what we have on hand 24/7. We live in “always available” mode and are permanently afraid of missing something interesting. But it really gets in the way of our studies and work. The thought you so diligently formulated goes away. Then you have to pull it out of the depths of memory, and who knows how long it will take.
But this problem is solved quite easily – by turning off the device for the period of work. Much more difficult is to get rid of intrusive thoughts that creep into your head without any notification signals. You have to learn to get away from this thought stirrer. In other words, to slow it down.
We hope these tips will help you reach your goal and teach you how to use your brain more effectively.
