The trouble with the way many of us are working today is that we are leaning more and more heavily on sorting information, organising e-mails, and cramming facts. And no matter how creative you were to begin with, if you focus on facts and details for long enough your creative side will slip into lullaby land.
More and more of us are losing touch with our intuitive side, our creativity and our ability to think "out of the box". The problem? Many of us are only using half of our box! Read on and find out how to nurture the right side of your brain and get back with the bigger picture.
The Limited Majority
Research shows that around 60% of people in the developed world are dominant in left hemisphere style thinking. Thinking with the left side of your brain is excellent for fact gathering and analysing and for precision and analysis, it's also great for organising information and situations, keeping records and developing plans. In short, your left brain loves order and details.
But the trouble with zooming in on the details is that you can miss out on the bigger picture. That's the realm of your right brain and it facilitates wonderful abilities such as flexibility of thinking, intuitive problem solving, creative planning, considering values, spotting new possibilities and interacting sensitively and positively with others.
One problem with the left brain ruling the roost is that it can lead to what appears to others to be arrogant, locked down thinking and poor understanding of other people's concerns and feelings. Left brain dominance can lead to an arrogant streak or critical nature, it can cause impatience, resistance to change and can make you socially unpopular as left brain people have a tendency to fix on being always right, and are quick to point out faults in others. Does that sound like someone you want to hang around with? Me neither!
Three Fun Ways to Boost your Brain's Right Hemisphere
- Use your non-dominant hand
if you're right-handed try brushing your teeth with your left hand, or spending a few minutes a day writing with your left hand. It's fascinating to see how awkward it is when you first write with your "wrong" hand. But after some practice you'll see that your writing will start to look like your early attempts of writing at school. If you keep practising it will slowly improve and your control of the pencil and speed of writing will get better and better and so will your access to your right hemisphere.
- Try some brain boosting body moves
certain body moves are known to balance the brain. Juggling, walking while swinging opposite arms and legs, and marching on the spot all help to get the left and right side of the brain working together.
- Creative Planning
doodling rather than writing word lists or linear notes is a good way to engage your right brain. You can daydream, scribble and sketch your way through a problem solving session and find yourself stress free and super resourceful when you emerge from the other side.
Mind Mapping is another great way to work on paper with your whole brain. It's fast, fun and encourages excellent radial thinking and recall with minimal effort.
Join the Whole Brained Elite
By practising whole brain thinking you are associated with a minority of genius thinkers - Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci are often referred to as whole brain thinkers, and it's their natural inclination to think in an integrated manner that won them genius status. Nurture your right brain today and let your imagination fly...
"Imagination is more important than knowledge” Albert Einstein
Ananga Sivyer writes for Lifescape magazine and various websites on natural health and personal development.
Visit her on her Living by Design blog for more articles like this and FREE access to her Moments of Tranquility Meditation and Relaxation MP3s - download to your heart's content and start meditating today...