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Home Page > Self Improvement > Increasing The Power Of The Mind

Increasing The Power Of The Mind

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Posted: Jun 08, 2010 |

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You can increase your mind power starting today. There are conditions that are conducive to better thinking, and plants that increase blood flow to the brain. There are little “tricks” that can give you an immediate brainpower boost, and habits you can develop for a more permanent improvement in brain function. Here are six things you can try right now or over the coming days to prove to yourself that improved mind power is possible.

Exercise Helps The Brain

Long term exercise can boost brainpower, which isn’t surprising. Anything that affects physical health in a positive way probably helps the brain too. Recent research, though, shows that cognitive function is improved immediately after just ten minutes of aerobic exercise. If you need a brain recharge, walk up and down the stairs a few times.

Temperature And Mind Power

Many people have noted that they think better at certain temperatures. In general, it seems that being slightly cool, but not uncomfortable, is most conducive to good thinking. Try experimenting on yourself to see what temperature works best for you.

Become A Problem Solver

Just use a problem solving technique for several weeks and it will become a habit. Redesign everything you see for a while, and that will become a habit. Choose any of the many problem solving techniques and train yourself to use it, and you’ll have a more powerful mind. Many good thinking habits take some effort to develop, but then you will be more resourceful effortlessly from that point on. Use the power of habit to improve your mind power.

Develop Your Intuition

Einstein relied heavily on intuitive hunches. Because of his intuitive grasp of the game, Gary Kasparov can beat the best chess computer even though the computer can calculate positions many moves further ahead. Experience allows him to combine analysis with a “sense” of which move is best.

Your skill, knowledge and experience determine the potential effectiveness of your intuition. A weak chess player will never intuitively beat that computer. When enough good information is in your mind, it will go to work for you with or without your conscious participation, so feed it well. Also, watch for intuition to encourage it.

Sniff Roses or Rose Oil

This is relaxing for some people. The idea here is that sometimes you are too “wound up” for effective thinking. Relaxing can bring you back to a state where you can start again on a mental challenge, this time with more clarity. Again, I haven’t seen any studies done on this, but it seems safe enough to try.

Adjust Your Mind Power Beliefs

Believe you are smarter, and you’ll become smarter. For this, affirmations may work, but even better is seeing evidence. Make a note of your successes. Tell yourself, “Hey, that was really creative,” when you do something creative. When you have a good idea, make a note of it. Gather the evidence for your own mind power and you’ll start to experience more of it.

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What can i do to increase the power of my punches and kicks
Is it the power of our thought or law of attraction simply improves the state of mind? Dose thought really effects the surroundings so that it changes itself in our favour ?
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In Huna, there is the concept of the three selves, the lower, middle and higher self. There are seven principals that guide Huna followers. IKE means that the world exists as you believe it does. Kala means that there are no limits. Makia stands for the principal that energy flows where you give it attention. Manawa is the moment of power. Aloha is the concept that love is being happy with something or someone. Mana is the principal that all power is found from within the self.  Finally, Pono shows that the effectiveness of something is the measure of its truth.

The practice of Huna according to Dr. Rima Morrell, is the ability to influence the objects, animals and people around you. These don’t have to be living, they can be spirits or even Gods and Goddesses. The belief in this practice is not limited to the Hawaiians but is the basic truth and belief that is the center of many of the teachings of the ancient Egyptians, Buddha, Christ and the Yogi. Some of the Huna religion contains modern philosophy, but much of it is based on the belief that when you focus on the positive, the positive comes.

The Huna followers believe that by controlling their breathing they increase the energy and vitality of the body. The increased energy allows them to utilize the innate and often latent talents that they already posses. It allows them to fully oxygenate the body and by doing so, stimulate the electrical charge of each body cell.

The belief is that the action of the proper breathing increases not just the body’s ability to function but also increases the personal happiness of the student, their spiritual growth and of course their mental powers.

There are several methods of breathing, upper breathing, mid and deep breathing. The Kahuna breath encompasses all three and uses every part of the lung to do so. This gives the minimum amount of energy expenditure to breathe with the maximum results.

Like many of the other ancient beliefs, the breathing increases the latent energy in the body and allows the student to harness the powers and drive it with the breathing energy. The Kahuna breath uses clear focus on the breath to bring in the energy of the universe for the body to use. Just like other ancient beliefs that bring the supernatural from the buried recesses of the body, the breath is the energy that allows the body and mind to work together to perform what many consider miracles. The Kahuna use it to heal ailments, manifest objects and make realities occur. They focus on an action and communicate with the very nature of the object or desire until the outcome they wished is achieved. All this starts with the correct method of breathing.

Each, in their own right seem to gobble up every inch of computing brain space as you mull over advantages, consequences, causes, and reactions of others. Our level of anxiety over the mind numbing details might eventually increase to such an extent that other areas of our life run out of control. It gets to the point where nothing in business and in life is getting done. You are no longer productive!

When I allow myself to drift into single minded focus, my husband will look at me with an incredulous expression on his face and announce “You are just not seeing the big picture!”

You see, I was taught that the devil is in the details and consequently the big picture will take care of itself if I address every single little nuance – such as correcting a spelling error in a love letter sent to me by my fiancé’. I think that was the first clue to my husband Rick that our marriage would take on interesting elements.

When You Become So Focused On One Particular Thing – You Miss Other Opportunities in Business and in Life

A classic caution in driving is to avoid highway hypnosis where the driver’s eyes are so locked onto the road ahead that they don’t see what is developing around them. This is a ripe condition for accidents to happen. Well, we are doing the same thing when considering the changes we want to make in our personal life, careers or businesses.

When we do strategic planning, all of the elements related to our business need to be evaluated through a non judgmental process. Awareness of our surroundings can actually help us prioritize and focus on “what is” and “what needs to be” in our business decisions.

To achieve productive focus, try following the tips below before you make any short or long -term decisions.

5 Ways to Look at the Big Picture and Improve Overall Productivity While Reducing Stess and Anxiety…

1. Figure out what your present economic environment looks like? Has there been a downturn or growth in your area of expertise? What have other businesses like yours experienced and does that mirror what is happening to you? Once you have an accurate depiction of how your business arena is developing, you can begin to address areas to update, change or enhance.

2. Evaluate how your business is impacted by turnover? Is your time taken up in orienting new hires or actively working to maintain key employees in terms of running your business? Is your staff working at optimum levels and enjoying the work they do? If you are a single entrepreneur, are your physical and mental resources charged up and in good working condition? Often our personal energy overrides the physical or mental exhaustion we may feel and you may not even be aware your engine is slowing down. Take a personal inventory and do what you must in order to retain your vitality.

3. Take a solid look at your current financial situation. What amount of funds or business do you need to survive through an economic downturn and how much do you need in order to thrive? What resources do you have available to you to shore up your financial portfolio? Once these questions are answered, it will give you the foundation you need to establish business decisions.

4. Realistically evaluate your product or service offering and determine if the marketplace still wants it. Even though you feel the public needs what you have, a fickle public will purchase what it wants and may leave you behind. Consider taking active steps to interview other entrepreneurs and professionals as well as current and past clients for real-time information. Decisions made in a vacuum are never a good thing.

5. Assess what steps you need to take to catch up to the technology changes occurring in social networking, online meetings, and communication tools. Even though technology continues to evolve daily, you can utilize resources that meet your needs currently and through the next couple of years. Understand how your customers and clients relate to you and act accordingly.

Perspective is a wonderful thing. We may not like what we see (like an expanding waist line in the mirror.) But once we understand what is really happening, we can then take the necessary steps to fix it or build upon the successes that are already in place.

Focus on the big picture while enjoying the nuances of the individual elements that make up the image and environment. You will improve your overall productivity and at the same time reduce your stress and anxiety.

I think I hear my husband cheering. Sweet.

(1) Create a place for study and study only in that place! Establish a peaceful room that will make possible concentration without any distractions. Some usual examples would be a library, a vacant classroom, or your home office. You will want to establish the habit of studying when you are in this place. So it is best to not use this place for other activities like daydreaming, watching TV, or playing music, etc.

BE SURE YOUR SPECIAL PLACE HAS:

(a) A comfy seat, but not excessively comfortable

(b) Your writing desk or table

(c) Excellent illumination

(d) Sufficient air flow

BE SURE YOUR SPECIAL PLACE DOES NOT HAVE:

(a) Views that will be distracting

(b) A telephone

(c) Distracting music

(d) A large screen television

(e) A companion who talks a lot

(f) A refrigerator filled with snacks

(2) Split your work into small, short-range projects.

(a) Set up small highly specific projects like, “I am going to study my English from 1 PM to 2 PM. Or else you will be setting yourself up to fail.

(b) Set a doable homework goal for the amount of time you are able to allocate. For example: finish reading chapter ten in my chemistry text, or complete a final version of my chemistry paper, etc. Set your goals when you you are ready to study but before you actually begin. Set realistic goals. You may do more than reach your goal, but set a reasonable goal even if it seems far too easy.

(3) Test Anxiety

(a) Some students experience physical symptoms for the most part, like feeling hot or cold, nausea, or faintness, etc.

(b) Other students experience mostly emotional symptoms, like feeling irritable, crying, or getting frustrated quickly.

(c) The main difficulty with anxiety is that it can make one have a memory block. Or it could make one have thoughts that are racing out of control.

(d) Although you may currently experience some level of anxiety while taking a test, you can learn to diminish that anxiety, or even completely eliminate it!

(e) Anxiety and the resultant stress are as a rule the main causes of a lack of the ability to focus your concentration. Stress can also trigger a mental block when one tries to remember information.

(f) Hypnosis CD’s can be utilized to relax your mind and focus your concentration. As your mind calms down, your ability to stay focused will increase. Similarly, a calm mind enhances your ability to retain information, and recall it when it is needed.

(g) Hypnosis and NLP CD’s can be utilized to program your mind for the positive expectation of tranquility and the ability to bring back to mind the information during an exam. This is effective at diminishing or eliminating test anxiety.

(h) There are a number of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) techniques that can quickly do away with a test phobia!

INTRODUCTION

In the world of writing there is something called “Writer’s Block” where the author
procrastinates on his work and is easily distracted. Hopefully, he overcomes
the problem and tackles his assignment. To do so, he needs to eliminate
distractions and engage his brain to the subject at hand. The same is true
in any endeavor, be it a carpenter, an engineer, or a programmer. The more we
can engage the brain, the more we can produce. The challenge therefore becomes
how to maximize the use of our brain. By brain power I am not referring to a
measurement of IQ, but rather to simply engage what God has given us.

LEVELS

I may not be a psychologist, but it has been my observation as a management
consultant that there is essentially three levels by which our brains operate:

LEVEL 1 – PRIMAL

This represents our basic instincts and reflex actions as we blunder through
life (I call this the “auto-pilot” mode). For example, we devise a morning
regimen where we awaken and prepare for work. At this level, we are not
at our most alert. Instead, we want to simply catch up on the news, brush
our teeth, dress, and travel to work. Similarly, at the end of the day, we
decelerate our activity as we prepare for sleep. In other words, we develop
predictable routines to go through day after day without much thought. The
brain is engaged, but far from our maximum output. In fact, we take in more
than we put out. This is where we want to be entertained or informed.

LEVEL 2 – MODERATE

This level represents an equal level of input and output. The brain is either
accelerating (at the beginning of the work day) or decelerating (at the end
of the work day). At this level we have no trouble taking instructions and
produce an average amount of work, quite often mundane or routine assignments
simply to pass the time of day. We are also easily distracted. In the normal
business day, Level 2 typically occurs between 9:00am – 10:00am (as the work
day begins), 12:00pm – 1:00pm (following lunch), and 4:00pm to 5:00pm (as
we prepare to conclude the work day).

LEVEL 3 – ACCELERATED

This level represents high achievement where we are able to concentrate
and put forth our best work effort. Here, the brain is fully engaged and our
output surpasses our input as we concentrate on the job at hand. In the
normal business day, Level 3 typically occurs between 10:00am – 12:00pm,
and 1:00pm – 4:00pm.

AVERAGE WORK DAY

Let us now consider how we use time during the average work day and
consider how much is used at the various levels. First, we will divide the
day into three equal increments of eight hours: Sleep, Work, and Personal Time.

REST – 8 HOURS

During this time, the brain is not truly engaged other than to maintain
bodily functions.

WORK – 8 HOURS

Based on studies we have performed on time management, we have
found most people in corporate offices to be approximately 70% effective,
meaning in an eight hour work day, they are spending about six hours on
direct work assignments, and two hours on indirect activities (time that
doesn’t contribute directly to their assignments; e.g., breaks, meetings,
taking instruction or direction, etc.)

PERSONAL TIME – 8 HOURS

This represents time where we perform pet projects and hobbies,
pay the bills, run errands, attend a function (such as a meeting),
relaxation, awake, prepare for sleep, etc. During this time we
typically spend two hours of concentrated work, and six hours of
indirect activities.

SHIFTING GEARS

This means in a typical work day, we only spend eight hours to really exercise
the brain (Levels 2 and 3). But from a manager’s perspective, we are primarily
concerned with the six hours devoted to work. During this time, people will
spend approximately three hours operating at Level 2 and three hours at
Level 3. This ratio between Levels 2 and 3 will fluctuate based on how well
the worker is able to engage the brain. Some people are able to engage their
brains at Level 3 for several hours, some for only an hour, and some not at all.

At this time we have to recognize that thinking is hard work. Although Level 3
is where we want employees to perform at, we must recognize that nobody can
keep it in high gear for an extended period of time. The brain grows weary and
moderates itself, shifting from Level 3 down to Level 2 or Level 1.

We must also beware of the “cattle phenomenon” whereby we fall into
the tedium of repetitive behavior and, as such, our brains do not progress
past Level 2. Consequently, repetition often leads to laziness.

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has
been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.”
- Albert Einstein

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS

It is the manager’s objective to keep employees operating at Level 3 for as long
as is practical, thereby producing the best and most voluminous work products. To do
so, the manager must minimize distractions, relieve tension, and maximize focus
on work (concentration). To this end, the manager should consider the following:

Use of Stimulants

No, I am not suggesting the use of narcotics in the work place, other than a
good strong cup of coffee (the rocket fuel of industry). However, you want to
create an environment that appeals to the human senses, specifically visual,
audio, touch, even smell. For example, a well lit and brightly painted room
stimulates human senses as opposed to a dark, dull, lackluster room. A
painting or office furnishings can add a touch of class and stress the disposition
of the office. A calm and quiet office, perhaps with some suitable background
music, can help people focus as opposed to a loud and boisterous environment.
Ergonomically designed office equipment can have a positive impact on employee
behavior. But be careful not to introduce too much comfort as it might put people
to sleep. To illustrate, I do not have a problem with hard chairs that force people
to sit up and pay attention.

Encourage mental gymnastics during the day. Perhaps some friendly debate
or the solving of a problem. It has long been known that puzzles, crosswords,
chess and checkers, and the like help stimulate the human brain. Simple, basic
social intercourse can work wonders in terms of stimulating the mind.

Consider room temperature; if too warm or too cold, it will become distracting.
But keep the room more cool than warm as it forces you to stay awake. Also
consider the amount of available oxygen which stimulates the brain.

Another area to review is nutrition. Make sure workers are eating the right
foods in the right amount. Large meals tend to put people to sleep immediately
afterwards.

Basic exercises can also enhance both physical and mental acuity. Many
companies now offer in-house facilities for such programs.

Understand this, employee breaks are not all bad. It gives the worker an
opportunity to get away from his work, clear his head, and return with a
better focus. Of course, there will be those employees who will abuse this
privilege and, because of this, the manager has to constantly monitor the
use of breaks.

Ultimately, the corporate culture has a profound effect on the stimulation
of workers. If the right environment is established, you can turn lethargic
workers into “movers and shackers.”

Motivate

It is necessary for the manager to encourage workers to rise to a challenge
and work harder. To this end, the manager must play the role of Industrial
Psychologist to understand what makes people tick, thereby providing the means
to motivate them to excel. This can be done with simple praise, rewards, and
recognition. It can also be done through constructive criticism. I have seen
instances where both a cheerleader approach and a tough taskmaster approach
have worked to positive effect. Some people respond to praise, others respond
better when their integrity is challenged. Here, the manager has to intuitively
know when and where to press the right buttons of his workers.

The manager needs to be able to create a sense of urgency, regardless of the
task at hand. This can be done either by carrot or by stick depending on the situation.
The worker must understand their work is important and adds value to their life.
If they feel their work is irrelevant, then their self-esteem will suffer and they
will put forth little effort to achieve anything. One way of implementing this is
to empower the workers and make them more personally responsible for their
actions and allow them to participate in the decision making process. By
creating a sense of ownership, the worker becomes more responsible (and active)
in their work effort.

Avoid Repetition

As indicated earlier, repetition can cause the brain to relax. Because of this,
the manager must consider ways to break up the monotony and cause the
workers to refocus. Work breaks can break up the tedium, perhaps with some brief
physical exercise thrown in. Scheduled breaks are effective but they too can face
the problem of repetition; e.g., workers work around anticipated breaks. In contrast,
unscheduled breaks often have a better effect as it disrupts worker expectations. Think
of it as a game of “Musical Chairs.”

Sometimes a simple change of scenery can help break up repetition. Instead
of meeting at the same place over and over again, try a different physical
venue to perk up worker interest.

Health

Regardless of how logical we believe we are, the brain is a physical organ
greatly influenced by human health. If we are sick or in distress (perhaps due
to the death of a loved one, a pending divorce, financial problems, etc.), it
is difficult to focus on our work. The manager should monitor worker
mental/physical health and take corrective action. For example, if someone
is sick, get them to a doctor so they can begin to mend and become productive
again. Further, the last thing you need is for someone to infect the rest of
your workers with a contagious disease (e.g., colds, flu, etc.).

The manager should also look for sleep deprivation in workers and counsel
them accordingly. A tired worker will not engage his brain properly. Further,
look for signs of drug abuse and depression that might have an adverse effect
on their work.

Minimize Distractions

One of the manager’s responsibilities is to monitor the surroundings of
the worker in order to minimize distractions and create a suitable environment
to concentrate on their work assignments. To assist in this regards, a Project
Management system is useful to record both direct and indirect activities. By
doing so, the manager can analyze the causes of worker distractions, plot
trends, and take appropriate action to minimize interference. For example,
if a manager detects excessive use of the telephone, he may devise a policy
to arrest the abuse. He may even go so far as to hold all outgoing calls.

The point is, the manager should constantly monitor and analyze
disruptions and distractions so that workers can concentrate on their
work effort.

Avoid Technology

A recent study was performed by Kings College in London for Hewlett
Packard, the purpose of which was to study the effect of technology
on worker performance. According to Dr. Glenn Wilson, the author of the study:

“Results showed clearly that technological distraction diminished IQ test performance
(mean scores dropped from 143.38 achieved under quiet conditions to 132.75 under
‘noisy’ conditions).”

“The impact of distraction was greater for males (145.50 down to 127) than for females
(141.25 down to 138.50). Putting that another way, males were superior in quiet conditions,
females were superior in the distraction condition. This is consistent with the idea that women
are better than men at ‘multi-tasking’.”

“Noisy conditions caused a striking increase in self-reported stress. Ratings on a 0-10 scale
of ‘stress experienced during the test’ increased from 2.75 to 5.5 for males and 4.75 to 6.75
for females. Note that in addition to the main effect of conditions of testing, women reported
higher stress levels than men overall.”

Basically, Wilson’s study is saying that excessive use of technology can
have an adverse effect on a person’s brain power. This is somewhat disturbing
as technology now permeates our society. As an example, while traveling through
the airports recently I observed the majority of my fellow travelers “tuned out” by
technology. The lion’s share of travelers today make active use of iPods, PDA’s,
cell phones, DVD & CD players, and laptop computers. It seems fewer and fewer
travelers read a book or engage in conversation anymore. In other words, most
travelers today are operating at a Level 2.

If Wilson is correct, and I believe he is, the manager should take notice of
this adverse effect of technology and discourage the use of such devices,
particularly at break time, and encourage more interpersonal contact
instead. Technology has its place, but I tend to believe we rely too heavily
on it. For example, using an automated calculator allows our brain to relax
while the machine performs the math. Too often I have seen people reach for a
calculator to perform a simple computation as opposed to working it out with
paper and pencil. They simply do not want to engage their brains. Further, I
have seen whole engineering departments come to a standstill when power
outages brought their computers down. Do they really lack the skills to continue their
work? Not really; their minds have simply been turned off by the technology.

CONCLUSION

The human brain distinguishes us from the rest of God’s creatures. It is
sad when we do not use it to its full potential. How the brain shifts
between Levels 1-2-3 is something we control ourselves. We can
elect to engage it and aspire to achieve, or not to engage it and
become lazy and complacent. It can also be engaged due to circumstances
and affected by others, such as our friends, family, fellow workers and
manager.

How a manager manipulates his worker’s brain power is analogous to
a mechanic fine-tuning an automobile. He is simply trying to get the
most out of it. Hopefully, we can give the mechanic something to work
with; if not, we’ll be scrapped.

“The more you use your brain, the more brain you will have to use.”
- George Dorsey

For additional information on the use of time, see the following
“PRIDE” Special Subject Bulletins:

No. 18 – Being ‘Effective’ with Project Scheduling – Apr 04, 2005

http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/ss050404.pdf

No. 17 – Taking the Mystery out of Estimating – Mar 28, 2005

http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/ss050328.pdf