One of my favorite states of mind is the process of deep thinking that leads to the fog of thoughts that are floating aimlessly solidifying into certain concepts and ideas that can be applied in projects. The problem is, this “zone” comes seemingly random and is not easily to activate at will. How can one learn to think deeply and connect the dots?
From what I managed to notice so far, deep thinking usually comes after experiences that leave a lasting effect on the person. I have experienced many events that left me processing everything that has happened during that short period of time. Usually those events stimulate strong emotions or have plethora of new ideas or experiences to take in. Like going on a trip or having an argument, both lead to intense self analysis and conclusions that have significant weight. Going out of the comfort zone is surely one of the most effective ways to stimulate thinking.
On the other hand, the most mundane activities make my brain tick and engage in forming connections between different concepts to make something new. That mostly happened to me during washing the dishes or doing laundry. What I think is the main factor in making the magic happen this way is the absence of mental distractions that take away the attention like YouTube videos, music or deep concentration on certain tasks. When I listen to music when I do my chores the mind is filled only with comprehending the music. That is why I am currently experimenting with doing chores without music or background videos. Having an empty unoccupied mind is surely important in thinking. My guess is that the brain gets too bored and starts replaying all the random thoughts that have accumulated in the subconscious and starts making connecting them.
From my experience, activating deep thinking is possible through branching out of the comfort zone and reducing the attention leachers. Cutting down on social media and media consumption is a good way to start. Ever since I have stopped using most of my social media I have experienced no drawbacks from it, but that is a topic for another post. More importantly, to think one needs to feed the brain with experience and have spare thinking time like doing chores or going on walks.
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