Just a Girl.
Just Me.

Ch1 Open the door

My success reinforced my desire  to practice, and that built more success. 

Ch2 easy does it 

Why trying too hard can sometimes be part of the problem

* Prime your mental pump

Spending a minute or two glancing ahead before you read in depth will help you organize your thoughts. You're creating little neural hooks to hang your thinking on, making it easier to grasp the concepts.

Focused versus diffused thinking

The two different types of networks that the brain switches between- highly attentive states and more relaxed resting state networks. We' ll call the thinking processes related to these two different types of networks the focused mode and diffused mode. 

Focused-mode thinking involves a direct approach to solving problems using rational, sequential, analytical approaches.

Diffuse-mode thinking allows us to suddenly gain a new insight on a problem we've been struggling with and is associated with " big picture" perspectives. It is what happens when you relax your attention and just let your mind wander. 

If you are trying to understand or figure out something new, your best bet is to turn off your precision-focused thinking and turn on your big picture diffuse mode. 

* Einstellung effect 

In this phenomenon, an idea you already have in mind, or your simple initial though, prevents a better idea or solution from being found. Your initial ideas about problem sometimes be very misleading. Switching modes from focused to diffused can help free you from this effect. 

That is why we shouldn't blindly start working on homework . It's like randomly allowing a thought to pop off in the focused-mode pinball machine without paying any real attention to where the solutions truly lies. 

* procrastination prelude

When you procrastinate, you are leaving yourself only enough time to do superficial focused-mode learning. 

Focusing intently but briefly

Set a timer for 25 min and put yourself toward doing a 25 min interlude of work focused on a task.