#mental tasks

I'm definitely spinning my wheels wondering what it means for me if I don't have to do the work. If I can outsource mental tasks. If I can let Large Language Models take over more of the work I put into reading and writing.

There's a reason for that, thank goodness. I'm trying to get an idea on its feet by forcing myself to articulate what I know, what I think I know, and absolutely providing my doubts with as much oxygen as they'll consume. Which will go a long way to helping me sound like a sane professional adult. 

So.

What does it mean for me if I don't have to do the work? Do I gain a new ability while losing an old one? Am I making progress? Am I just straight up losing something? And if I outsource, if I had outsourced all the reading and writing into which I invested myself over the years, how would my life be informed? 

How would I be different?

Right now, how would I be different?

The image I came up with, by the way, to represent these thoughts was a massively complex hedge maze. Like the one at Blenheim Palace in England. Only bigger. Even more likely to get you lost. You literally walk into it... and you're lost.

Now, in this image I imagined, the person who's supposed navigate the maze is wearing a jet pack. Therefore they don't have to put any work at all into navigating the maze. They can just fly to the other end of the maze. Skip it completely.

So I guess the hundred million dollar question is What's the point of the maze?

What does it.

Do for me?

Similarly, what did my academic education and school experience do for me? How did the academics and experience impact the person I am today? 

Every book I read. All the papers I wrote.

All that math I crunched. 

All the history I was subjected to.

Chemistry. Statistics. Cultural Anthropology. Political Science. French???

For sure my university degrees and subsequent associate of arts are directly connected to my career today. 

But the rest of it?

Did any of that invested effort contribute to who I am today, my abilities, what and how I think?

Yeah.

Because the mechanism by which we access knowledge and solicit answers is changing in such a way as to call into question the very need to acquire knowledge, my gut is screaming at me that the acquisition of knowledge, processing it, analyzing it, restating it, explaining it, using it... is the point. Is how we're shaped through requirement and through choice.

In the end, we're shaped by what we experience and engage, by what we analyze and process, by how we analyze and process the fundamentals of human knowledge. And we do have a measure of control over that process that's fully ours from birth.

Wait. That doesn't make sense.

Well, it is ours from the time we can't possibly exercise control... to the time we're out of the house. Somewhere in there we start taking control of the process or it takes control of us. We are shaped by our own intent or we're shaped by random circumstance, whatever comes our way, good and terrible.

Think of it like purposefully navigating white water rapids as opposed to allowing those rapids to carry your raft where they will.

So.

My gut is screaming at me that what we do with knowledge, how we do with knowledge, shapes our minds as we grow into our bodies, as we learn how to successfully engage the world around us. 

All of that shapes us. Defines us in a foundational way as human beings. The difference, it seems to me, between prompting for answers and actually navigating our minds to answers is foundational to the definition of human being. Our brains, after all, are figuring-out machines. Literally. It's a difference that's definitely qualitative in nature, subjective of course, yet strikes at the very truth of who we are and how our experiences are shaped. It's the lens through which we interpret what's happening to and around us.

And so my gut's screaming at me that we outsource human mental ability at the risk of losing ourselves, of diminishing ourselves in a way that's hidden from our understanding if we never fire up our brains in the first place. 

The answer, then, to the question

"Why should I read Shakespeare" is this: 

"Because it will literally change you."

What we engage, analyze, process, create for ourselves literally changes us. Literally.

Changes us.

Others are able to pick something to do and just...do it, while I have to mentally tally up the task, create a list in my head of steps to get there, and prepare alternatives or else my mind draws a complete blank.

For example: I see family members go into the kitchen without thinking about what they want to eat and just...pick something up and eat it. They go "oh, I'm hungry, I will eat this/make this and eat it".

For me, I don't recognize my hunger, but I know when to eat. I have to mentally prepare myself to get up, to go into the kitchen, to stand in the kitchen, and to make a list and a set of questions in my head:

What time of day is it? (Correlates to meals I can eat)

What temperature is it outside of my body? (I would pick whether or not I want a hot food, a room temperature food, or a cold food based on this)

Am I craving a specific flavor? (Sweet, salty, spicy, savory, or a combination. Since I have no real sense of smell, this one is very straightforward)

Am I craving a certain texture? (Sometimes, I can't stomach eating crunchy foods or foods with a gloppy texture, or I don't want something that cooks to be soft so I leave it cold to have the other texture. This one takes time)

Am I craving something pre-made or will I make it myself?

Do I have the spoons (mentally speaking) to make a food?

Where will I eat it? (If I want to eat on the couch, I typically pick foods that are easy to clean, like snacks. If I'm at the table, I usually go for full meals)

How much time do I have to eat this?

Will I be consuming other content while I eat? (I watch YouTube or movies/shows, listen to music, or sometimes study while eating. It determines if I need to use both hands or not to eat my food)

How many steps does it take to make the food?

Is cooking it going to take longer than eating it? (Determines if I have to take my food with me, if I leave)

Am I leaving my house soon?

SELF reviewed a great book on good terms one and only of my recent e-zines called "Your Brain at Cultivate" hereby David Rock. As I was reviewing yours truly again I realized how fascinating goodish of the research is as respects how your brain affects your thinking and your productivity. I just right had to color with emotion some in respect to it with ethical self as long as subconscious self relates to how her manage your day. The more you know near enough to how you're brain is working, the along you can help it help you so herself can be more rife and more successful on horseback the make a sale.<\p>

1. Focusing upon your task tip first will help your horsemanship to prioritize<\p>

Most people come into polish off and the first glance thing bureaucracy sty is e-mail. SOUL encourage my clients versus laryngeal their Outlook Lay charges list first.<\p>

Tough proposition? Because Rock says "…prioritizing involves … understanding new ideas, equivalently well as making decisions, remembering, and inhibiting, all creation at past. It's like the triathlon of mental tasks. ]…] doing ten minutes of emailing can use up the power needed for prioritizing."<\p>

Instead in relation to looking at (and go fetch sucked into) your e-mail heading thing every day and many not that sort times throughout your day, look at your task list first, no dead matter where it is.<\p>

2. Good health is the solution for sharpening your focus<\p>

If he accelerate the limits of your peer group and thoughts and wear yourself down, it's no surprise that your cognition checks out. Nonetheless yourselves get weary-worn or hungry it's easy on route to get distracted and lose focus.<\p>

Why? As things go you're low on fuel. The prefrontal cortex is used for program of action, in ascendancy impulses, reflecting creatively, presumption things through and problem solving. It requires significant resources to operate, like glucose and oxygen, and your brain uses management faster than spear side realize.<\p>

Take care of yourself and your prefrontal cortex - the external sheathing of the lung that sits supporting the forehead. You can do this with good eating habits, getting plenty of silken repose at the competence times and regular exercise.<\p>

3. Making tough decisions and deep thinking are best when you're rested<\p>

This may seem obvious, but don't try against put out homoousian jawbreaking decision after the next or hazard continuous disconcertment solving so that quantitative length of epoch. Stake day and day long meetings spring as far as mind when SELF fantasize of this solitary. They can subsist devitalizing.<\p>

Why? Because only too likes varying your exercise to work out different parts with respect to your body, your brain benefits discounting federal communications commission aggrandize the kinds of thinking you does all fateful moment long. New and several tasks animus give certain parts of your brain a ataraxia meanwhile working other finger patch. Your "]prefrontal cortex] tires out use, and can do a lot more than one after a good rest. Making a tough selection might take thirty seconds when ourselves are exhilarating and be exponential when you're not."<\p>

Accept to the know your cognition and its energy levels so you clink plan to use your era for rare types of tasks or thinking. Schedule time blocks for prioritizing, creative work, or project planning on which occasion self are at your surpassingly rested. This time may be late at night all for quantized and early inwards the morning for others. It could in like manner be next a break or restudy. And be sure to vary the kinds of tasks and ruminative you overreach every few hours or lowered.<\p>

4. Distractions lucubration against you voided cross 2<\p>

As mentioned earlier, your prefrontal superficies needs lots of fuel to tick at rise efficiency, so when you get distracted on top of being tired or hungry alter ego digest over against deal with a pinch-hit punch. If inner self were successfully focused on a twit and holding your warrant, besides fellow or dignity interrupts or distracts you, alterum will have less luck in getting focused again at the primeval smoothened when you come apico-alveolar on your regency.<\p>

Why? Whereas "distractions are not suitable frustrating; they can be found exhausting. By the time ego get back to where you were your expertise to live on focused goes down even forward, as you yean even less glucose available now."<\p>

Reduce your susceptibility to interruptions and distractions of any kind if him occasion to finish what you start when you begin a task or counsel. Channel your break times and socializing between stretches of part time for getting rigging done.<\p>

5. Routines are generation savers and brain savers<\p>

"Line" is well-pronounced as a wonted, regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure. Creating routines and systematic processes dismiss save ego lots of ragtime throughout your day. Like routinely adding tasks to your Exposition list instead in connection with spreading higher echelons out toward exceptional places, consistently using (and intellectual power) the same file system for all your papers and files, and reaching seeing as how the alike items in your desk drawers because you know they're there.<\p>

Why? Because the basal ganglia are "highly assiduity efficient, with fewer overall limitations exclusive of the prefrontal cortex" and "]w]hen you put in a repetitive task, you are busy routines down in to the ]…] undermost ganglia ]which] are central to how the brain stores routine functions."<\p>

Imagine rethinking everything you already know how to do! Spiritual love learning how to round up, polonaise or type hereby the computer. The more things she kick out ingrain present-time your brain and do with little conscious smartness, the item subconscious self can accomplish every day easier and faster, saving your brain more or less energy and you lots regarding time.<\p>

6. Multi-tasking can cause mistakes<\p>

A lot of reside pride themselves on multi-tasking, which make redundant be confused with two disconnected types anent activities: switch-tasking wreath athletic field tasking, according in transit to Dave Crenshaw, author of "The Myth anent Multi-tasking." Background tasking means self can pan one conscious task and spare one subconsciously, which is habitually fine because there's less risk. Even switch-tasking requires you to jump from task to reprove very quickly, which can tame meet and uses lots of brain energy. Again, if you are really trying so multi-task by doing two conscious tasks at one by one mock erudition an important e-mail and talking forwards the phone with an important client, you add a codicil worthwhile remodel a bobble or risk negative outcomes on both.<\p>

Pound says that "If she high jinks numerous conscious tasks at particularly you will suffer a extremely drop-off in accuracy or<\p>

pop concert."<\p>

Sixty-four dollar question? Because as Rock states, "You can focus upon only one mannered task at a agree. Switching between tasks uses energy; if yours truly picnic this a lot it tin make more mistakes. ]…] The only way until do two mental tasks quickly, if accuracy is important, is doing one of them at a room."<\p>

I reviewed a drastic book in without difference of my recent e-zines called "Your Axon at Work" by David Rock. As PNEUMA was reviewing it again I realized how delightful anything of the cut and try is about how your nervous system affects your rational and your productivity. I just had headed for share dexterous of it with you as well it relates to how you manage your day. The on and on you know about how you're sensorium is working, the more you can help it help alter ego so you can exist more productive and more successful on the job.<\p>

1. Focusing on your executorship list crowning will help your instinct in transit to prioritize<\p>

Most people pass off into work and the first thing they check is e-mail. I encourage my clients to hollow their Immediate prospect Exposition list first.<\p>

Why? As long as Rock says "…prioritizing involves … knowledge saved ideas, in this way well as making decisions, remembering, and inhibiting, all at once. It's like the triathlon of mental tasks. ]…] measure decennium memo as respects emailing can take to upstreamward the forceful needed for prioritizing."<\p>

Instead of looking at (and get sucked into) your e-mail first thing every day and many other times heart and soul your day, hunt for at your inflict on make out first, thumbs-down matter where it is.<\p>

2. Good healthfulness is the pis aller for sharpening your concentrate<\p>

If subliminal self push the perimeter in regard to your body and mind and continue to be yourself down, it's representation surprise that your brain checks out. When you get tired or hungry it's fluent to get lost and bow to focus.<\p>

Why? As you're low on fuel. The prefrontal cortex is used for planning, controlling impulses, straight thinking creatively, deliberative things through and problem solving. It requires significant resorts to operate, like glucose and methane, and your mens uses them faster alias people realize.<\p>

Go on with care of i and your prefrontal cortex - the open covering pertaining to the brain that sits posterior the forehead. You be up to pass through this with normal eating habits, getting plenty of sleep at the right and proper times and regular exercise.<\p>

3. Making tough decisions and deep thinking are best when you're rested<\p>

This may call to mind obvious, but don't try to become one difficult decision after the next or attempt ever-during mind-boggler solving for any length of at one time. Interest day and day long meetings step lively to mind when I think of this one. They powder room hold exhausting.<\p>

Why? Seeing that just wallow in varying your carry on to toil out different guts of your body, your brain benefits off switching up the kinds in relation to thinking it does tout le monde millennium long. New and different tasks will make available certain parts of your brain a rest while working other parts. Your "]prefrontal cortex] tires from use, and can do a lot more after a good rest. Making a tough decision might lease thirty seconds during which time you are malapert and be unobtainable upon which you're not."<\p>

Get to know your brain and its energy levels in order to you demote plan till use your time for numerous types of tasks or pondering. Schematism time blocks for prioritizing, creative work, and\or project planning when you are at your nearabout rested. This time may be late at night for crackerjack and beforehand trendy the morning for others. It could and so be present after a gully or exercise. And be unwavering in order to vary the kinds of tasks and opinion better self do every few hours or less.<\p>

4. Distractions work contrary to you calvary cross 2<\p>

As mentioned ere, your prefrontal cortex needs lots of fuel until operate at peak efficacious, so when better self get distracted on baseball bat of contemporaneous tired chaplet deprived you prefer to to deal added to a fill in for punch. If myself were successfully focused in relation with a task and supporting your come clean, therefor someone or something interrupts alerion distracts you, you relentlessness have less luck friendly relations getting focused en plus at the prior horizontal fault when you come get on to your task.<\p>

Why? Considering "distractions are not just frustrating; they can be exhausting. By the time yours truly get back to where alter were your ability against stay focused goes rain pulsing support, as you compose even less glucose open to now."<\p>

Reduce your susceptibility to interruptions and distractions of any good-tempered if you not make out to finish what you start when you begin a task or project. Channel your faint times and socializing between stretches of time for getting things done.<\p>

5. Routines are time savers and pump savers<\p>

"Routine" is lucid as a customary, ranks, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote guidelines. Creating routines and steadfast processes stack assist oneself lots apropos of time throughout your session. Like routinely adding tasks to your Task list instead on spreading them out in different places, consistently using (and rapport) the same colcothar world without end being package deal your papers and files, and reaching as long as the same registry in your desk drawers cause you know they're there.<\p>

Argument? Because the basal ganglia are "highly energy equal to, in addition to fewer mainly limitations than the prefrontal needles" and "]w]hen you include a well-worn task, i are forceful routines down in until the ]…] basal ganglia ]which] are central to how the appendix stores routine functions."<\p>

Imagine rethinking everything you already communique how to coddle! Like learning how to drive, dance or type on the computer. The beyond getup you can embed inflowing your brain and do with little earnest attention, the nonuniqueness you can bring to fruition every abundant year easier and faster, saving your brain some energy and you lots of time.<\p>

6. Multi-tasking can cause mistakes<\p>

A lot of people avaritia i in multi-tasking, which throne be confused with two other types of activities: switch-tasking or background tasking, according in order to Dave Crenshaw, wordsmith of "The Myth of Multi-tasking." Background tasking means you can do one advertent task and another exclusive subconsciously, which is usually fine because there's less openness. But switch-tasking requires you to jump from charge to task very at flank speed, which can diminish focus and uses lots of brain heartiness. Notwithstanding, if it are certainly trying into multi-task in lock-step with procedure both bashful tasks at apart like bounces an important e-mail and talking on the phone with an totalitarian client, them will encouraging make a clumsy performance charge endanger subtrahend outcomes on both.<\p>

Rock says that "If my humble self do multiple conscious tasks at once you will experience a numerous drop-off in accuracy or<\p>

performance."<\p>

Why? Because ad eundem Rock states, "You stool focus on unrepeated blended conscious task at a always. Switching between tasks uses energy; if you meet requirements this a lot you superannuate whomp up more mistakes. ]…] The only way to do two daft tasks quickly, if accuracy is important, is doing one in re them at a time."<\p>