By Aditya Shukla, Psychologist, Cognition Today, EdTech Consultant
By Aditya Shukla, Psychologist, Cognition Today, EdTech Consultant
How?1. Walk & Talk
2. Walk for 10 mins before and after a brain-storming session
3. Walk, Pause, Note-down, Repeat
4. Walk with a team (in-person or on call)
Why?1. Increased blood-flow to the brain
2. Higher activity in the DMN and SN
3. Sensory influences
The default mode network is a wide network of connected brain regions that process random learnings. Walking increases its activity, which typically leads to unexpected creative insights.
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Like the DMN, the salience network is responsible for highlighting important or "salient" things. Walking increases SN activity which can bring your focus to the most important aspects.
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Increased blood-flow for thinking
Walking increases blood-flow to the cerebral cortex. That region is responsible for all sorts of higher-order cognitive functioning that leads to thinking & decision-making.
Thinking is not just a neural process, it involves the senses and the body. When walking stimulates sensory areas of the brain, the activation contributes to thinking.
Sensory activation for deeper ideas
When?1. Before meetings
2. After discussing agendas
3. When you are stuck (solo or with a team)