In cognitive psychology, theories of “information process” describe learning, thereby pointing to requirements for your different memory and attention types. What facilitates and what hinders the information process of learning?
The box to the left represents information in the environment (e.g., everything in your surroundings, not just the book you are reading or the lecture you are listening to).
The first “arrow” represents your biology, filtering whether something in your surroundings can be eaten, wants to eat you, or is someone you can mate with.
If you are not in any immediate danger, your sensory memory decides whether the information is worth responding to by focusing your attention. Sensory memory is the second arrow, where information is kept for a few seconds, also known as the goldfish attention span.
Your brain might be under- or overwhelmed by the sensory input:
Your brain might process the sensory input in unconventional ways:
Ask yourself
- What is your reaction to sensory stress? Can you make good decisions, or should you wait?
- Is it always in one particular way that you are overloaded?
- Is the stress always the same level, or does it change over the day/year?
- In how many ways can you prepare for the next sensory overload?
Thirty to forty years ago, I could not wear an over-ear headset without losing my focus (that was all that was available back then). Twenty to thirty years ago, I rarely attended concerts because the soundwaves felt painful in my torso. Ten to twenty years ago, I could go to a concert without feeling that pain, but I could fall asleep if I sat down because I was overstimulated. Within the last decade, I have experimented with headsets and found round buds of silicone hurtful (!?); pointed buds of plastic are my absolute favourites. In the previous couple of months, I have been using an over-the-ear noise cancellation headset, and thinking back, I don’t know how I survived the noise before.
My point is that one strategy worked or did not work in one period of my life. I constantly change and evolve, and I need to reevaluate my strategies accordingly.
You can try experimenting with
- avoiding what is overloading you. At least try to reduce it. Is
- Active noise cancelling
- Visual cancelling or are
- Are tinted glasses available to you?
- setting limits. Timeboxing is one way.
- meditation. Prepare before a stressful event and regulate your nervous system afterwards
Have you changed since the last time you formulated a truth about yourself?