17 Ways You Can Wire Your Brain to Be Better at Problem Solving

17 Ways You Can Wire Your Brain to Be Better at Problem Solving Maybe youre not the aufgabe-solving kind because critical thinking doesnt come easily to you. Perhaps you tend to create the herausforderung but dont know how to fix it. Or sometimes, its just plain hard to answer to people, like the guy whos always asking some open-ended question, which can make it hard to define the aufgabe, or its some sort of complex or creative problem you dont feel equipped to handle.Regardless, problems arise in everyday life and you should want to be good at problem-solving. So if you worry that youre a fraud and simply claiming to be a problem solver, read on for 17 ways you can grow your problem-solving skills.Why should you develop your problem-solving skills?Decision-making and problem-solving skills will help you get through life and succeed in your work. Many professionals claim that they are good at it, but what does that really mean? And more importantly, how can you improve? You dont nee d the scientific method to get things done. But problem-solving, like any strength or skill, is something you have to work to develop and practice to maintain.Yes, some people might be more inclined to think in this mindtischset, but if thats not your natural tendency, dont give up hope You can actually train your brain to be more solution-oriented. You just need an action plan. It also takes commitment and focus, but eventually, it becomes natural.17 strategies to improve your problem-solving skills1. Keep track of your ideas.Write it all down. Carry a small notebook around with you keep a pad of paper at your bedside table have post-its at your desk keep a blog library. Whatever your technique is, give yourself the opportunity to jot things down.Theyre each a good problem-solving strategy in the long run.Why? Problem solvers know that they need to recognize patterns, especially from the past, so journaling and the act of writing down can help to retain memories and experiences. Ad ditionally, the habit of writing things down rather than simply thinking about this is a power that needs to be exercised.2. Have the right mindset.Attitude is everything its simple cognitive psychology. How you psychologically approach a problem is linked to how you view the solution. At the most foundation level, if you believe there is a solution there is a solution.Problem solvers are playful, curious and inquisitive and choose to have a positive outlook and use positive language. If you think something is impossible, it becomes impossible. Likewise, if you think something is possible, it becomes possible. Your outlook frames everything so choose it actively and wisely. Doing just that is an action plan of its own.3. Ask for feedback.Problem-solving is based on trial and error. A key part is the learning and growth process. While you might not be able to A/B test your career, you can learn a great deal about your approach from your peers, direct reports, business partners, and s uperiors. How? Ask for feedback.Pro Tip Make feedback a part of who you are professionally. Ask for it and give it all the time, not just at year-end or mid-year in your companys automated wertmiger zuwachs management system.4. Get good at making decisions, even if youre admittedly lukewarm on your choice.Decision-making is a skill in itself and also a problem-solving strategy when you can actually make choices. Thats partly because making an important decision can be daunting and pressure-filled. A key piece of problem-solving is coming up with an idea for a solution and running with it. Ifit doesnt work, you pivot. The point is to get comfortable driving to and actually making a decision.5. Consider a different perspective.Whats your move if youre faced with a decision but dont like the choices you have in front of you? Find another option. Sounds obvious, right? For a seasoned problem solver, it might binnenseem like second nature but actually this a conscious choice. To grow t his ability try this Before every choice you make commit to considering another perspective then choosing what you want to do. Start small. When choosing what type of cereal to buy at the grocery store, before you pick up your usual low-sugar, fiber-rich go-to, ask yourself what your seven-year-old would do. What about Fruity Pebbles would make her want you to buy it? You dont necessarily have to buy Fruity Pebbles, but working to consider other perspectives when making seemingly innocuous choices will help you grow your ability to shift and consider different perspectives more seamlessly.6. Have ratgebers and role models.Mentorship and role models are important for any career, but for a problem solver they take on another component modeling. With a good mentor or role model, rather than having to test a specific choice or path a problem solver will learn all she can about the career and choices of a role model or mentor, ask questions when possible, and then make decisions for hers elf with the knowledge of these learnings. Employing the scientific concept of modeling in your life and career allows you to incorporate learnings from the experiences of others without having to re-create the wheel. (Though, of course, there are some things you have to try for yourself)7. Have some fun.Playfulness is a key characteristic of being a problem solver no idea is too silly, and theres fun in everything. So have fun, know how to let loose, and dont take everything seriously. Talk about a problem-solving strategy8. Have rituals but know when to break habits.Another problem-solving method is to slowly steep tea in the morning. Or grind your own coffee. Go to a yoga class late Sunday afternoon to re-set your mind for the week ahead. Have dinner with friends on the second Friday of every month. Establish things that you like to do and do them regularly. This helps you train your brain for regularity and create moments in work and life that you look forward to.But also know w hen and how to regularly change your environment and break habits. Whether its changing things around in your home or workspace every now and then, giving yourself a change of scenery in the middle of the day, or going on a weekend getaway and missing the monthly dinner with friends, changing your scenery is essential. This trains your brain to be open to new ideas and breaking the routine.9. Use (and create) diagrams.As philanthropischs, we are visual creatures. But along with visuals like diagrams and drawings, your ability to communicate something in a clear, visual manner highlights yourunderstanding of it and can help you reaffirm your belief in it. Employing diagrams in your work and life is a great problem-solving method. Try this out by drawing a scenario. Not an artist? Remember 6.10. Employ visioning.This might be the life coach in me, but heres the truth Visioning is an extremely powerful tool and technique. You cannot accomplish something you cannot envision. Feel too sq uishy? Consider that babies develop motor skills through a process of observation and visualization over time. Its only after they are able to visualize themselves picking up objects after careful observation that they can do it themselves. But visioning isnt just for babies. We all use it when we read books, listen to colleague tell us about her vacation in Greece, or when we imagine the future or remember the past.A little unsure where to start? Try simply envisioning a more vivid picture when reading something. Along with imagining the scene consider what a room or person smells like what food tastes like the small movements in someones mouth as she considers a comment. Youve started to vision11. Ask solution-oriented questions.We know we should ask questions but are we asking the right kinds of questions to help us solve problems? Questions are a truly incredible part of our lives. When you stop and think of it, so much of our daily human interactions are based on questions. We communicate via questions with our internal dialogue and others on anything from what we want to have for lunch, if we want to buy a cup of coffee or stick to the free coffee in the shared kitchen, when we should make a doctors appointment, what to wear on Tuesday that will work for happy hour after the office, and what manner to phrase question to our boss (meta).Its easy to get lost in what feels like a sea of meaningless questioning. So take back control Ask and frame questions in a solution-oriented manner? How? By asking how and whatdo these words help build problem-solving skills? What advantage to why questions do they offer? They challenge you to find solutions and expand your thinking by going beyond what we already or normally believe true.12. Or if you prefer a more scientific term, allow things to incubate.An early idea may be the tip of the iceberg of a more complex idea. Give ideas time. Call it rest, incubation, giving it time to percolate whatever language you like. Pro Tip For those who feel uncomfortable with simple rest, first try to get comfortable with it. But if you want more guided reflection, before nodding off to sleep, pose a question or two to yourself. Then reflect on this same question when you wake.13. Frame a problem as a question.When youre faced with a problem communicating a less than ideal campaign performance, finding more dollars for an urgent project, spending an additional $50,000 just allocated to your team, creating a website that works for both new and current customers, finding a new speaker on short notice reframe it. Rather than seeing only the problem, begin to see it as a big question that you need to answer. For instance, How can I spend an extra $50,000 in Q4? Then come up with as many solutions as possible for this. Remember to take your playful mindset and that no ideas are bad.Pro Tip Actually write all this out. You can have two columns of questions and solutions or two separate pieces of paper.14. Make re flection a habit.Whats happening? Whats going well? What do you want? Bring reflection into your life daily. If you already practice mindfulness or meditation this might just be an extension of that, but if you dont start in manageable steps. Spend 5 minutes on your commute to work considering what you want your day to be like. For five minutes on the way home reflect on how your actual day compared. Evolve this to include any questions or topics that matter to you.15. Ask for help.You cant do everything alone. And frankly, even if you could, should you? No. Delegation, outsourcing, and tapping experts are all things for a reason. Group problem-solving can be key because problem solvers revel in different perspectives and constantly want to consider things from a new vantage point. Its no wonder that they solicit other ideas. Enlist a trusted colleague or mentor, hire a coach or talk with a loyal and non-judgmental friend. A spouse and best friend are great, but the key here is to f ind someone who will offer you an unbiased and completely open-minded outlet or perspective.16. Take (calculated) risks.A creative solution wont be achieved or successful without some level of risk. Whats the best way to get comfortable with risks? Start taking them. Whether its traveling to another country, eating alone at your favorite restaurant on a Friday night, or telling your sensitive colleague that the apple she enjoys at her desk every afternoon at 305 p.m. is driving you insane. Taking risks is a part of the mental framework of a problem solver so find something that works for you and do it. Now.17. Set and measure goals.Establishing desired outcomes is a key part of a successful solution to a problem. And like everything, this must be refined and infused to all areas of life. To get better at this set and measure goals in your own professional (and personal) life.Pro Tip Make sure theyre measurable. And then actually measure them. Dont say you want to lose weight but, ra ther, commit to losing five pounds in three months. Then assess where you are at three months. Rather than saying you want to learn a new language, decide what progress you want to have achieved in six months (say the number of vocabulary words, practice conversations, etc.) and what program or method you plan on employing (a tutor, in-person or zugnglich classes, self-study, etc.).Becoming better at problem-solvingDo you have a go-to problem-solving process? How about for some complex problem? Sometimes, solving a problem can take quite a few steps and an action plan. This article should help you hone your decision-making process and find ways to solve the problem at hand or just get through everyday life since youll have to solve a problem at some point. Its a long list, but its simple stuff. Not sure where to start? Pick one, set a goal around it and do it--Jane Scudder is a certified leadership, career, and personal development coach, facilitator, and workplace consultant based in Chicago, IL. She helps individuals and group navigate and grow their careers, teams, and personal lives. Find out more atjanescudder.com.Dont miss out on articles like these.