4 replies to this topic

[wannafulfill]

I was searching for something in the forums and I couldn't help but take note of the enormous collection of posts made by high school and college students seeking better memory, motivation, etc. while making no mention to extremely important contextual information such as goals and what strategies they implement to reach them.

In the past I have made the observation and critique that 'brain power', intelligence, and learning are often repositioned from the realm of rigorous and disciplined reading, memorization, and practice to the area of pharmacology by some forum discourses in which will power, discipline, and proven learning techniques are sorely lacking. We shouldn't assume everyone has exhausted these more traditional and tried-and-true methods to increase their "cognitive functioning". Instead of only repeating this unpopular mantra, which yielded little discussion before, I look now for ways to discuss some of the issues that relate. So for the time being I'd like to bring this up:

When I was a freshman in college I was directed by a peer advisor to this page:

http://www.columbia....ugustine/study/

and although I didn't follow each of its recommendations strictly, I found that each time I was able to implement things like a strict schedule and the SQ3R methods, my capabilities and the results of my efforts were unprecedented. Let's just take one example of what I would call good habits and limit our discussion to a schedule if you don't mind.

So, do you keep to a strict and detailed written schedule?

I voted "sometimes, mostly when I remember the utility of doing so" but I think always doing so is probably ideal.

[modelcadet]

wannafulfill, I found your post remarkably [as evidenced here] insightful into cognitive transhumanist techniques. Nootropics are medical technology we are developing to enhance ourselves in a massively dimensioned manifold of manners. But, as you pointed out, we have an even BIGGER manifold in behavioral methodology. Technologies and methodologies both live and evolve, as temes and memes respectively. As transhumanists, we must be naturalists appreciative of both budding lifeforms. Memes and temes are living, evolving, and eventually intellectualizing, and thus creating memes and temes of their own. Knowing how memes and temes work can help us choose to incorporate those friendly to our desires. A fabulous project would be to compare a database of qualitative effects of both nootropics and those things like keeping a strict schedule, so we can more easily incorporate things into our stacks. I don't think always keeping to a strict schedule is a good thing to do; at the very least, you should cycle it. While I have spent some time in a strict schedule and recognize its utility, for some other cognitive tasks such behavior is counterproductive. [Note: while writing is a teme, I believe the inherent benefit of a written schedule is principally in memetic linguistic mapping.]

[Pike]

What a refreshing and insightful post!

Currently, I can say one of the best investments I've ever made with my money was the $50 i spent on a dry-board eraser and dry erase markers. I'd like to say that I use it everyday, however, sometimes I find myself side-tracked doing things I shouldn't be (like perusing the forums of ImmInst). The way that I use it, I have it color coordinated.
- Things written in red are things that have to be done TODAY, and have time-markers and boxes next to them to be checked off once I've done them; i.e. "11:30 a.m. put in the dark-colors load into the laundry machine"
- Things written in black are things that typically are related to formal appointments; i.e. medical appointment, school registration days, etc.
- things written in green are social appointments I write down so I don't forget; i.e. "call Jane on tuesday to go to lunch"
- things written in blue are long term goals that should be contributed to at some point in the week. i.e. Exercise for 1 hour. On these types of thngs, I usually make an open empty box to where I tack on tally-marks for every day of the week that I did something to contribute to that goal.

All in all, I'm sure it's a bit excessive, but it helps provide me a certain sense of organization and structure that i figure could be an effective an off-hand treatment for my adhd.

Now, if I really wanted to go to town on my organization, I could even make a time-marked schedule for the times I should administer my nootropics!

This is a great thread. I think we should make more threads that involve cognitive enhancement regimens. I'd sure love to participate in one.

Edited by Pike, 23 January 2009 - 10:01 PM.

[navyblue]

SQ3R is great and had helped me through college. Whenever it was implemented I always got much more out of the book I was learning from. Students tend to get overwhelmed fairly easily and for that I recommend GTD (Getting Things Done) method of organization by David Allen.

[RighteousReason]

What a refreshing and insightful post!

Currently, I can say one of the best investments I've ever made with my money was the $50 i spent on a dry-board eraser and dry erase markers. I'd like to say that I use it everyday, however, sometimes I find myself side-tracked doing things I shouldn't be (like perusing the forums of ImmInst). The way that I use it, I have it color coordinated.
- Things written in red are things that have to be done TODAY, and have time-markers and boxes next to them to be checked off once I've done them; i.e. "11:30 a.m. put in the dark-colors load into the laundry machine"
- Things written in black are things that typically are related to formal appointments; i.e. medical appointment, school registration days, etc.
- things written in green are social appointments I write down so I don't forget; i.e. "call Jane on tuesday to go to lunch"
- things written in blue are long term goals that should be contributed to at some point in the week. i.e. Exercise for 1 hour. On these types of thngs, I usually make an open empty box to where I tack on tally-marks for every day of the week that I did something to contribute to that goal.

All in all, I'm sure it's a bit excessive, but it helps provide me a certain sense of organization and structure that i figure could be an effective an off-hand treatment for my adhd.

Now, if I really wanted to go to town on my organization, I could even make a time-marked schedule for the times I should administer my nootropics!

This is a great thread. I think we should make more threads that involve cognitive enhancement regimens. I'd sure love to participate in one.

That's cool. I'm stealing your method.