How developed are your powers of observation? Test yourself for
a minute. Remember the name of the cheap store you pass every day on your way
to work. Or recall the sequence of events in a meeting last week. Do you notice
tension rising between your colleagues? And what about the misspelled
“remember” at the beginning of this paragraph? Did you notice him?
We all get lost in our thoughts and live on autopilot day after day. We don’t notice pleasant little things, we miss even important information, we lose the opportunity to be inspired by this world. By not noticing the little things, we even miss the opportunity to interact with people even more effectively and interestingly.
Fortunately, everyone can develop observation and attentiveness. Shall we begin?
Observation
Observing is not the same as seeing. Seeing is simply a passive behavior, because when you see something you are not actively participating in it. For example, you can see everything around you when you go to work, but you rarely look for something special, rarely pay special attention to the color of the leaves, the shape of the puddles under your feet, the flowers on the balconies of the houses you meet. Observation is when you activate your attention, specifically collecting information.
Observing the environment was a matter of life and death for our ancestors. Their survival depended on how observant they were. However, a study conducted at Ohio State University showed that modern humans' observation skills are very poorly developed. But without them, you are likely to miss important information and make less informed decisions. Psychologists Aren Mak and Irwin Rock call this inattention, this tendency to miss key details, “intentional blindness.”
Observation helps develop interpersonal skills
Observation helps develop interpersonal skills, ways of interacting with people and the environment. How?
You notice more details in people's appearance and behavior, you remember more about them. You have much more data to communicate with a person in a quality and interesting way. By noticing the little things, you can more effectively solve any problems: both in relationships with people and simply in matters at work or at home.
Enhanced observation skills enable swift assessment of situations, facilitating the making of high-quality decisions. Observation helps develop critical thinking because you notice more, draw analogies, and see differences.
Observation has always been and is a source of new ideas and inspiration in all areas of life. Many scientists and inventors, artists and composers owe their achievements precisely to ingenuity and curiosity.
Why develop observation skills?
Observation allows us to better understand what is happening around us, to see what is hidden from our eyes (unnoticeable details) or what they are trying to hide from us.
It allows you to notice the similarity of different objects, and vice
versa, to see the differences in similar things.
Developing observation skills not only helps to reveal the essence of a person, but also allows you to predict his behavior in the future. Developed observation skills help to assess the situation in less time and make the right decision.
Observation is a source of ideas and inspiration in all areas of human life. Many people in creative professions, scientists and inventors, writers and artists, owe their achievements precisely to their own observation and curiosity.
8 Strategies for Enhancing Observation Skills in the Workplace
Observation is a skill. This means that it can and should be developed. If you do these exercises regularly, observation will become a great habit in your brain, and you will no longer have to waste time noticing details.
Know the subject of observation in advance. For example, if today you decide to observe how your team works in production, then it is better to know in advance how it should work, how it should function. This way you will be able to see much more and will not be distracted by what you already know.
Focus on the subject of your observation. It is impossible to observe if you are constantly being torn in different directions, and your head is filled with a pile of unfinished matters and tasks. Try to slow down. Take time to observe to focus. Try to think only about what you see during these 5-10-30 minutes. It's almost like meditation, where your goal is to see more in order to use this information.
Constantly gain new experiences. Go to museums, concerts, meetings and conferences. When you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment, your brain automatically activates your powers of observation - you need to adapt here, and for this you need a lot of information. The more often you gain new experience, the more observant you will be in your usual environment.
Get rid of everything that distracts you. Observation is closely related to the ability to concentrate and focus. In the book “The Human Factor. Successful Projects and Teams”, the authors provide evidence that it takes 15 minutes to restore a state of focus after you have been distracted. For example, you were working on an important report, and then a message flashed on your phone. You opened it and read it - the focus is lost. And to return it, it takes on average 15 minutes. So focus, remove all distractions.
Play games. Games are good exercise for the brain. Cryptograms, puzzles, Rubik's cubes, team games where high reaction speed is needed, stimulate your brain to think hard, develop logic and argumentation skills. A smarter, more flexible brain will help you observe with greater insight and notice information that is not immediately obvious.
Memory is one of the most important aspects of observation. To develop long-term memory, sometimes immerse yourself in the details of your past. Remember an important day for you 2-3-10 years ago. Try to reconstruct the course of events of that day. Voice everything you remember: what color suit you were wearing, what cup you drank your morning coffee from.
Then write down your memories in detail. As detailed as you can remember. Kim's game will help develop short-term memory: take 20-30 different small objects and place them in front of you. For a minute, try to remember them in detail. Recall and list all the items you can remember. At the same time, describe them in as much detail as possible.
At first it will be bad, but over time you will see progress yourself:
your brain will see and remember much more in one minute. And to complicate the
task, try writing down the same items again three hours later? By the way, this
game is very convenient to play with children - it will also be very useful for
them.
Keep a diary. This habit will help not only develop observation skills, but also structure your thoughts and understand your feelings. Write a diary every day, describing events and experiences. Write and even draw in it. Focusing, reliving the day is a good exercise that has been recommended by both great writers and eminent businessmen.
Develop critical thinking skills. The ability to think critically is central to observation skills. How well are you able to question, reason and analyze your own thoughts and observations? Can you question the results of your own work? Think critically. This will not only develop your powers of observation, but will also tell you new ways to solve old problems.
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