Saturday 28 July 2018

How to Use Auxiliary Verbs in Conversations





Turbo Charged Reading: 
Read and Release Time. Read and release your Personal, Professional and Social Potential
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR specialist and language dictionaries that are spontaneously accessed.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Wednesday 25 July 2018

Should You Take Notes on Paper or on a Computer?




                                   
Turbo Charged Reading: Read more>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR software and engineering manuals for spontaneously recall – or pass that exam.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Sunday 22 July 2018

Eight Habits that Improve Cognitive Function

Marigold.

Eight Habits that Improve Cognitive Function
What daily habits improve brain structure and cognitive function?
Christopher Bergland

On March 11, the New York Times published an article about the "brain fitness business" titled, 
Do Brain Workouts Work? Science Isn’t Sure. I believe the answer is no. 
Without a variety of other daily habits, these "brain-training games" cannot stave off mental decline or dramatically improve cognitive function.
Most of these brain-training games will have some benefits—but it's impossible to optimize brain connectivity and maximize neurogenesis (growth of new neurons) sitting in a chair
while playing a video game on a two-dimensional screen.
In order to give your brain a full workout, you need to engage both hemispheres of the cerebrum, 
and both hemispheres of the cerebellum.
You can only do this by practicing, exploring, and learning new things in the three-dimensions
of the real world—not while being sedentary in front of a flat screen in a cyber reality.

Digital games are incapable of giving the entire brain a full workout. These digital programs
can't really exercise the cerebellum (Latin: "Little Brain") and, therefore, are literally only training half your brain. These "brain-training workouts" are the equivalent of only ever doing upper body workouts, without ever working out your lower body.
Although the cerebellum is only 10 percent of brain volume, it houses over 50 percent of the brain's total neurons. Neuroscientists are perplexed by this disproportionate ratio of neurons...
Whatever the cerebellum is doing to optimize brain function and improve cognition, 
it recruits a lot of neurons to do it.

Brain-Training Games Increase Sedentary Screen Time
In the recent New York Times article, Tara Parker-Pope concludes that, “While there is no real risk to participating in the many unproven brain-training games available online and through smartphones, experts say, consumers should know that the scientific jury is still out on whether they are really boosting brain health or just paying hundreds of dollars to get better at a game.” I slightly disagree.
I believe these programs do have a risk because they add more sedentary screen time
to a person's day. This additional time spent on a mobile device or computer takes away from time that people could spend: breaking a sweat, exploring the world, interacting with friends and family, making art, playing a musical instrument, writing, reading a novel, daydreaming, practicing mindfulness meditation, etc.
I have written dozens of Psychology Today blog posts about lifestyle choices and daily habits
that improve brain structure, connectivity, and cognitive function. For this post, I did a meta-analysis of the most recent neuroscience studies and compiled a list of habits that can improve cognitive function for people from every generation. These eight habits can improve cognitive function
and protect against cognitive decline for a lifespan.

Eight Habits that Improve Cognitive Function
Physical Activity
Openness to Experience
Curiosity and Creativity
Social Connections
Mindfulness Meditation
Brain-Training Games
Get Enough Sleep
Reduce Chronic Stress

Physical Activity
Last December, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) discovered
more evidence that physical activity is beneficial for brain health and cognition.
 The study found that certain hormones, which are increased during exercise,
may help improve memory. The researchers were able to correlate blood hormone levels
from aerobic fitness, and identify positive effects on memory function linked to exercise.
In October of 2013, researchers at Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School
released a study showing a specific molecule released during endurance exercise
that improves cognition and protects the brain against degeneration.
 I wrote a post about this called "Scientists Discover Why Exercise Makes You Smarter."
In their breakthrough discovery, scientists honed in on a specific molecule called irisin 
that is produced in the brain during endurance exercise through a chain reaction.
Irisin is believed to have neuroprotective effects. Researchers were also able to artificially increase the levels of irisin in the blood which activated genes involved in learning and memory.
A 2013 study from Finland with children investigated the link between cardiovascular fitness,
motor skills, and academic test scores. The researchers found that first graders
with poor motor skills also had poorer reading and arithmetic test scores.
Across the board, children with better performance in fitness and motor skills
had higher cognitive function and scored better in reading and arithmetic tests.

2. Openness to Experience
A study from October 2013 titled, "The Impact of Sustained Engagement on Cognitive Function
in Older Adults: The Synapse Project" found that learning new and demanding skills
while maintaining an engaged social network are key to staying sharp as we age.
The findings reveal that less demanding activities, such as listening to classical music or simply completing word puzzles, probably doesn’t provide noticeable benefits to an aging mind and brain. Older adults have long been encouraged to stay active and to flex their memory and learning
like any muscle that you have to "use it or lose it." However, this new research indicates that
not all mind-engaging activities improve cognitive function.
Lead researcher Denise Park of the University of Texas at Dallas says, “It seems it is not enough
just to get out and do something—it is important to get out and do something that is unfamiliar
and mentally challenging, and that provides broad stimulation mentally and socially.
When you are inside your comfort zone you may be outside of the enhancement zone."
Another study, from January 2012, found that a training program designed to boost cognition
in older adults also increased their openness to new experiences demonstrating for the first time that a non-drug intervention in older adults can change a personality trait
once thought to be fixed throughout a person's lifespan.

3. Curiosity and Creativity
In October of 2013, a study from Michigan State University found that childhood participation in arts and crafts leads to innovation, patents, and increases the odds of starting a business as an adult.
The researchers found that people who own businesses or patents received up to eight times
more exposure to the arts as children than the general public.
“The most interesting finding was the importance of sustained participation in those activities,”
said Rex LaMore, director of MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development.
“If you started as a young child and continued in your adult years, you’re more likely to be
an inventor as measured by the number of patents generated, businesses formed,
or articles published. And that was something we were surprised to discover.”
Last year, neuroscientists discovered multiple ways that musical training improves the function
and connectivity of different brain regions and improves cognitive function. Practicing a musical instrument increases brain volume and strengthens communication between brain areas.
Playing an instrument changes how the brain interprets and integrates a wide range of sensory information, especially for those who start before age seven.
The findings were presented at the Neuroscience 2013 conference in San Diego.
In a press briefing Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD—who is an expert on music, neuroimaging
and brain plasticity from Harvard Medical School—summarized the new research
from three different presentations at the conference. He said, "These insights suggest potential
new roles for musical training including fostering plasticity in the brain; have strong implications 
for using musical training as a tool in education; and for treating a range of learning disabilities."
Another study published in July of 2013 found that reading books, writing, and participating
in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. Neuroscientists discovered
that reading a novel can improve brain function on a variety of levels.
This study on the brain benefits of reading fiction was conducted at Emory University.
The study was titled, “Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain,"
and was published in the journal Brain Connectivity.
The researchers found that becoming engrossed in a novel enhances connectivity in the brain
and improves brain function. Interestingly, reading fiction was found to improve the reader's ability to put themselves in another person’s shoes and flex the imagination in a way that is similar to the visualization an athlete would do while mentally rehearsing a motion in sports.
"Our study suggests that exercising your brain by taking part in activities such as these across a person's lifetime, from childhood through old age, is important for brain health in old age," concluded co-author Robert S. Wilson, PhD.

4. Social Connections
In February 2014 Professor of Psychology, John Cacioppo, from University of Chicago, presented findings which identified that the health consequences of feeling lonely
can trigger psychological and cognitive decline.
Cacioppo's researcher found that feeling isolated from others can: disrupt sleep,
elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol,
alter gene expression in immune cells, increase depression, and lower overall subjective
well-being...all of these factors conspire to disrupt optimal brain function, connectivity,
and reduce cognitive function.

5. Mindfulness Meditation
A 2013 pilot study by researchers at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
identified that the brain changes associated with meditation and subsequent stress reduction
may play an important role in slowing the progression of age-related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. 
First author Rebecca Erwin Wells, MD, MPH, explained, "We were particularly interested
in looking at the default mode network (DMN)—the brain system that is engaged
when people remember past events or envision the future, for example—and the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for emotions, learning and memory—because the hippocampus
is known to atrophy as people progress toward mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. We also know that as people age, there's a high correlation between perceived stress
and Alzheimer's disease, so we wanted to know if stress reduction through meditation
might improve cognitive reserve."

6. Brain-Training Games
Scientists are beginning to better understand the specific mechanisms of how patterns of electrical pulses (called “spikes”) trigger a cascade of changes in neural circuits linked to learning and memory. In a report published in April of 2013, researchers from Tel Aviv University found that
"stimulant-rich" environments and problem solving puzzles could be a contributing factor
in preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in some people.
Researchers at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have created a specialized video game that may help older people boost mental skills like handling multiple tasks at once. Dr. Adam Gazzaley of UCSF and colleagues published their findings in the September 2013 journal Nature.
In January of  2014, researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that as few as 10 sessions
of cognitive training improved an older person’s reasoning ability and speed-of-processing
for up to a decade after the intervention. If someone received additional "booster" sessions
over the next three years, the improvements were even more dramatic.

7. Get Enough Sleep
Scientists have known for decades that the brain requires sleep to consolidate learning and memory. At the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego in November of 2013,
sleep researchers from Brown University presented groundbreaking new research 
that helps explain the specifics of how the sleeping brain masters a new task.
“It's an intensive activity for the brain to consolidate learning and so the brain may benefit from sleep perhaps because more energy is available, or because distractions and new inputs are fewer,” said study corresponding author Yuka Sasaki, a research associate professor in Brown University’s Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences.
"Sleep is not just a waste of time," Yuka Sasaki concludes. The extent of reorganization that the brain accomplishes during sleep is suggested by the distinct roles the two brainwave oscillations
appear to play. The authors conclude “that the delta oscillations appeared to govern
the changes in the SMA's connectivity with other areas of the cortex,
while the fast-sigma oscillations appeared to pertain to changes within the SMA itself.”
A February 2014 study from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found
an association between poor sleep quality and reduced gray matter volume in the brain's frontal lobe, which helps control important processes such as working memory and executive function.
"Previous imaging studies have suggested that sleep disturbances may be associated with
structural brain changes in certain regions of the frontal lobe," said lead author Linda Chao, associate adjunct professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Psychiatry at UCSF. "The surprising thing about this study is that it suggests poor sleep quality
is associated with reduced gray matter volume throughout the entire frontal lobe
and also globally in the brain."

8. Reduce Chronic Stress
Neuroscientists have discovered that chronic stress and high levels of cortisol can damage the brain. A wide range of recent studies have affirmed the importance of maintaining healthy brain structure and connectivity by reducing chronic stress, which lowers cortisol.
Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, found that chronic stress triggers long-term changes in brain structure and function which can lead to cognitive decline.
Their findings might explain why young people who are exposed to chronic stress early in life
are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life,
as well as learning difficulties.
The "stress hormone" cortisol is believed to create a domino effect that hard-wires pathways between the hippocampus and amygdala in a way that might create a vicious cycle
by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight.  
The researchers found that hardening wires, may be at the heart of the hyper-connected circuits associated with prolonged stress. This results in an excess of myelin—and too much white matter—in some areas of the brain. Ideally, the brain likes to trim the fat of excess wiring through
neural pruning in order to maintain efficiency and streamlined communication within the brain.
Chronic stress has the ability to flip a switch in stem cells that turns them into a type of cell
that inhibits connections to the prefrontal cortex, which would improve learning and memory,
but lays down durable scaffolding linked to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Yoga has been proven to lower cortisol levels and reduce chronic stress.
I wrote a Psychology Today post about this titled, "Yoga Has Potent Health Benefits."

Conclusion:
Brain Fitness Programs Should Flex Every Brain Hemisphere
The secret to optimizing cognitive function can be found in daily habits and exercises
that flex both hemispheres of the cerebrum, and both hemispheres of the cerebellum. 
The eight habits I recommend here exercise all four brain hemispheres. If performed consistently, these habits can improve cognitive function and protect against cognitive decline.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201403/eight-habits-improve-cognitive-function

Turbo Charged Reading: 
Read and Release Time. Read and release your Personal, Professional and Social Potential
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                  The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Thursday 19 July 2018

10 Ways Some People Learn Things Much Faster Than Others

Cinquafoil.

10 Ways Some People Learn Things Much Faster Than Others
Matt Duczeminski

Humans’ ability to learn complex, abstract ideas and concepts is what separates us
from all the other species on the planet. But that doesn’t mean it’s a simple process.
And anyone who’s taken calculus can attest to that.
If you’re looking for “tricks” that will allow you to take in information or gain abilities effortlessly
like Neo in “The Matrix”, you might be disappointed to discover that you simply won’t find them here. What you will find are tried and true methods which require discipline,
but almost guarantee success.
If you’re willing to put in the time and effort required to learn something new, following these ways that those who learn faster already live by will certainly make the process as easy as possible.

1. They Set a Purpose
Everyone’s done it: you watch a video of Jimi Hendrix shredding on the guitar and think, 
“I wish I could do that.” You take a forkful of your favorite meal from your favorite five-star restaurant and think, “I wonder if I could make this at home.”
You finish reading a book that has kept your attention for an entire Sunday afternoon
and wonder how in the world someone could create something so magical.
Well, the truth is, none of these creators did so by accident. They all started out not knowing
the first things about how to create any of what is now seemingly easy for them to do.
But they set a purpose for learning their skill: what did they want to learn,
and what did they hope to get out of learning it?
When setting out to learn something new, don’t just say, “I wish I could do that.”
Instead, say, “I wish I could do that so I could…”, knowing your skill will be put into practice
once you become a master at it.

2. They Set Measurable, Reasonable, and Reachable Goals
Maybe you won’t be the next Hendrix, or the next Stephen King. The goal of learning isn’t to surpass anyone else but yourself. When setting out to learn a new task, you should set daily
and long-term goals that are doable and actionable, and which build upon your current skill set.
If you’ve decided you want to learn a new language, it would be counterproductive to set your goal as, “By the end of this month, I will be conversational in Spanish.”
For one thing, it most likely will not happen, and you will assuredly feel let down.
Secondly, there’s no way to measure what “conversational” Spanish is. Instead, set a goal such as, “Today I will study Spanish vocabulary related to the family, and by the end of the week 
I will be able to teach my son the Spanish translations for father, mother, sister, and brother.”
By setting tangible goals, you can measure the effectiveness of your studies,
and modify them accordingly.

3. They Set a Schedule
Along with setting goals, you also must set a schedule for your learning.
Learning a new skill doesn’t just require practice; it requires study, comprehension,
and practical use as well. Learning to play the guitar, for example, involves reading about
how to string and tune the instrument, listening to how chords should sound, understanding
why certain chords sound good together, and how to place your fingers on the fret board.
In this case, it’s not enough for you to say, “I’ll practice guitar for an hour a day.”
Instead, set a schedule to include all aspects of the instrument: Today I will watch a YouTube video on stringing and tuning the guitar, then I will do it myself; tomorrow I will read about
the most common chords used, and practice playing each of them in succession.
By the end of the week, I will strum a G, D, and then a C chord to create a song of my own.
By setting a schedule for your learning, you reinforce the goals you’ve set for yourself.

4. They Collect Multiple Resources
Remember in high school when you were assigned 15 pages to read in your history book
for homework? If you were anything like your faithful Lifehacker, you probably read them, 
memorized the names and dates you saw, passed the quiz the next day,
and promptly forgot everything you’d read the night before.
Obviously, that’s not an effective way to learn anything. To truly learn everything
about a specific topic, you need to collect various books, articles, videos,
and other media pertaining to the subject in question. And you actually have to use them.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t understand a concept during an initial reading of a text;
make a note of it, push forward, and come back to it later. Chances are, after watching a video
or listening to a podcast, your mind will be able to wrap itself around ideas
 that were completely new to you hours or days before.

5. They Review and Record Progress
Learning is, of course, a long-term process. But it’s not one long, continuous process
with a singular goal (as mentioned before); there are steps along the way.
Each of these steps need to be reviewed and evaluated upon completion to assure accuracy,
and to tweak technique if needed. Like we said before, it’s not enough to simply read pages
from a book, especially if you didn’t comprehend what you read.
Be honest with yourself at the end of a learning session. If something was difficult,
make a note of it, and come back to it. Pressing forward to the next step without solidifying 
your foundation of understanding will certainly lead to disaster.
On the other hand, recording and reviewing your accomplishments over the past week, month,
or year is a great confidence booster. Even if you’re not the best (yet),
you’ll see how far you’ve come from knowing absolutely nothing.

6. They Follow a Model
No matter how good you get at whatever skill you’ve set out to learn,
there will be ways to get better.
And, unless you’re a World Record holder, there will always be someone better than you.
This isn’t a bad thing; having someone to look up to is beneficial in many ways.
For one, it gives you something to strive for. Secondly, you can further your learning
by analyzing an expert’s performance. Sure, Hendrix taught himself how to play guitar,
but he was influenced by greats like BB King and Muddy Waters.
The man commonly thought to be the greatest guitarist of all time may never have even picked up
a 6-string if it wasn’t for the greats that preceded him. When learning something new,
don’t be pressured to reinvent the wheel – just look to improve upon it in your own way.

7. They Search Out Feedback
We live in such an amazing time, in which professionals in all fields
are more than happy to give feedback to beginners in order to help them improve.
Don’t be shy; many experts are honored that people come to them for advice.
Of course, they may not have time to get to everyone though, so broaden your scope.
If you’re trying to break into the blogging business, search out other authors
who have successful blogs within your chosen niche, and read about them.
Once you have a good idea about how they got where they are,
and you have a decent amount of articles posted, seek them out and see what they say.
Don’t be discouraged if they have some criticism; it’s exactly why you contacted them
in the first place. Instead, use their advice to focus your practice on improving those specific areas. Constructive criticism from experts is perhaps the most valuable tool
 you can have when learning something new.

8. They Teach Others
As we just mentioned, there are a ton of experts out there who are more than happy to teach beginners how to get moving. You can be this person to anyone below you in skill level!
While watching pros do their thing can be intimidating,
teaching people who are just getting started has the opposite effect.
Although it might be a tad selfish, it definitely will make you feel better watching a beginner fumble through playing their first song; but this is mostly because you’ve been there, and you know
they’ll soon improve. Doing so also gives you perspective; you might not be a professional,
but you definitely have gotten better from when you just started.
Lastly, to be able to teach something requires you to have a deeper understanding of the skill,
so you can explain to your student why what their learning is important,
and where they will go from where they are.

9. They Reward Themselves
Successful people find various ways to reward themselves. Mind you, these rewards
are not counterintuitive (such as rewarding yourself for hitting your fastest mile mark by taking
 a week off from training, or rewarding yourself for your weight loss by eating a bowl of ice cream), but actually build upon accomplishments. Notice the implication of the previous example:
the person might be training to get into shape,
but he’d much rather be sitting on the couch watching TV.
If he actually wanted to beat his fastest mile, he wouldn’t take a day off at all. Instead,
he might reward himself by running through the park instead of on the treadmill,
or taking his kids for a relaxing jog instead of going all out.
The reward and motivation to get better is intrinsic: the outcome is the reward.
With this way of thinking, every small accomplishment made is another reward
on the path to success.

10. They Learn on Their Own Terms
The best learners are able to translate abstract concepts and ideas into layman’s terms,
not for others, but for themselves. I used to find my wife, an incredibly hard-working student
of optometry, muttering to herself about a subconjunctival hemorrhage caused by 
a ruptured blood vessel in the eye, which sounded absolutely frightening until she clarified: 
“Oh, it’s just a bloodshot eye.” (Note: That’s an oversimplification that I had to Google
to even come close to pulling off, but hopefully you get my point).
Using Tier III language (field-specific jargon), and translating it into every day vocabulary
is imperative to truly understanding the concepts behind the skill you wish to learn.
By using the language of the field in your every day life, the learned skill becomes
not just something you know, but it becomes a part of who you are.
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-ways-some-people-learn-things-much-faster-than-others.html
Turbo Charged Reading: Read more>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR specialist and language dictionaries that are spontaneously accessed.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

 To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                    The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”   

Monday 16 July 2018

Grammar: how to use it and whether properly

Lavender.



My name's Adam. Welcome again.

Today's lesson is a grammar lesson, and this is a question that I am asked often. What is the difference between "if" and "whether"? Okay? It's a very good question. It's pretty simple, straightforward, but we're going to look at both of these in relation to each other.

First of all, let's make sure everybody understands "whether" is not spelled the same as "weather", like sunny, raining. This is about rain, sun, snow, wind, temperature;
this is similar to "if", it's about having choices. Okay?

So, in some situations, "if" and "whether" are interchangeable, but the best way to not make a mistake, not to mix them up in the wrong context is to always use "if" for conditionals; always use "whether" when you're talking about two alternatives, two choices. Okay? You'll see what I mean.

When they can be interchanged. First of all, when they are used as noun clauses, means they can be the object or the subject of a sentence, they can mean the same thing. But again, avoid using them the same if you don't want to make mistakes. "Do you know if Dan is coming?" Do you know what? If Dan is coming. "Do you know whether Dan is coming?" In this case, they basically mean the same thing. Yes or no: is he coming or is he not coming? You could add the "or not?" here:

"Do you know whether Dan is coming or not?" But the word "whether" already gives you a choice between yes or no in this particular case, so this is not necessary. It's understood. Okay?

Now, let's look at these two sentences: "I don't know if the exam is on Friday or Saturday.",

"I don't know whether the exam is on Friday or Saturday." So here, we're looking directly at a choice. When I use "whether": "I don't know whether the exam is on Friday or Saturday." So again,
you have two options when you look at "whether". Friday is one option, Saturday is another option.
The problem here is if you use "if", "if" is not limited to two options. "I don't know if the exam
is on Friday or Saturday, or if it's next week sometime." So here, although they seem to mean
the same thing, the "if" gives you other options that the "whether" doesn't.
"Whether": one, two. "If": one, two, or something completely different.
So if you want to avoid making this mistake, use "whether" for the choices, use...
Save "if" for when you have your conditional sentence.

Now, what is a conditional sentence?
A conditional sentence is using "if" as an adverb clause.
There's a condition. If "A" happens, "B" will happen. Okay?
One thing needs to happen for the second thing to happen, that's the condition.
So: "Let me know", oh, sorry. I forgot this word, here. "Let me know if you're coming.",
"Let me know whether you're coming." In this case, they're both okay.
"Let me know whether you're coming or not."
Now, what's the difference between: "Let me know if you're coming", 
"Let me know whether you're coming or not"? If you are coming, yes, let me know.

This is a conditional.
If this is true, do this. "Let me know whether you're coming or not." If you're coming, let me know; 
if you're not coming, let me know. So in this case, both apply. Okay?
So, again, use this to... The condition. This is the condition, this is the result. Here, this is going
to happen regardless. So we're going to look at this in a second in more detail. Okay?
"I'll come over if you want me to." If you want it, I will do it; if you don't want it, I will not do it.
So this is the condition. If you want me to, I'll come over.
This is the condition, this is the result. So your best option is to always use "if" with conditionals,
use "whether" to talk about two alternatives.

Now, the other common use of "whether" is to mean "regardless". Doesn't matter what happens, regardless of the situation, here's what I want you to do. "I'm coming over whether you like it
or not." Okay. "Whether you like it or not" means if you like it, I'm coming over; if you don't like it, 
too bad, I'm coming over. So this verb is going to happen regardless of this situation.

Turbo Charged Reading: 
Read and Release Time. Read and release your Personal, Professional and Social Potential
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR software and engineering manuals for spontaneously recall – or pass that exam.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Friday 13 July 2018

8 Ways to Train Your Brain to Learn Faster and Remember More

Broom.

8 Ways to Train Your Brain to Learn Faster and Remember More
Maria Brilaki

You go to the gym to train your muscles. You run outside or go for hikes to train your endurance.
Or, maybe you do neither of those, but still wish you exercised more.
Well, here is how to train one of the most important parts of your body: your brain.

When you train your brain, you will:
Avoid embarrassing situations: you remember his face, but what was his name?
Be a faster learner in all sorts of different skills: hello promotion, here I come!
Avoid diseases that hit as you get older: no, thanks Alzheimer’s; you and I are not just a good fit.
So how do you train your brain to learn faster and remember more?

1. Work your memory.
Twyla Tharp, a NYC-based renowned choreographer has come up with the following memory workout: when she watches one of her performances, she tries to remember the first twelve
to fourteen corrections she wants to discuss with her cast without writing them down.
If you think this is anything less than a feat, then think again.
In her book The Creative Habit she says that most people cannot remember more than three.
The practice of both remembering events or things and then discussing them with others has actually been supported by brain fitness studies. Memory activities that engage all levels of brain operation—receiving, remembering and thinking—help to improve the function of the brain.
Now, you may not have dancers to correct, but you may be required to give feedback
on a presentation, or your friends may ask you what interesting things you saw at the museum. These are great opportunities to practically train your brain by flexing your memory muscles.
What is the simplest way to help yourself remember what you see? Repetition.
For example, say you just met someone new.
“Hi, my name is George”
Don’t just respond with, “Nice to meet you”. Instead, say, “Nice to meet you George.” Got it? Good.

2. Do something different repeatedly.
By actually doing something new over and over again,
your brain wires new pathways that help you do this new thing better and faster.
Think back to when you were three years old. You surely were strong enough to hold a knife
and a fork just fine. Yet, when you were eating all by yourself, you were creating a mess.
It was not a matter of strength, you see. It was a matter of cultivating more
and better neural pathways that would help you eat by yourself just like an adult does.
And guess what? With enough repetition you made that happen!

But how does this apply to your life right now?

Say you are a procrastinator.
The more you don’t procrastinate,
the more you teach your brain not to wait for the last minute to make things happen.
Now, you might be thinking “Duh, if only not procrastinating could be that easy!” Well, it can be.
By doing something really small, that you wouldn’t normally do, but is in the direction of
getting that task done, you will start creating those new precious neural pathways.
So if you have been postponing organizing your desk, just take one paper and put in its right place. Or, you can go even smaller. Look at one piece of paper and decide where to put it: Trash?
Right cabinet? Another room? Give it to someone?
You don’t actually need to clean up that paper; you only need to decide what you need to do with it.
That’s how small you can start. And yet, those neural pathways are still being built.
Gradually, you will transform yourself from a procrastinator to an in-the-moment action taker.

3. Learn something new.
It might sound obvious, but the more you use your brain, the better its going to perform for you.
For example, learning a new instrument improves your skill of translating something you see
(sheet music) to something you actually do (playing the instrument).
Learning a new language exposes your brain to a different way of thinking,
a different way of expressing yourself.
You can even literally take it a step further, and learn how to dance.
Studies indicate that learning to dance helps seniors avoid Alzheimer’s. Not bad, huh?

4. Follow a brain training program.
The Internet world can help you improve your brain function while lazily sitting on your couch.
A clinically proven program like BrainHQ can help you improve your memory, or think faster,
by just following their brain training exercises.

5. Work your body.
You knew this one was coming didn’t you?
Yes indeed, exercise does not just work your body; it also improves the fitness of your brain.
Even briefly exercising for 20 minutes facilitates information processing and memory functions.
But it’s not just that–exercise actually helps your brain create those new neural connections faster. You will learn faster, your alertness level will increase, and you get all that by moving your body.
Now, if you are not already a regular exerciser, and already feel guilty that you are not helping
your brain by exercising more, try a brain training exercise program like Exercise Bliss.
 Remember, just like we discussed in #2, by training your brain to do something new repeatedly,
you are actually changing yourself permanently.

6. Spend time with your loved ones.
If you want optimal cognitive abilities, then you’ve got to have meaningful relationships 
in your life.  Talking with others and engaging with your loved ones helps you think more clearly,
and it can also lift your mood.
If you are an extrovert, this holds even more weight for you. At a class at Stanford University,
I learned that extroverts actually use talking to other people as a way to understand
and process their own thoughts.
I remember that the teacher told us that after a personality test said she was an extrovert,
she was surprised. She had always thought of herself as an introvert.
But then, she realized how much talking to others helped her frame her own thoughts,
so she accepted her new-found status as an extrovert.

7. Avoid crossword puzzles.
Many of us, when we think of brain fitness, think of crossword puzzles.
And it’s true–crossword puzzles do improve our fluency, yet studies show
 they are not enough by themselves. Are they fun? Yes. Do they sharpen your brain? Not really.
Of course, if you are doing this for fun, then by all means go ahead.
If you are doing it for brain fitness, then you might want to choose another activity

8. Eat right–and make sure dark chocolate is included.
Foods like fish, fruits, and vegetables help your brain perform optimally.
Yet, you might not know that dark chocolate gives your brain a good boost as well.
When you eat chocolate, your brain produces dopamine. And dopamine helps you learn faster
and remember better. Not to mention, chocolate contains flavonols, antioxidants, 
which also improve your brain functions. So next time you have something difficult to do,
make sure you grab a bite or two of dark chocolate!

Now that you know how to train your brain, it’s actually time to start doing.
Don’t just consume this content and then go on with your life as if nothing has changed.
Put this knowledge into action and become smarter than ever!
So devote 30 seconds and tell me in the comments:
what are you going to do in the next three days to give your brain a boost?

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/8-ways-train-your-brain-learn-faster-and-remember-more.html

Turbo Charged Reading: Read more>>>Read fast>>>Remember more>>>Years later
Contact M’reen at: read@turbochargedreading.com

You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.
I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.
Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 
How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube


Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com       gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life.
http://ourbusinessminds.blogspot.co.uk/   takes advantage of the experience and expertise of others. http://mreenhunthappyartaccidents.blogspot.co.uk/      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
                                                   The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”