And not only does that adventure help break the spell of cognitive rigidity, but it helps us to live a life more memorable. Sponsored links below if any. Clicking is one way of saying thanks for the article! Concise insights, delivered once per week. Join the growing army of 3-Thinkers. No cost. No spam.

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Skip to content. Modern routines can be a force for mental rigidity. Here's what the research tells us about how to improve our cognitive flexibility and creativity. Of course, powered by a superior cognitive engine, the humans caught on quickest — right?

What was going on? The Pitfalls of Predictability Well, that superior cognitive engine was in fact our downfall in this study. In short, we need tools to defuse this risk. How to Increase Cognitive Flexibility How, then, can we increase cognitive flexibility in a world of routine?

The research points to 5 different effective strategies to increase cognitive flexibility. Final Remarks If you take one message from this article, let it be this: Ceaseless familiarity is the enemy of cognitive flexibility, and novelty is its friend. So, go on, embrace your inner monkey.

Think flexibly. Get More Insights Straight to Your Inbox Sign up to the weekly newsletter and never miss a post again. Sign Up. Related Reading. Creeping Normality: The Dangers of State Gradualism. EN - US. For Business. Why is cognitive flexibility necessary?

What does cognitive inflexibility mean? Have you ever worked with someone who can focus on multiple high-stakes tasks at once with relative ease? Cognitive flexibility is key for success in the workplace, but also in everyday life. It allows for flexible thinking to adapt to various situations.

Cognitive flexibility is also the ability to switch from one way of thinking to another. This is also known as task switching.

Think about it this way. You shift your body to change direction. You also shift your car into a new lane to avoid danger. You can also learn to shift your thinking process to become more adaptable to the situation at hand.

This is a prime example of cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is important both on a micro and a macro scale in the workplace. It allows you to juggle multiple concepts at once and improve your cognitive function.

You use cognitive flexibility without realizing it on a daily basis. This happens when you multitask or when you switch from task to task. It also happens when you interact with other people and when you go from talking to a customer to your peers.

As a result, cognitive flexibility allows you to solve problems creatively , adapt to curveballs, and act appropriately in varying situations. So what can this look like in real situations? Here are three examples that illustrate mental flexibility. Cognitive flexibility will allow you to consider your options and improvise a new recipe instead of getting upset.

It allows you to consider their point of view and analyze the possibilities from every angle. Cognitive flexibility will allow you to consider all the options to adjust quickly.

The opposite of cognitive flexibility is cognitive rigidity or cognitive inflexibility. Think about the way water moves. Water in its liquid state is similar to cognitive flexibility.

But water in its frozen state is similar to cognitive rigidity. When water travels, it has the capacity to find many different paths. This is true for small streams, raging rivers, or dropped water in your kitchen. The water will flow in several directions. It will find endless ways to surpass obstacles and continue flowing.

Water follows the path of least resistance or the most efficient path for it to take. Ice, on the other hand, is rigid. If it meets an obstacle, it cannot move past it until it melts. You can see from multiple perspectives. But even if you struggle with cognitive flexibility, you can work to improve this skill.

Just like ice, you can melt back into water with a little bit of heat or pressure. Think about what it feels like to go from a conversation with a toddler to a conversation with a manager. It can take a few moments to get in the right frame of mind and adapt your style to the different audiences.

Even switching between two adults can be difficult depending on the individual differences between them. In a recent study , researchers tested the problem-solving abilities of capuchin and rhesus monkeys.

They also performed the same test on humans. Practicing cognitive flexibility can create new neural pathways in your brain and improve your cognitive flexibility skill. This makes it easier to practice divergent thinking and creative problem-solving.

Here are some ways you can improve your cognitive flexibility so that you can approach a tough situation in a different way:. One way to practice cognitive flexibility is to introduce it in small, low-stakes ways in your life. You can expose yourself to new situations and different contexts without going too far outside of your comfort zone.

In a recent study, researchers taught rats to drive small cars. They learned that:. Struggling to build your empathy? You can also start approaching other people at work with your challenges. Ask them how they would approach a problem. Make sure you listen actively when they give their explanation.

Doing this helps you see from their point of view. This tactic is for people who tend to go down rabbit holes with negative thoughts about themselves. Startups and innovative companies need to be even more adaptive and flexible to compensate for lack of resources. Obviously, the same goes for individuals in such organizations.

Indeed, the entire modern workforce needs high levels of career adaptability to survive in an environment in which skills and roles quickly become obsolete as technology takes over.

Overall, the adaptive organization is no doubt emerging as an important business model. It is probably the only mindset that can deal with the complexities of modern economies. While most will likely agree on the importance of being adaptive, there is very little understanding of what cognitive capacities underlie adaptive behaviors.

It's unclear how to assess them, and, importantly, how to train this type of thinking. In reality, people do not know what exactly flexibility is, whether they possess it and how to put it into practice. As it turns out, "being smart", competent, educated—or even having strong social and emotional skills—will not guarantee flexible behavior.

Recent but established research in cognitive neuroscience has drawn attention to a function called cognitive flexibility. This executive function a type of skill that helps us plan and achieve goals enables us to switch between different concepts and patterns.

It also helps us adapt choices to achieve goals and problem solve in novel or changing environments. Cognitive flexibility aids learning under uncertainty and to negotiating complex situations.

This is not merely about changing your decisions. Higher cognitive flexibility involves rapidly realizing when a strategy is failing and changing strategies. The importance of cognitive flexibility was first discovered in clinical patients.

The function engages areas of the brain involved with decision making, including the prefrontal cortex and striatal circuitry.

When this circuitry becomes dysfunctional due to neurological diseases or psychiatric disorders, it can cause rigidity of thought and a failure to adapt.

Cognitive flexibility is required in many real-world situations. The category of workers that requires the highest level of adaptability is arguably entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need to show flexibility not only in terms of idea generation, but also for resource allocation and social exchanges.

Indeed, our previous research has shown that entrepreneurs, compared with high-level managers, have increased cognitive flexibility. This ultimately helps them to solve problems and make risky decisions successfully.

We have also demonstrated that this flexibility translates to social decision making. Entrepreneurs are simply more flexible in terms of whether and when to trust other people. Cognitive flexibility has often been used as a generic and ill-defined term, measured using subjective self assessment.

People wanting to improve their cognitive flexibility may seek to engage in psychological or cognitive therapy treatments depending on their needs. Margaret Davis is a junior studying advertising at Temple University. She is thrilled to be joining the HappyNeuron Pro team as the Content Marketing Intern.

With her previous experience working on PR and Social Media campaigns, Margaret hopes to bring a variety of skills to the team. This article explores the social benefits of group cognitive therapy, shedding light on how shared experiences, mutual support, and collective growth Let's explore the role of school-based cognitive therapy, shedding light on how it can contribute to students' overall well-being and scholastic achie So, what do Holidays may mean more conversations and potentially a break from formal therapy sessions.

Here are 5 ways to continue practicing your language skills Aphasia is a condition that reflects the loss of language. Download Free Worksheets. Posted on 01 Nov, in Areas of Cognition,Cognitive Therapy,Highlight,Medical Conditions,Professions by Margaret Davis. How does cognitive flexibility fit into our daily lives?

How can we improve cognitive flexibility? Source WEF. Margaret Davis Margaret Davis is a junior studying advertising at Temple University. Related Content in Areas of Cognition,Cognitive Therapy,Highlight,Medical Conditions,Professions.

Exploring the Social Benefits of Group Cognitive Therapy This article explores the social benefits of group cognitive therapy, shedding light on how shared experiences, mutual support, and collective growth The Impact of School-Based Cognitive Therapy Let's explore the role of school-based cognitive therapy, shedding light on how it can contribute to students' overall well-being and scholastic achie Recent Articles.

What is Neuroplasticity, and why is it important? How to Practice Language Skills Over the Holidays Holidays may mean more conversations and potentially a break from formal therapy sessions.

What 3 Cognitive Components Should You Work On For Aphasia? Are you a therapist looking for Cognitive Stimulation tools for your patients? But for those that struggle with cognitive flexibility, this may not be as easy. They may freeze and do nothing.

They may ruminate on the fact that their playdate was cancelled. Or, they may become emotional and distressed as they struggle to understand that they can reschedule and do something different that day instead.

By practicing being flexible in our thinking with our students and children, we can help them reach their full potential. These strategies are particularly important now during the global pandemic.

Children have been forced to adapt their daily living, learn school lessons in a new way, and socialize differently. Practicing the ability to solve problems in new ways, consider multiple concepts at once, and look at the bigger picture will support their cognitive flexibility skills.

In summary, cognitive flexibility skills allow us to switch gears and find new approaches to solve problems in our daily lives. Many children with ADHD and Learning Disabilities struggle with cognitive flexibility and may require more assistance in developing these skills.

There are many ways to help your child develop these skills, including modelling, explicit instruction, and experiential learning. Trouble With Flexible Thinking: Why Some Kids Only See Things One Way.

A Day in the Life of a Child Who Struggles With Flexible Thinking. Flexible Thinking: How to Encourage Kids to Go With the Flow. Written by:. Mary Makowski, Registered Provisional Psychologist, and Christine MacDonald, Psychology Intern.

Why Does Cognitive Flexibility Matter? How Do We Improve Cognitive Flexibility? Incorporate the concepts of rigidity and flexibility through play. Practice modelling flexible thinking in fun and silly ways to help your child better understand it. Label rigid thinking patterns in a non-judgemental way in yourself and your kids to help them identify them.

Helpful talking techniques can include explaining rigidity as a tightly pulled elastic. By contrast, flexible thinking is a loose, flexible elastic. We want to practice flexibility so that we can bend with whatever life throws at us and not break! Talk about scenarios that have multiple ways to solve a problem.

For example, if your child needs to get from school to home, what different routes could they take? What modes of transportation could be used? Help your child examine their triggers for rigidity and work to identify them. For example, do they need things done a certain way? Celebrate how those behaviours can help them, but also teach them how to distinguish between helpful versus harmful inflexibility.

Read a social story e. You can also create your own story with your child as the main character. Getting your child involved in creating the story, or incorporating their interests, can support their buy-in towards learning the concept. Emphasize that there are different strategies they can try, especially in math.

Reflect on your behaviours that may model rigidity. We all demonstrate rigidity at times! Being patient with yourself and practicing looking at other perspectives will model the learning process for your child.

Working on cognitive flexibility may help us have better control over our emotions and help us handle difficult situations with grace. People wanting to improve their cognitive flexibility may seek to engage in psychological or cognitive therapy treatments depending on their needs.

Margaret Davis is a junior studying advertising at Temple University. She is thrilled to be joining the HappyNeuron Pro team as the Content Marketing Intern. With her previous experience working on PR and Social Media campaigns, Margaret hopes to bring a variety of skills to the team.

This article explores the social benefits of group cognitive therapy, shedding light on how shared experiences, mutual support, and collective growth Let's explore the role of school-based cognitive therapy, shedding light on how it can contribute to students' overall well-being and scholastic achie So, what do Holidays may mean more conversations and potentially a break from formal therapy sessions.

Here are 5 ways to continue practicing your language skills Aphasia is a condition that reflects the loss of language. Download Free Worksheets. Posted on 01 Nov, in Areas of Cognition,Cognitive Therapy,Highlight,Medical Conditions,Professions by Margaret Davis.

How does cognitive flexibility fit into our daily lives? How can we improve cognitive flexibility? Source WEF.

It is probably the only mindset that can deal with the complexities of modern economies. While most will likely agree on the importance of being adaptive, there is very little understanding of what cognitive capacities underlie adaptive behaviors. It's unclear how to assess them, and, importantly, how to train this type of thinking.

In reality, people do not know what exactly flexibility is, whether they possess it and how to put it into practice. As it turns out, "being smart", competent, educated—or even having strong social and emotional skills—will not guarantee flexible behavior.

Recent but established research in cognitive neuroscience has drawn attention to a function called cognitive flexibility. This executive function a type of skill that helps us plan and achieve goals enables us to switch between different concepts and patterns. It also helps us adapt choices to achieve goals and problem solve in novel or changing environments.

Cognitive flexibility aids learning under uncertainty and to negotiating complex situations. This is not merely about changing your decisions. Higher cognitive flexibility involves rapidly realizing when a strategy is failing and changing strategies.

The importance of cognitive flexibility was first discovered in clinical patients. The function engages areas of the brain involved with decision making, including the prefrontal cortex and striatal circuitry. When this circuitry becomes dysfunctional due to neurological diseases or psychiatric disorders, it can cause rigidity of thought and a failure to adapt.

Cognitive flexibility is required in many real-world situations. The category of workers that requires the highest level of adaptability is arguably entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need to show flexibility not only in terms of idea generation, but also for resource allocation and social exchanges.

Indeed, our previous research has shown that entrepreneurs, compared with high-level managers, have increased cognitive flexibility. This ultimately helps them to solve problems and make risky decisions successfully. We have also demonstrated that this flexibility translates to social decision making.

Entrepreneurs are simply more flexible in terms of whether and when to trust other people. Cognitive flexibility has often been used as a generic and ill-defined term, measured using subjective self assessment.

Yet, cognitive neuroscience now has tests to more precisely define and objectively measure it. Cognitive processes, such as working memory, are strongly linked to intelligence level, or IQ, and therefore are relatively unmodifiable.

In contrast, cognitive flexibility isn't as strongly linked to IQ and, therefore, has the potential to be trained. For example, we might be able to modify and strengthen neural circuits in the brain through cognitive training.

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