COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY- THE TASK-SHIFTING ABILITY OF THE BRAIN

 

COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY- THE TASK-SHIFTING ABILITY OF THE BRAIN

“Be clear about your goals but be flexible about the process of achieving it” – Brian Tracy

In my post on Executive functioning Skills, their importance, and how you can help your child acquire them, we mentioned all the skills embedded in Executive functioning one of which is Cognitive flexibility. To find out all the other skills that make up executive functioning skills read it up here

What is Cognitive Flexibility?

Cognitive flexibility is also known as flexible thinking and as the name implies, it means the ability to be flexible in one’s thinking. The ability to be able to see something in many ways than one. Being able to think about multiple concepts at once and also being able to switch your thought process from one activity to another with ease. A child with a good mastery of cognitive flexibility will most likely end up as an employee with an exceptional ability to receive a new task, midway into another unrelated task and still deliver on both tasks with a high level of excellence and promptly too. This is also known as task-shifting ability.

As a student, the ability to tune thinking and mental processing to English language soon after going through a math class requires cognitive flexibility.  Also when a pupil is trying to solve a problem (e.g. math problem) his ability to think of multiple methods to arrive at the answer requires cognitive flexibility. For children who lack cognitive flexibility, once one approach doesn’t work, they give up because to them if it doesn’t work this way, then it can’t work any other way.

My mentor Wendy Ologe once told a story of her 10-year-old daughter who was asked to plan a meal. She wrote a list (utilizing her planning skills) and went to the market for shopping, while at the market she realized that the money she has can’t cover the cost of everything she needed to cook as some prices had increased. Rather than complain, get tensed, or go home without buying anything, she quickly engaged her cognitive thinking to explore other options through which she can still achieve her aim. She immediately reduced the budget for some items so that she can accommodate everything (utilizing her cognitive flexibility Skill) and made it back home in good time (utilizing her time management skill) to prepare lunch. I won’t forget to mention that her kitchen workspace was well organized plus the fact that after cooking, she set the table in an orderly manner with a high level of precision (utilizing her organizational skills) for a girl her age. It is worth noting that cooking skill is not a gender role meant only for girls, it is one singular activity that combines so many executive functioning skills in one place.

 All of the executive functioning skills can be learned and improved upon.

Someone described cognitive flexibility using water in two states: Solid state (Ice) and Liquid state (water). He pointed out the fact that when water is flowing in one direction and encounters an obstacle, it will immediately seek out another channel and continue its flow. While an ice block encountering an obstacle will stop moving and remain in one spot except it melts into the liquid (Flexible) state and then it can seek out another channel to flow through.

                  

Your kids must acquire these skills because the worth and relevance of a person are increased by the value he brings to any place where he finds himself.

 

Importance of Cognitive Flexibility

     1.       Cognitive Flexibility boosts problem-solving skills.

     2.       It also enhances the coordination of tasks.

     3.       It promotes critical, analytical, and creative thinking.

     4.       It helps one to look at issues from different perspectives and proffer well-thought-out strategies to solve problems.

     5.       It also empowers people to be innovative.

     6.       It helps to improve social and communication skills. Cognitive flexibility helps people to adapt to change easily, so when a child with a high level of cognitive flexibility gets into a new social circle he integrates easily with others and rarely ever experiences social awkwardness. He communicates easily too when any topic is introduced and can switch from one discussion to another.

     7.       Just like the other executive functioning skills, cognitive flexibility increases the chances of success. This skill is very important as it also improves mental health which helps to limit mental health problems like depression and even suicide. One very common reason why people commit suicide is the fact that they don’t believe that there is any hope for them to get out of whatever challenge they are going through. They are fixated on the problems they have and see no solution in sight, even when a solution is being offered to them. However cognitive flexibility helps one seek out and try other means of solving a problem and this outlook improves overall mental health.

 

What You Can Do to Improve Your Child’s Cognitive Flexibility.

     1.       Introduce age-appropriate mental puzzles and brain teasers to your children as early as possible.

     2.       Word games also come highly recommended. Examples of some word games include:

a.       20-Questions (In this game a child is nominated by a group of children to be the one asking the 20 questions. The questioner steps out of the room or away from the group and then the group picks an object in their surrounding space after which they ask the questioner to come back. He has to ask the group 20 questions and the answers to those questions will serve as clues that lead him to guess the chosen object correctly.)

b.      Scrabbles.

c.       Crossword puzzles.

     3.       Encourage them to engage in debates. Guide them to form teams and pick a topic, which the different teams/groups will argue for and against. This helps them understand that there are different perspectives to analyzing issues.

     4.       Fixing the Rubik’s Cube helps too. The Rubik’s cube is a 3-D combination puzzle that was invented in 1974 by the Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture- Erno Rubik. Among many other benefits, the Rubik’s Cube enhances cognitive flexibility, enhances the brain-hand-eye connection and reflexes, boosts memory power, and promotes problem-solving skills.

     5.       Teach your kids to believe and affirm first “that it can be done” and secondly “that there must be another way of doing it”. This mindset opens them up to the opportunity of seeking other processes for solving problems.

     6.       Reading widely helps to build cognitive flexibility because reading is a window to the world and a child who reads will be an adult who thinks.

     7.       Create a healthy lifestyle for your kids. Ensure they receive healthy brain nutrition, adequate rest and sleep, good exercise, etc.

     8.       Don’t let them get overworked and overwhelmed, encourage them to take breaks when they are tired and need to rest.

     9.       Teach them to avoid distraction and also help them learn how to pay attention and increase mindfulness

Cognitive flexibility is an attribute of a sound mind and a mentally alert brain. The brain requires a smooth flow of thought processes to perform optimally. So it is very important to introduce your children to activities that enhance cognitive flexibility, promote mental fluidity, and equip them with the ability to think, process information, consider all perspectives, try new and different approaches, and arrive at a result-oriented conclusion.

The absence of cognitive flexibility is known as rigid thinking and it causes fixative tendencies. Someone who lacks cognitive flexibility will most likely hold on to one belief on a particular issue even when evidence exists to prove that there are other possible angles to that issue, to them if it is not the way I see and believe it to be, then it can’t be any other way. 

So as a parent, it is very needful that children are equipped and empowered to be flexible in their cognitive thinking.

Did you gain value, I’ll love for you to drop a comment, suggestion, or question and I will be happy to respond. Don’t forget to read our post on executive functioning skills, to know more about the other skills that are embedded in executive functioning.