More thorough analytical thinking for solving daily problems and objectives is a key factor for effective management and business. The articles “10 brainteasers to stretch your brain” and especially “Are you solving the right problems?” have strikingly changed my mind about how real professionals should deal with problems. The problem of identifying the satisfying model for studying discussed here will show the effectiveness of reframing problems.
Recently, I encountered the problem of ineffective studying strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending more time at home, the number of distractions, which can divert me from studying, has increased. As a result, reading one article of average size could take a lot of time in a way that it was irrational to spend so much time on a small piece of text. At that moment, I decided to substitute research articles with more easy reading of Wikipedia and other public Internet resources. Therefore, the problem was solved by lowering the quality of the texts, so reading them took much less time.
Considering the solutions from the articles, I realized that my problem-solving technique was wrong. The most effective strategy was to “analyse positive exceptions”, that is, to imagine how the situation would look in an ideal way (Wedell-Wedellsborg, 2017). I imagined the calm atmosphere of the pre-coronavirus library, where the working atmosphere encourages more effective studying. Thus, the problem was reframed – the main cause of discomfort was not in the difficulty of texts but in the uncomfortable atmosphere. The way to solve the problem was to put away the phone and use the technique of “Pomodoro” to introduce more structured studying. It is great that Wedell-Wedellsborg’s article fell into my hands. It is useful to read articles from the spheres that have nothing to do with main interests (Green & Hedges, 2012). New ideas and innovations from other fields can contribute to personal and professional development.
References
Green, H., & Hedges, K. (2012). 10 brainteasers to stretch your brain. Forbes. Web.
Wedell-Wedellsborg, T. (2017). Are you solving the right problems? Harvard Business Review. Web.