Exercising Your Brain
Let’s test your brain power. You’ll need a timer and something to write on. Set the timer for one minute. In a moment, you’ll be given the name of a common object—then you can start the timer. During that minute, write down as many alternative uses for that object as you can think of. For example, if the object is a newspaper you might write down that it could be used to house-train a puppy, line a birdcage, pack dishes, and so on.
Okay, here’s your common object: a ruler.
How many uses did you think of? If you’re good at programming, then you probably did pretty well (five to ten ideas). That’s because this type of brain function, called cognitive flexibility, plays an essential role in problem-solving. Cognitive flexibility ...
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