JS Tip 68: From the Creativity Workshops: An Introduction to Left-Brain, Right-Brain Studies (Tip 1 of 3)

Everyone’s brain has two sides. Each side has its strengths and weaknesses. (Someone creatively named the sides “the left brain” and “the right brain.”)

The left brain: Analytical. Logical. Ordered. Verbally oriented. Processes things step-by step. The left brain sees parts and objectivity. It helps us remember names. An easy mnemonic is that the “L” in “left” stands for “logic.” Crossword puzzles and Sudoku games exercise this brain function. 

Think Dana Scully, Bert, and Spock.

The right brain: Creative. Abstract. Random. Visually oriented. Processes things spontaneously. The right brain sees wholes and subjectivity. It helps us remember faces. An easy way to remember the right brain’s function is to consider the “R” in “right” standing for “random.” Drawing, singing, and map work exercise this brain function. 

Think Fox Mulder, Ernie, and McCoy.

But why the tip? The more we understand how our brain works, the more prepared we are to function when our brain doesn’t work. This is the first of three tips discussing the left and right sides of the brain.

Next week, we’ll discuss how the left and right sides work with writing.

Two weeks from now, we’ll explore how they work in leadership.

Join the Jefferson Smith Training and Consulting group page on Facebook for additional discussions, supplemental information, and fascinating stuff that, for some reason or another, doesn’t make it into the tips.