Tools for thought 🪴

Saturday March 16, 2024

Reflection from How to Think Better from Ness Labs.

• “Thinking is a skill which can be practiced just as any other skill.”
• To be a “better” thinker:
  1. Think about thinking.
  2. Be aware of cognitive biases.
  3. Avoid linear thinking and logical fallacies.
  4. Study useful mental models.
  5. Practice emotional agility.

Ness Labs goes into more detail on different frameworks to adopts. But I am thinking about my own frameworks. What helps me think “better”?

• Having a space to download my thoughts and play with them ie. journal, whiteboard, etc.
• Discussing my thoughts with others to identify gaps in my thinking or alternate perspectives or lens
• Diffuse mode, going on a walk or having space to ponder
• Movement of some sort - run/jog/walk (outside ideally!) or yoga
• Having a nap of some sort or sleeping

If you had talked to me a couple years ago, I would list out a bunch of productivity tools. Maggie Appleton reflects on this pointing out that a bunch of thought leaders in this space stem from a computer programming background. The mental models for tools for thought then had a “distinctly computer-oriented, male, American, middle class flavour.” (https://maggieappleton.com/tools-for-thought).

Since my All Tech is Human Mentorship Pod with design lead, John Cain, I have really reshaped my thinking to integrate practices and rituals into my definition of technology.

My recent obsession has been investigating “Tools for Thought”. A comprehensive article is by Maggie Appleton Tools for Thought as Cultural Practices, not Computational Objects. Her thesis is expanding “tools for thought” association beyond computerized digital tools. This is something interesting that has been on my mind.

To be honest, it has stemmed from my obsession with productivity tools (see When tech sucks). I’ve been getting rather frustrated with myself for not optimizing these tools enough. Perhaps also frustrated with the tools themselves… I have this fantasy that with the right tools and practices, I’ll have incredible thoughts and ideas and be able to execute on them. I’m struggling with the grind!

Anyway! With Maggie’s piece, I’m expanding my intrepretation of the phrase “tools for thought”. I’m trying to integrate non digital mechanisms to aid my brain power and help me think of cool ideas :)

Here’s a summary of some of examples Maggie comes up with:

• Written language
• Drawing
• Maps
• Numbers
• Poetry
• Socratic method
• Questions in general
• Scientific method

With being a fan of bullet journaling, I have been so fascinated by how so many people turn to it in an age of large language networks and AI and virtual universes.

I think what’s special there is what in some ways the hi fi tech lacks like giving some the opportunity (time and space) to think. Introducing friction has been something that seems really important for conscious thought.

But I’m also think about other practices that don’t normally come up as productivity tools but are definitely helpful practices.

My own list:

• Exercise
• Walking outside
• Yoga
• Drinking cold water
• Sleeping
• Meditating
• Nutrition
• Breathing practices
• Diffuse mode
• Mindsets
• Journaling
• Writing
• Talking to a friend
• Sticky notes
• Putting up a calm ambience
• Dark mode
• Candles
• Cold showers
• Reading

Imagine if I called my yoga practice as a tool for thought. I normally don’t think about it that way. In fact, I can often be seen skipping my time on my mat in favor of watching yet another YouTube video on how to set up a digital kanban board.

I’m curious to see how I might fare if I was to take these tools/practices more seriously.

Jul-24-2023

“Writing by hand is thinking on paper. Thoughts grow into words, sentences and pictures. Memories become stories. Ideas are transformed into projects. Notes inspire insight. We write and understand, learn, see and think - with the hand. “ - Leuchtturm1917 (Denken mit der Hand)