My Blog

Neuroplasticity

How understanding neuroplasticity benefits us:

Just knowing about neuroplasticity can motivate people and broaden their visions of themselves because it opens up a world of possibility. When you understand it and know how to apply it to your life you believe that you can achieve something no matter how slow you are going or how bad you were to begin with. The basic message of neuroplasticity is that if you don't use your brain then you will lose it, meaning learning new things and taking up new challenges keeps your brain healthy and growing while staying inside your comfort zone can make your brain “rusty” in a sense.

Neuroplasticity for my own benefit:

In terms of myself, I would put all the below practises into play each day or week. But in relation to becoming a better developer, i would make sure i code each and every day even if it’s just a little bit so that i can grow my brain over time and prevent myself from getting rusty. In order to improve my neuroplasticity It’s better that I do a little each day instead of lots each week with a few days break in between.

Things you can do to increase your neuroplasticity:

Playing games can help your brain with coordination, memory, problem-solving, attention, and much more.

Learning a new language

When we learn a new language we increase our creativity, problem solving, and ability to multitask to name a few.

Playing an instrument:

it can improve co-ordination, memory, focus, hearing and sight.

Travelling:

seeing new scenes gives our brain more info and a wider vision plus creativity.

Exercising

can help with co-ordination.

Creating - drawing, painting, crafts.

Great for creativity especially.

Additional resource i enjoyed: Physio-pedia-Neuroplasticity

Growth Mindset

In order to grow as a person we need to have wider visions of ourselves. If we have fixed mindsets, we can only achieve what comes easy to us, but if we have a growth mindset we can achieve anything we put our minds to regardless of how tough it may be at first. However, it is important the way in which we learn and what we learn because if we are not enjoying it or what we are learning then our motivation to keep going, and happiness, decreases.

Some things i found surprising while reading about growth mindsets:

How will you integrate a growth mindset into your learning journey?

When I come up against problems while developing, I'll try to go in with a curious mindset. For myself, I want to start learning more and being more curious rather than just learning and finishing what is there. I want to do extra, for my own personal growth and for my growth as a starting developer. Instead of complaining and blaming when things don't go my way, it would be better for me to find solutions and ask for help when needed.

Recommended read:

if-you-want-to-achieve-long-term-happiness-embrace-the-growth-mindset

Blend with your learning plan and strategies

Reflect and discuss how these understandings may shape or influence your learning plan and strategy.

My long term goal in my learning plan already has a bit of a growth mindset in there because i want to be able to do more than just programming/development, i want to pursue everything i’ve wanted to do in my life whether big or small which means i will keep learning, growing and developing, even when i get to a place where i am satisfied. I thought that this would just be the best place to start. As for neuroplasticity I would add in learning something new everyday for at least 15 minutes to my learning plan.