Sometimes, you may find yourself getting stuck in a particular way of thinking. Unable to see other possibilities or perspectives. Being able to express cognitive flexibility is important – not only does it help you adapt better to situations, but it also predicts your future success in work and academics.
Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to help promote more flexible thinking.
Strategies that don’t take a lot of time to practice–but can help make small changes that add up to progress in the long run. There are no quick fixes for executive functioning challenges, but practice over time can add up over time.
In this blog post, we’ll share 10-minute strategies you can practice in your daily life to help you broaden your thinking.
What Does “Flexible Thinking” Actually Mean?
Flexible thinking, also known as cognitive flexibility. refers to the ability to change your perspective or approach when facing new or challenging situations. It means being able to think outside the box, and consider multiple options or solutions to a problem.
People who are flexible thinkers are able to adjust their thinking and behavior to meet the demands of a situation, even when things don’t go as planned.
Flexibility is especially important for neurodivergent individuals, who sometimes struggle with impulsivity, distractibility, and rigid thinking patterns.
When faced with a new or unexpected situation, you might feel overwhelmed or anxious, and struggle to adapt their behavior accordingly. This can make it difficult to problem-solve or make effective decisions. By practicing flexible thinking, you can learn to manage challenges, cope with stress, and achieve your goals.
10 Minute Strategies to Improve Your Flexible Thinking Abilities
The good news is that flexible thinking is a skill that can be strengthened with practice.
If you’re struggling with flexible thinking, give these quick, 10-minute strategies a try.
1. Play a Word Game
Word games like Scrabble or Bananagrams are a fun and easy way to engage your brain and improve your flexible thinking. These games require you to think quickly, think outside the box, and come up with creative solutions on the fly.
The best part?
You can play these games in lots of places–including on apps while waiting in line at the grocery store or with friends while unwinding after a long day at work.
2. Make a Change
Making a small, but intentional change to your routine can be an effective way to break out of a rut and stimulate cognitive flexibility. This could be as simple as replacing your go-to red pencil with a black one or taking a different route to work.
By challenging your brain with something new, you’ll be primed to think in more flexible and adaptive ways. You can also celebrate and reward yourself for successfully managing small changes as progress towards bigger, unplanned ones.
3. Give Yourself Alternatives
Sometimes, rigid thinking patterns can emerge when we feel stuck or overwhelmed. On these occasions, it can be helpful to give yourself alternatives to consider. For example, if you’re struggling to decide what to eat for dinner, create a list of three different options and weigh the pros and cons of each.
By training yourself to think through multiple possibilities, you’ll learn to approach problems with more flexibility.
4. Listen to a Few Jokes
Quick-wittedness is a sign of cognitive flexibility. Joking means we’re able to see the bigger picture rather than getting caught up in the literal meaning of the situation.
Finding the humor in a variety of situations can help us become more flexible in our thinking, so try listening to a few jokes or watching a funny video next time you feel stuck in a rut.
5. Change Up Your Schedule
A fixed schedule can be helpful for staying organized, but it can also lead to rigid thinking patterns. Changing up your schedule can help you see things in new and creative ways.
For example, if you typically work on projects in the afternoon, try working in the morning for a few days to see how this shift in routine affects your cognitive flexibility. By taking small steps to mix things up, you’ll learn to approach problems with a fresh perspective.
For some examples of practicing an activity where you’ll need to different changes, try our free .pdf downloadable “Disruptions Deck.” In this exercise from the Real-Life Executive Functioning Workbook, learners choose from a pre-planned deck of intentional disruption cards (e.g., do the next action with your non-dominant hand, set a timer and complete the task before the timer runs out, walk backward, do the following activity without talking, etc.) to practice flexibility.
6. Go Outside
Taking a break and stepping out of your environment can do wonders for your creativity and flexibility. Go on a quick ten-minute walk, enjoy some fresh air, and take in your surroundings. Observe your senses and appreciate the beauty around you, which can help you open your mind to more possibilities.
7. Try Playing a Logic Game
Playing games that require logical thinking and strategizing can strengthen your brain’s flexible thinking abilities. Games like Sudoku, chess, and Minesweeper challenge you to approach problems from different angles, teaching you to be flexible in your thinking.
8. Skim the Newspaper, Then Put Article Headlines Into Mental Categories
Skimming through the newspaper and categorizing articles based on their similarities and differences can help you improve your cognitive flexibility. You can do this with any reading material, but newspapers are a great place to start because of the diversity of articles.
9. Draw a Flexibility Flowchart
Drawing your ideas and thoughts can help you think more clearly and creatively. Start by drawing a chart with your main idea in the center, and then try branching out to see where your thoughts may lead you. Use colors to group your thoughts by theme and keep the ideas flowing.
10. Do a Brain Dump
A “brain dump” is a term used to describe the act of unloading all the thoughts on your mind as fast as you can. By doing this, you are freeing up more space in your brain to think of other things throughout the day, promoting more significant mental flexibility.
Record your experience by jotting down your thoughts and feelings before and after the activity. This way, you know which strategy works for you and pick it again in the future.
11. Look At Optical Illusions
Optical illusions are a great way to start training your brain to see things differently. They can help you to break out of fixed patterns of thinking and engage in more flexible thinking. Take a few minutes to go online and search for optical illusions. There are endless options!
Choose one that catches your eye and spend a few minutes studying it. Try to see beyond the initial image and imagine what else it could be. With practice, you’ll find that your brain starts to approach situations with more creativity and flexibility.
12. Pull Up a Map and Estimate Shortest Distances, Then Draw and Check on Google
Estimating the shortest distance between two points on a map is a great way to practice flexible thinking skills. First, pull up a map of any city, state, or country. Then, pick two points that are relatively close together (such as two neighborhoods, parks or landmarks) and try to estimate the shortest route to get from one to the other.
Once you’ve sketched out your best guess, check your answer using a tool like Google Maps. See how close your estimate was to the actual route. This exercise is great for practicing your mental flexibility and brainstorming ways to get from point A to point B!
13. Start a Debate With Someone
Starting a debate with someone, whether it’s a friend, family member, or colleague, is a great way to practice flexible thinking. When you’re debating, you’re forced to think on your feet, articulate your position and respond to counterarguments.
This practice of constantly adapting your perspective and improving your reasoning skills is crucial for flexible thinking. Plus, debating can be a fun and engaging way to connect with others and learn from new perspectives.
14. Try the “Six Thinking Hats” Method
This is a technique developed by Edward de Bono that encourages participants to think about problems or situations from multiple different angles. Each “hat” represents a different perspective (e.g., the “yellow hat” is optimistic and positive, while the “black hat” is critical and negative).
Spend six minutes thinking about a problem or situation while wearing a different “hat” for each minute. This can help you break out of a rigid thinking pattern.
15. Do a Word Association Exercise
Choose a word at random (or have someone else choose it for you), and then spend 10 minutes writing down every word that comes to mind when you think of that word. You can also try using a free-association website or app, which will give you random words for you to make associations.
16. Use a Deck of Cards
Shuffle a deck of cards and choose a card at random. Spend 10 minutes thinking about ways that you could use or apply the concept represented by that card to your life or work.
17. Change Your Perspective
Imagine that you’re someone else (a friend, family member, or coworker) who is looking at a situation. How might they see it differently from you? Spend 10 minutes thinking about this different perspective and how it could change the way you approach the situation.
18. Brainstorm Alternate Endings
Take a book or movie you’re familiar with and imagine different possible endings. Spend 10 minutes thinking about these alternate endings and how they might change the overall story.
Final Thoughts
Practicing flexible thinking can help you break out of rigid thinking patterns and come up with new ideas and solutions. Try incorporating these 10-minute strategies into your daily life to help you exercise your mind and foster flexible thinking.
Remember, it takes time and practice to build this skill, so be patient with yourself and keep working at it. Over time, you’ll notice that it becomes easier to see things from different perspectives and approach problems in creative and novel ways.
