Journal 10, Week 4

My best thinking tends to happen when...

1) I have a quiet area
2) I have time to reflect
3) I am in a good mood

My best thinking generally is when I am alone in my home or car. Limiting distractions allows me to have a conversation to myself inside my head. I don't necessarily have to have the TV or radio off, but on just as background noise at a low level. If it is too quiet, I'll tend to get distracted out of boredom.

I generally do not think well when I am rushed. I just finisheed writing 2 papers that were due within 24 hours of each other for the same class. I found two things challenging about that. First, it was tough to keep my thoughts straight on which I was focusing on. Second, I wanted them both to be completed ahead of schedule so I felt rushed to get ideas to paper rather than truly focusing on the quality of those ideas. Neither paper will be my best work.

Sundays are usually my best thinking days. My wife and I attend church every Sunday and we meet with some friends afterward in a small group session to discuss ideas on God, Jesus, the Bible, and other religous topics. The small group allows us to speak freely of our thoughts and opinions on Christianity. While I do not feel this atmosphere creates my best thinking and best responses, I usually think about our conversation the rest of the day on Sunday while I am working on other things. It's a very liberating time.