Remember how many days are in each month. I mean, I guess maybe I could if I tried harder, but I refuse.
EDIT: ok I’m seeing everyone’s tips here, and thank you, but I gotta say… None of these heuristics seem any amount easier to remember. 😭
Swim
Was surprised I started mixing up left and right after I broke my right-hand wrist while biking.
Turns out I subconsciously associated “right” for the direction my stronger hand was on, and once my left hand started feeling like the more dominant one during recovery - my brain would automatically choose that “right” should be on my left-hand side instead, until I actively thought about which direction is which.
This gradually decreased out as my right hand recovered and got back to being the dominant one over the next few years, but was eye-opening what shortcuts my brain uses for such basic things.
Funny enough, I stopped mixing up my left and right after I broke my arm roller blading (on another occasion I broke my arm while biking). I didn’t have a way to mentally keep track until the doctor set the arm slightly off with the bone bowing out a bit - it feels slightly different now, but visually you can’t tell.
That’s really interesting. There are probably more people like you, but who will never know if nothing happens to their dominant hand.
Wait, are you saying you didn’t have to actively think about which is right or left before? I’ve always had to think about it, only for a second, but it’s definitely an active thought thing for me.
I guess I just felt that “right” is my stronger hand direction, “left” is my weaker hand one. Now, after several years of recovery I feel it almost the same way as before, so my mind makes the same shortcut instead of thinking for a second about it. But if I ever feel the balance of my stronger-weaker side tipped (e.g. right hand has fallen asleep) I guess it’s thinking time again.
Really?
Yeah, definitely. I didn’t know people didn’t have to think about it for a second.
This is wild and I genuinely can’t wrap my head around it.
So say, if you were blindfolded and run, if I give you command a la those rally drivers you will have a noticeable lag to my cue ? Like not instant ?
Now that you mention it, it’s odd that some people (like myself) have to think about it. Like I wouldn’t have to hardly think about what you meant if you said “up” or “down.”
Think of it like telling someone the directions like “twelve o’clock” versus “six o’clock” or “three o’clock” - you probably have to take a tic (heh) to picture it.
You’re not the only one, it takes me a second or two. Sometimes I make an L shape with my hands to see which way is left. Then again, sometimes I forget my age and name haha.
My wife has trouble with this as well. She’s also not very good with spatial reasoning, I wonder if those are linked
I am pretty alright with spatial reasoning but have a hard time with left and right. Especially in multitasking scenarios. When driving during complicated situations and in unknown environments for example. I always get my guide to point or have a look at the nav.
I thought I couldn’t remember how to throw a boomerang, but then it came back to me.
Walk more than 20 meters at a time.
How big are your legs, chief?
10 m of course. Can’t you do basic math?
I guess it’s a basic thing which I can’t do
I should think for a few seconds before talking about right or left directions. I sometimes make mistake when I say it without hesitation!
Me too!
Whistle.
Tell right from left without thinking about it.
Read a map, unless it’s oriented the way I am facing. My mind will not flip it.
ay you probably have right-left confusion and many people suffer from it!
Is the worst because nobody believes you that it’s your brain they just think you’re dumb and can’t remember left from right and tell you to make an L and stuff.
Me and my dad are the same, on the left and right problem, never knew anyone else that had that problem, or that it had a name! I thought we were just weirdos :p
I always imagine a (local) car, and remember which side the driver sits on
yeah it’s weird the issue isn’t that I can’t deduce right from left. Is more that when queried the brain will immediately and confidently return the wrong answer.
It’s like knowing the difference between a carrot and a cucumber but if someone holds one up and asks you what it is you will confidently answer incorrectly half the time.
So you have to remember that even though you think you know the difference you actually half to take a second to make sure you have the right vegetable. Despite there being zero unsurety about it. Is madness and you sound like a loon describing it is half the problem.
I get that. My intuition often mixes both up, too.
That’s why I trained myself to say “driver-side” and “passenger-side” in my head when left or right come up. To a point where I don’t even have to think about thinking about it. I just visualize which side of car is meant instead of the rather abstract concept of left and right
Might not help you; but it helps me
that doesn’t work because it’s a mental condition and you still get it wrong. It’s hard to explain if you don’t have it, like I said. You just sound like a fool trying to explain it.
It also affects things like east/west in general and even two light switches that are next to each other but have different functions. It’s an actual condition and there’s a test at that link to see if your brain is affected by it.
Well, my brain seems to be affected by it according to that test (difference score of 11) if I interpret the scale correctly
But well, I also got autism and quite a few other mental conditions and learned all my life to cope quite well with all my disabilities; that’s why I specifically outsource direction question to a visualization that make the answer more tangible for me than listening to my intuition.
But well, what works for some doesn’t necessarily work for all. And probably my other conditions have some influence on it as well. We’re all different, after all; even if sharing a few traits.
Getting laid and stop being a virgin. And no, I don’t want to pay for a pro to lie me.
Bruh, I’m a fat fuck and not only did I get laid, I married a beautiful, wonderful woman half my weight. A amazing woman who loves me for who I am and finds me sexually attractive.
Be kind, be generous, ask questions, and do basic like, grooming and bathing and whatnot. If you’re socially awkward, study the ways of the Chandler. (Not necessarily literally, but honestly you can learn a lot about being pleasant to be around and interacting with people by watching actors fake it, which you can then use to fake it until you’re more comfortable).
Sex itself isn’t the goal, becoming a well-rounded person you would like to be around is the goal. Because self-confidence is an elusive but important factor.
I’m not going to claim to be without privilege, I’ve got a damn sexy voice and I sing in a chorus, which is a great way to meet people. Which is another part of my advice, find hobbies that let you interact with other people. They don’t even need to be people you’re sexually attracted to, because time with people helps you to be better around people, and being better around people helps those people to introduce you to others.
If it’s honestly something you want, becoming the kind of person who fucks is a very attainable goal. After all, our entire species is here because lots of people achieve that goal.
But like I said, it’s important for your aim not to be getting laid, but rather genuinely getting yourself to a place where you like yourself and know others will like you, too. Journey before destination, you know? It’s really really easy to wallow and pretend it’s outside your abilities, but that’s true of anything that you have never done before. And literally everything you do is something you can get better at.
Don’t give up, don’t despair.
Two things at once.
A great deal of studies have proven the latest conventional wisdom: multitasking is a myth.
If it takes you 5 minutes to focus on and complete task A and 10 minutes to focus on and complete task B, trying to do them both at the same time instead of completing one and then completing the other guarantees it will take you longer than 15 minutes.
It very much depends on the task. So long as the tasks don’t overlap, in cognitive requirements, you’re fine. E.g. you can listen to a podcast, while washing up. As soon as the requirements overlap, then your point holds. E.g. I personally can’t write anything down, while listening to an audiobook. The resource requirements overlap.
It’s also worth noting that different people can do the same task with different parts of the brain. E.g. accurate timekeeping. Some people do it visually, others audibly etc.
Well yes, was primarily referring to executive function. But even podcasts or really good music can start to sap our focus. If you lose focus for even just a moment, you’ll probably not make up that time.
I have ADHD myself, so my EF is screwed. I actually use audio books to keep my brain from stressing while doing dull tasks.
