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May 22
2019
News

5 Benefits of Practicing Critical Thinking

5 Benefits of Practicing Critical Thinking

Many people reference the idea that critical thinking is an important skill to develop, but it’s not too often you hear exactly how it affects your life and relationships. Critical thinking isn’t some vague, far-off, unattainable talent some people are simply born with. It’s a skill you can hone through practice and mindfulness, and it will shape both the simple, everyday moments of your life and the substantial, complex parts as well. The benefits of practicing critical thinking are apparent in different ways depending on your career or personality, but the impact is overwhelmingly present nonetheless.

Learn to Think Quickly Under Pressure

Regardless of the hobbies, jobs, or social situations you find yourself partaking in, you will undoubtedly be put under a certain amount of pressure. The stress will manifest itself in different ways depending on the scenario, but it elicits the same feelings of anxiety that can potentially reduce your quality of performance. As an athlete, you’re responsible for gaining momentum against your opponent and leading your team to victory; at a job, you have deadlines to meet and a standard of quality of work you must maintain. The benefit of practicing critical thinking is developing the ability to thrive under pressure, whether from an authority figure or a time restriction. Critical thinking will allow you to process events clearly in the midst of stress and tension, which is a feat not many have accomplished.

Experience Relational Benefits

Whether you’re exploring a romantic relationship, building a friendship, or improving familial ties, you’re going to be doing a great deal of critical thinking and problem-solving. These skills determine how you handle conflict between you and the people in your life because you’ll be able to analyze the issue at hand and understand the best way to remedy it. Arguments and disputes are unavoidable parts of interpersonal relations and communication, but they’re how we grow as humans both independently and together. Practicing this skillset will give you the confidence to face conflicts head-on and not shy away from tension. Critical thinking will also allow you to viewromantic relationships more intelligently. By doing so, you can get to know your (potential) significant other better, as well as assess the compatibility between the two of you.

Enhance Valuable Workplace Skills

Many jobs require you to bring a certain amount of creativity and other critical thinking skills to the table in order to stand out in whatever position you hold. Both corporate and entry-level employees must be able to benefit their superiors, and the best way to do so is by performing your duties efficiently and introducing innovative ideas to the company. Practicing critical thinking will give you the skills to excel in time management, organization, and forward thinking. This, along with the ability to curate unique strategies and ideas, will set you apart from other employees and garner respect from coworkers and management alike. Critical thinking is your ticket to confidence, flexibility, and success in the workplace, making upward mobility more realistic for you no matter what your job title is.

Keep a Fresh Perspective

You will periodically stumble into phases of life where you have to make decisions affecting your present and future self. These decisions have the potential to be the most stressful and frustrating decisions to make. Therefore, it takes a great deal of critical thinking in order to choose the right path for you and to be empowered in the decision you make. When big trials or opportunities arise that could change the course of your future, critical thinking will allow you to evaluate every possible solution and outcome. By investing in this skill, you will also be able to set long-term goals for yourself, as well as create and maintain a vision for your future. Though the plans we make hardly ever work out the way we expect them to, critical thinking allows you to be flexible with wherever life takes you and move forward in confidence despite any setbacks.

Practice Constructive Self-Betterment

Yes, this piece of advice may sound cliché and therefore off-putting. However, self-improvement is imperative to maturation and quality of life. Inward-directed critical thinking is how this type of improvement can be achieved. It’s easy to conduct a critical analysis of someone else’s life, status, or mannerisms, or to direct your assessment toward concrete, external subjects. However, once you are able to utilize critical thinking to evaluate your own motivations, goals, and habits, you can take steps to determine what you should do to improve your lifestyle and, ultimately, be happier.

Practicing critical thinking will encourage you to examine yourself so you can improve areas of your life and establish routines to create healthier physical and mental habits. A tip for beginners is to be mindful of the thought patterns you have throughout the day, and especially when you’re alone. Notice the way you speak or think about yourself and others, reflect on your instinctive motivations about those thoughts, and go into the next day focused on improving them.

Where to Practice Critical Thinking

It’s evident that practicing critical thinking can open innumerable doors for you and can create an opportunity for growth. Now the question is, how exactly does one practice this skill? There are many fun ways to put your critical thinking to the test, such as playing a sport or trying an improv class. Or, to start yourself off small, you can download apps such as Elevate and Lumosity to help you exercise your brain and lay the groundwork for more critical thinking practices.

There is one activity in particular that exercises and improves all facets of critical thinking – and that is an escape room. When you’re forced to work with other people under the pressure of a timer to solve an array of puzzles and challenges, this is the perfect environment to hone your critical thinking skills. If you want to reap the benefits of practicing critical thinking, visit EscapeWorks Denver and put yourself to the test! Make sure to check out the available escape rooms and book your visit today!

Tickets

$35 per person

Location

1529 Champa St.
Denver, CO

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