Skip to content I recently read an on-line article about the differences between busy and productive people. One thing that struck me was that productive people cut their to-do list thoughtfully by 50 %.
But, it can be really hard to know what to cut from that list. It can be anxiety provoking. You can certainly do a cost/benefit analysis to determine what will make the short list. That would be very logical.
Logic however, is only one consideration when making a decision. Today, I would like to introduce you to a concept called Wise Mind. This is a concept that I have borrowed from a brilliant psychologist by the name of Marsha Linehan. It is a concept that I teach most of my clients.
Reasonable Mind
In order to make wise mind decisions, it is important to integrate 2 states of mind along with our intuition. Our Reasonable Mind is one state of mind. Our reasonable mind is that part of our mind that is logical, rational, pragmatic, and is ruled by facts. It is the focused, planning and organizing part of the brain. And, the cool part of our brain.
If we were to localize this part of our brain it would actually be what is considered the higher level brain, the frontal lobe part of the brain, the part closest to our forehead.
Emotion Mind
The other state of mind is our Emotion Mind. This is the part of our mind that is mood dependent and ruled by feelings and urges. It is the passionate and creative part. It is where our values live. In comparison to the logical mind which is cool, the emotion mind would be considered hot.
If we were to localize this part of the brain it would be in the lower part of the brain – such as the temporal lobe part of our brain, the limbic system below.
Both states of mind are equally important. One is not better than the other. For example, with science and logic we are able to find cures for diseases that take our loved ones from us, however without emotion mind who would care and who would care enough to do it.
Harmony of Minds
Without emotion mind, our world be without love songs, dance, books or movies. How boring would that be? Many social justice causes are driven by emotion mind, however to effectively and collectively act for these causes you need your logic mind.
Although, at times it is effective to have one state of mind dominate depending on the situation, it is often best to operate from the overlap of these two states of mind. Wise mind consists of this overlap. And still, their is one state of mind missing.
Wise mind is also informed by our intuition. Intuition is not based on facts; it can come as a thought, emotion, or physical sensation. Intuition is really an inner knowing that is not rational. It is a knowing that is often quiet, still and it has a certain peace to it. It is knowing something in a centered way. It comes from your higher self or your soul.
Conclusion
So long as we are connected to our intuition, and our higher spiritual self, our mind and emotions, in this harmony, we choose the path that is correct or wisest for us. We are able to make decisions with more ease and calm. Decisions that will benefit us, help us get the best results, help us be more productive and help us determine where we spend our time and who we spend our time with.
