Do you make mistakes when you are in a rush? Who doesn’t? The obvious advice to slow down now has a little data to back it up. Specifically, take the time to do some meditation. It may help you recognize errors more promptly.
Open-Monitoring Meditation:
Scientists at Michigan State University had volunteers undergo EEG while practicing open monitoring meditation (Brain Sciences, Sep. 7, 2019). In this form of meditation, the meditator pays attention to what is going on in both mind and body without attempting to make changes.
A Step to Recognize Errors Sooner:
None of the 212 volunteers were experienced meditators, but the study found that they were able to recognize errors more quickly after a 20-minute open-monitoring meditation session. That one session was not enough to change behavior so that people made fewer errors, but the scientists were enthusiastic that they saw a clear neural signal after a single session.
Open-monitoring meditation is a variant on mindfulness meditation, which may have many other benefits. Some people find mindfulness meditation helpful for managing pain. Others have found it useful in the attempt to lose weight. Certain studies suggest meditators are less prone to depression. Seniors having trouble sleeping find it easier with mindfulness meditation.
Learn More:
You may wish to listen to one of our podcasts on the topic of meditation, such as Show 999 or Show 1152: Can You Conquer Your Cravings With Mindfulness? You may not be able to recognize your errors any sooner, but you might find it helpful in meeting life’s challenges.
