Can I learn a new skill without engaging my consciousness?
January 18, 2011 11:45 AM Subscribe
I'm looking to learn a new skill in my spare time without having to think too much about it.
Lately, I've been fortunate to have about a half hour's worth of spare time at the end of the day, and I'm wondering if I could use this time to develop a new skill. However, I don't want to take on a new activity that involves a lot of planning and decision-making, since I want to use this time to do something relaxing -- kind of as an alternative to watching TV or reading. (Planning and decision-making tend to stress me out a little, even if I'm planning and making decisions about something enjoyable.)
To give you an idea of the kind of activity I'm talking about: A couple years ago, I downloaded a typing tutorial and used it to learn proper keyboarding skills. Using the program required very little conscious thought; I just did what the computer told me to do, and several weeks later I knew how to type. I found that doing the exercises was pretty relaxing and that I actually enjoyed the process.
Here's what I'd like to avoid: I enjoy cooking, but I hate figuring out what I want to make, deciding where I'm going to obtain all the ingredients, and coordinating the cooking times so that everything is ready at the same time. The part of cooking I enjoy most is prepping the ingredients (e.g., working on my knife skills), and this is probably because I can just do it without thinking about it.
The kind of thing I'm looking for would probably involve working through a workbook or exercise manual of sorts. Note that I'm not necessarily looking for a totally mindless task. For example, a book of logic or math problems would fit the bill, since solving these kinds of problems involves applying a set of preexisting rules rather than making choices in the abstract, coming up with contingency plans, etc.
So, do you have any activities to recommend? (I already exercise and play a musical instrument, so although things like running and learning piano might fit my criteria, I've already got those bases covered.)
Lately, I've been fortunate to have about a half hour's worth of spare time at the end of the day, and I'm wondering if I could use this time to develop a new skill. However, I don't want to take on a new activity that involves a lot of planning and decision-making, since I want to use this time to do something relaxing -- kind of as an alternative to watching TV or reading. (Planning and decision-making tend to stress me out a little, even if I'm planning and making decisions about something enjoyable.)
To give you an idea of the kind of activity I'm talking about: A couple years ago, I downloaded a typing tutorial and used it to learn proper keyboarding skills. Using the program required very little conscious thought; I just did what the computer told me to do, and several weeks later I knew how to type. I found that doing the exercises was pretty relaxing and that I actually enjoyed the process.
Here's what I'd like to avoid: I enjoy cooking, but I hate figuring out what I want to make, deciding where I'm going to obtain all the ingredients, and coordinating the cooking times so that everything is ready at the same time. The part of cooking I enjoy most is prepping the ingredients (e.g., working on my knife skills), and this is probably because I can just do it without thinking about it.
The kind of thing I'm looking for would probably involve working through a workbook or exercise manual of sorts. Note that I'm not necessarily looking for a totally mindless task. For example, a book of logic or math problems would fit the bill, since solving these kinds of problems involves applying a set of preexisting rules rather than making choices in the abstract, coming up with contingency plans, etc.
So, do you have any activities to recommend? (I already exercise and play a musical instrument, so although things like running and learning piano might fit my criteria, I've already got those bases covered.)
Sleight of hand magic?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:50 AM on January 18, 2011
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:50 AM on January 18, 2011
Learn the pick locks. You just need a lockpick set ($6-$20 online) and a lock (start with a cheap deadbolt or MasterLock). Entertaining and fairly mindless.
Or learn the knit. You have to decide on what you want to knit but once you do that you're set for the next year or so (if you are anything like most of the people I know who knit).
posted by ChrisHartley at 11:53 AM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
Or learn the knit. You have to decide on what you want to knit but once you do that you're set for the next year or so (if you are anything like most of the people I know who knit).
posted by ChrisHartley at 11:53 AM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
How about singing? It works the brain, livens the heart, boosts the confidence, requires no thought except for paying attention to your body, can be done successfully in short periods like 30 minutes, counts as exercise.
posted by oneous at 11:53 AM on January 18, 2011
posted by oneous at 11:53 AM on January 18, 2011
I wouldn't recommend using Rosetta Stone, but learning a foreign language is an excellent idea.
posted by shoesietart at 11:58 AM on January 18, 2011
posted by shoesietart at 11:58 AM on January 18, 2011
Teach yourself some basic sleight of hand or card handling skills!
You probably already have a deck of cards laying around the house. Pick up a copy of Bill Tarr's classic Now You See It, Now You Don't, and learn your way around the cards and coins sections.
This perfectly meets your new hobby needs. It is:
* Both at low levels and high, a wonderful hand, finger, and forearm workout.
* Either cognitively challenging, as you try to figure out a new move or work out the angles and lines of sight, or cognitively empty, as you do a move the (approximately) 100 thousand billion times it takes to make it unnoticeable.
* More of a skillset for magic tricks than magic tricks as such - once you've mastered the techniques in this book, you can pick up nearly any other magic book and do any trick in it off the bat. (Nearly. Work your way up to Roth.)
* Ubiquitous. You probably have coins on your person right now, and are within 50 feet of a deck of cards.
* Portable. See previous point.
Finally, if you decide you like this, there is a HUGE library of next steps. Arguably more diverse than piano music.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 12:01 PM on January 18, 2011
You probably already have a deck of cards laying around the house. Pick up a copy of Bill Tarr's classic Now You See It, Now You Don't, and learn your way around the cards and coins sections.
This perfectly meets your new hobby needs. It is:
* Both at low levels and high, a wonderful hand, finger, and forearm workout.
* Either cognitively challenging, as you try to figure out a new move or work out the angles and lines of sight, or cognitively empty, as you do a move the (approximately) 100 thousand billion times it takes to make it unnoticeable.
* More of a skillset for magic tricks than magic tricks as such - once you've mastered the techniques in this book, you can pick up nearly any other magic book and do any trick in it off the bat. (Nearly. Work your way up to Roth.)
* Ubiquitous. You probably have coins on your person right now, and are within 50 feet of a deck of cards.
* Portable. See previous point.
Finally, if you decide you like this, there is a HUGE library of next steps. Arguably more diverse than piano music.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 12:01 PM on January 18, 2011
I just picked up contact-juggling. Five minutes of tutorial video on YouTube, ten minutes of practice when I have the opportunity. It's mindless and relaxing, which is what I need after work.
posted by lekvar at 12:03 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by lekvar at 12:03 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]
Model making. Comes in a kit, with instructions, and will be as simple as plastic pieces that snap together, as complex as a bundle of balsawood and a spool of twine, and lots of levels in between. It's engaging, but not taxing, if you start at a level you're comfortable with and advance from there.
Find something that appeals, like military units, airplanes, ships, or muscle cars, hop by the hobby shop, pick out a beginner's kit and hit up the nerd behind the counter for the right supplies to get you started. You'll find talking shop with other model-building geeks is part of the relaxing appeal of the process.
posted by Slap*Happy at 12:23 PM on January 18, 2011
Find something that appeals, like military units, airplanes, ships, or muscle cars, hop by the hobby shop, pick out a beginner's kit and hit up the nerd behind the counter for the right supplies to get you started. You'll find talking shop with other model-building geeks is part of the relaxing appeal of the process.
posted by Slap*Happy at 12:23 PM on January 18, 2011
Working your way through a few Origami books would fit your bill. Plus Origami is relaxing and engaging.
I also got Art Academy for my Nintendo DSi. Its lessons are in about 30 minute chunks. I think it fits the "learn to X in you spare time" concept. I enjoy it.
posted by cross_impact at 12:24 PM on January 18, 2011
I also got Art Academy for my Nintendo DSi. Its lessons are in about 30 minute chunks. I think it fits the "learn to X in you spare time" concept. I enjoy it.
posted by cross_impact at 12:24 PM on January 18, 2011
I learned to trackstand a bicycle in a similar way. It involves essentially no thought and just practice doing it. It's also good exercise. If you're doing it at night, though, it'd work best if you have a lighted driveway or something. After you master the trackstand, there are plenty of other sorts of tricks and things you could learn.
Also, building model airplanes or cars can be fun, like Slap*Happy suggested. I like balsa airplanes instead of plastic, largely just because they're different (and because some of them actually fly).
Neither of these skills are *useful*, but they're entertaining.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 12:40 PM on January 18, 2011
Also, building model airplanes or cars can be fun, like Slap*Happy suggested. I like balsa airplanes instead of plastic, largely just because they're different (and because some of them actually fly).
Neither of these skills are *useful*, but they're entertaining.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 12:40 PM on January 18, 2011
Make chainmail! Getting the hang of it takes a while, but once you get going some of the weaves are pleasantly easy.
posted by Metroid Baby at 12:42 PM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Metroid Baby at 12:42 PM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
Crocheting is much easier to do and learn than knitting.
How about learning the harmonica?
posted by jgirl at 12:47 PM on January 18, 2011
How about learning the harmonica?
posted by jgirl at 12:47 PM on January 18, 2011
I second lock-picking. It's fun, and the 'click' of opening a lock is very satisfying. Half an hour per day is a perfectly reasonable amount of time, since your fingers probably can't take much more than that in one go anyway. It's also something that you can put down immediately if something needs your attention.
I recommend starting with a TSA-approved luggage lock. They're absurdly easy to pick and a good early confidence builder. After that move up to cheap Master Locks and the like. Avoid anything that makes a pick deal out of being 'pick-resistant.'
posted by jedicus at 12:48 PM on January 18, 2011
I recommend starting with a TSA-approved luggage lock. They're absurdly easy to pick and a good early confidence builder. After that move up to cheap Master Locks and the like. Avoid anything that makes a pick deal out of being 'pick-resistant.'
posted by jedicus at 12:48 PM on January 18, 2011
Maybe sketching or painting? Its not like you have to show it off, but a pencil and a pad of paper can be very relaxing if you don't over think it.
posted by ducktape at 2:08 PM on January 18, 2011
posted by ducktape at 2:08 PM on January 18, 2011
I would recommend learning a language, and would recommend the Michel Thomas CDs. I must admit I was pretty sceptical at first, but this summary of his method is pretty accurate:
posted by djgh at 5:01 PM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
With Thomas's method, the teacher cautions students to avoid making notes and to refrain from making conscious attempts to memorise, promising that the teacher will "be taking full responsibility" for their learning. Thomas stated that keeping the students relaxed, focused and stretched with a feeling of mounting successful achievement, is at the heart of the method. The removal of the stress and anxiety 'of being put on the spot' of conventional language learning, especially school language learning, is a key goal of the method.It's about as mindless as this sort of thing can be!
posted by djgh at 5:01 PM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
You could learn Calligraphy, to be able to write in that beautiful script would surely be satisfying.
posted by sandyp at 6:14 PM on January 18, 2011
posted by sandyp at 6:14 PM on January 18, 2011
I can recommend the following. Each of them is rewarding on its own, and can impress friends and children:
Learn to solve a Rubik's Cube. It took me a weekend to get the basics down, and I've been able to improve my time through practice. If you are the type who likes to be competitive, you can learn speed cubing.
Learn to juggle. The learning curve is similar to that of typing -- very frustrating for a short time, then you keep improving. It is a great stress reliever.
Learn to calculate days and dates in your head.
Learn to make balloon animals (this one is on my to-do list). Who doesn't like balloon animals?
posted by i love cheese at 6:37 PM on January 18, 2011
Learn to solve a Rubik's Cube. It took me a weekend to get the basics down, and I've been able to improve my time through practice. If you are the type who likes to be competitive, you can learn speed cubing.
Learn to juggle. The learning curve is similar to that of typing -- very frustrating for a short time, then you keep improving. It is a great stress reliever.
Learn to calculate days and dates in your head.
Learn to make balloon animals (this one is on my to-do list). Who doesn't like balloon animals?
posted by i love cheese at 6:37 PM on January 18, 2011
crossword puzzles/sudoku
sketch
origami
learn a new vocabulary word a day (many sites off this)
here's a cool website that I bookmarked: 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do. Some are probably things you can't really do with a half hour to spare and indoors... but there's some good stuff on there.
Here's a previous question that is similiar and the first comment is link to another previous comment which is similiar.
posted by KogeLiz at 7:05 PM on January 18, 2011
sketch
origami
learn a new vocabulary word a day (many sites off this)
here's a cool website that I bookmarked: 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do. Some are probably things you can't really do with a half hour to spare and indoors... but there's some good stuff on there.
Here's a previous question that is similiar and the first comment is link to another previous comment which is similiar.
posted by KogeLiz at 7:05 PM on January 18, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the ideas everyone. Now I just need to decide what I want to do. (Oh no, a decision!)
posted by crLLC at 7:25 AM on January 20, 2011
posted by crLLC at 7:25 AM on January 20, 2011
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posted by Grither at 11:49 AM on January 18, 2011