Productivity Tips for Kinethetic Learners

Are you (or someone you know) a kinesthetic person? Anyone who has ever handwritten a list and then found they didn’t need the list to remember what they wrote can identify with kinesthetic learners. If you are kinesthetic, you probably enjoyed lab, shop and/or phys ed classes. You may like to tinker with things. Remember, most of us are blends of the three main styles. Here are some tips and adaptations to help the kinesthetic learner in all of us be more productive.

The dilemma for kinesthetic people is that they learn a new task, idea, or system best if they physically do it as they learn it; but that’s not always possible (you’re sitting in a meeting as a new plan is being presented, for instance). The good news is that researchers have found that kinesthetic learners can enhance their memorization of new material if they do something else physical, even if it is unrelated to the new material, as they learn. This is why actors learn lines better if they pace as they memorize, and why kneading silly putty (yes, there was a study done on learning retention after kneading silly putty!) while new information is being presented helps you remember the new info.

A therapist friend of mine shared with me that some of her ADD/ADHD patients are more able to focus if they use a balance ball to sit, or a wobble board while standing, in their office. I make no correlation between kinesthetic and ADD/ADHD (although I wonder if some kids are labeled ADD because they innately know they need to move to learn). I do think the physicality of using a balance ball might be beneficial to a highly kinesthetic learner.

If it sounds like something you’d like to try, here are two resources:
1. Michelle Hazlewood of Universal Wellness sells fitness balls (aka balance balls) on her website. If you click on the picture, you even get guidelines for the correct size ball to order. Here’s the link: http://www.universalwellness.us/cart/itm_listing.asp?cat=4 .
2. Performbetter.org sells balance balls and wobble boards under the category "Balance & Stabilization Equipment".

To recap, if you are kinesthetic: handwrite your to-do list and calendar; do your own filing of papers you need to retrieve; walk, move, or knead while learning new things; and, whenever possible, learn by doing.