Hi learners,

Have you ever felt frustrated by intellectual challenges or given up on solving hard tasks?

While solving unresolved problems can make knowledge careers exciting, many people avoid doing hard thinking. Often, it's easier to distract ourselves with easier tasks.

Neuroscientist David Badre completed his Ph.D. in brain and cognitive sciences at MIT in 2005 and has since been researching cognitive neuroscience of memory and cognitive control.

In his recent book "On Task" Badre offers a deep dive into the mental function that help you connect your goals and plans with your actions. Here are four actionable takeaways for keeping focus. They will help you finish hard tasks or complete any learning endeavors.

1) Structuring hard problems is key

If you want to find solutions for a challenging problem or do a hard task, structuring the problem is essential. When you're trying to write a book, for example, break the big problem into sub-problems.

Many times, sub-problems lead to dead ends. So it's important to reconceptualize the problem structure when needed. You'll get better at structuring hard problems with practice and experience.

What also supports you in structuring hard problems is interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. When you share your problem and structure with them, you might come up with new perspectives.

2) Make space in your working memory

If you've read past Learn Letters you know the capacity of our short-term memory is limited to 5-9 slots. Yet, when solving a hard problem, we often need more mind space than available. That's why the following strategies can help you make space for your brain to access information, plans, and knowledge you'll need:

Block large chunks of time. Revisiting a hard task comes at a 'restart' cost, as Badre calls it. You'll need time and effort to dive back into understanding the problem instead of working on a solution. By blocking more time you can avoid these switching costs.

Develop a consistent schedule. Instead of planning from day to day, set a clear schedule of where, when, and for how long, you'll be doing the hard work. Ideally, you'll find a similar time and place every day and protect this space from competing to-dos and appointments.

3) Single-task in distraction-free environments

Multitasking harms your efficiency and quality. Multiple tasks all need your working memory's capacity and they'll be competing for that cognitive resource.

When working on hard tasks, remove triggers towards other tasks. Close your tabs, e-mails, and put your phone on flight mode.

"Sending some e-mails or doing administrative work or straightening up the desk might all be worthwhile tasks and feel productive, but they prevent us doing the task we need to do, while adding multitasking costs," Badre writes.

The next time you want to resolve a tough challenge, keep in mind to structure the problem, make enough space in your life, and create distraction-free environments.

Happy task-resolving and learning :)

P.S.: Thanks to everyone who submitted topic requests. If you've missed it you can still share your wish for Learn Letter content here.

P.P.S.: Thanks to our fellow learner Lukas for this incredibly kind article about my writing.

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🎯 How can you change your habits?

In the last Learn Letters we explored neuroplasticity - your brain's ability to change throughout life based on what we think, do, and experience.

Yet, using new pathways and thickening their myelin coat (the fatty white substance around the axons) is tough. We're so used to the beaten track that we gravitate towards it.

One of the best resources for behavior change is James Clear's Atomic Habits (no affiliate, buy in your favorite book store).

It's an actionable step-by-step guide on how to start new habits and let go of bad ones. This graphic recording offers a nice summary of the key points:

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“Far from being fixed, the brain is a highly dynamic structure, which undergoes significant change, not only as it develops, but also throughout the entire lifespan.”

- Moheb Costandi.

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