Performance Strategies For Hands-On People
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People who have Kinesthetic as their primary and strongest sensory preference for learning, receiving information and performing work tasks comprise 59% of the population. You can add another 30% of the population who have Kinesthetic as their secondary, or back-up, sensory pathway. This adds up to a whopping 89% of the population that relies on Kinesthetic processing as their primary or secondary pathway to learn, make decisions, solve problems and perform at high levels.
Kinesthetic Strengths
Kinesthetic learners remember and work best using hands-on activities, movement, action and touch. They enjoy moving into immediate physical action and have an instinctive feel of people and situations. They generally thrive on the positive feeling of moving projects and initiatives forward. Kinesthetic learners, having Visual as a primary or secondary pathway strength, are potentially good at operating equipment and repairing/maintaining/building things, due to their “eye-hand” skill set. Surgeons, dentists, airline pilots, equipment operators and similar professions rely on their Kinesthetic pathway strengths to perform at high levels. Imagine the consequences if a dentist lost focus and became physically awkward and clumsy when doing a root canal.
Kinesthetic Strategies
These strategies and risk management guidelines are based on practical neuroscience principles involving sensory and cognitive pathways strengths and “blind spots.” They help you perform at high levels of excellence and minimize mistakes and costly accidents.
- Physical Comfort
You must be physically comfortable and be relatively free of physical ailments or pain to perform at maximal levels. Otherwise, your brain will be distracted by your physical condition rather than the Kinesthetic movements and manipulations you need to employ to do your job properly. It is best to take care of physical body needs before engaging in high-risk Kinesthetic activities.
- Ability to Move Freely
It’s essential that you have the ability to move about freely, without any physical impediments that can get in your way, to accomplish your Kinesthetic activities. The workplace must be clean and free of clutter with no possibility of slipping, falling or bumping into something, while performing.
- Functional and Available Tools and Equipment
It’s likely that you will need hands-on equipment to accomplish your Kinesthetic activities. This may be as simple and safe as a computer or Fax machine, or potentially dangerous like a chain saw, laser knife, plasma torch, car or airplane. Your tools may be an extensive set of tools, meters or surgical equipment. Regardless of whether you are driving a vehicle, writing a proposal, inputting data, assembling something or doing complex eye-hand activities, it’s essential that your equipment and tools are in tip-top operating condition. Everything you require needs to be within line-of-sight and comfortable reach. Otherwise, time will be lost and you risk physical awkwardness and clumsiness as you access your equipment and tools.
- Conducive Environment
Lighting must be adequate for the activity. It’s usually best to work in a cool, yet comfortable temperature to remain alert, awake and focused. Clean water should be available to refresh and oxygenate oneself to maintain high levels of brain function.
- Avoid Stress and Distractions
Any form of stress or worry has the potential to shift your focus away from what you have to do. Your state-of-mind must be positive and resourceful to achieve maximal performance. This strategy applies to anything you engage in, not just Kinesthetic activities. When doing Kinesthetic/Visual activities (“eye-hand” coordination) it is best to work in a quiet and interruption free environment. A loud noise or sound can startle you and cause an unexpected and unintended body movement that could spell disaster.
In conclusion, imagine the safety and productivity implications of 89% of the population having Kinesthetic as their primary or secondary sensory pathway strength. The practical neuroscience strategies provided help people work safer and get more done in less time.
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It’s quite amazing that so many people have Kinesthetic as their strongest and most preferred sensory pathway. Do you know how strong your Kinesthetic pathway is and how to leverage you sequence of sensory preferences for life success? Brain PathWays, based on recent advances in neuroscience, is the most comprehensive system available for navigating life by understanding how your brain is wired and what makes you tick. Click to purchase your Brain PathWays online self-assessment and download your report today.
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Do you have a resource or reference listing that supports the neuroscience behind this principle? I would love to do more research on this – thank you, Tamara da Silva
Thank you for your request, Tamara. Yes, there are many reliable sources that support these principles. You may correspond directly with me through info@brainpathways.net and I will give you what we have seen, heard and directly experienced. When a student, of any age, understands their preferred \ sensory sequence to take in information and how they prefer to process it (sequentially or globally or near equal balance), they can succeed in any teaching/learning environment even when there is misalignment between their “learning preferences” and the “teaching/instructional method and environment.
Our educational system needs to be reframed with the willingness to let go of old and defective principles and practices of learning and teaching. Otherwise we will continue to get the same results.
Stephen Hager
President
The Hadron Group
Creators of brain based human development tools since 1992
info@brainpathways.net
Yes, there are many references along with our independent research. You may email me directly through the web site address. In the mean time, Google: Dr. Rita Dunn, St. Johns University and you will find references to her and her husbands work. Many references are made to the challenges of kinesthetic learners. Hope this helps. The phenomena is real.
Stephen Hager
President
The Hadron Group
Creators of brain based human development products since 1992
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