What are the benefits of slow thinking?

People often have a tendency to use mental shortcuts in their day to day life in order to make decisions as quickly as possible. This resource has had a very important utility for survival in the past and is also quite useful on many occasions today; however, it is not always advisable to think fast.

Among the benefits of thinking slowly, we can highlight the following: offering the possibility of reflecting and considering different alternatives when making decisions, as well as thinking about the consequences, correcting possible mistakes, facilitating the follow-up of rules or controlling one's own thoughts and actions, among others Benefits.

In this article we are going to explain the main benefits of thinking slowly, and what is it used for on a day-to-day basis.

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The thought systems of the human being

According to research published in the book Thinking Fast, Thinking Slowly by psychologist Daniel Kahneman, human beings normally resort to the use of two systems of thought

when making decisions in their day to day. However, although two ways of thinking can be used, broadly speaking, the human mind has a tendency to use of mental shortcuts to make decisions as quickly as possible, thus saving time expenses and energy.

In addition, in the current age it is quite common for people to have to make quick decisions all the time, since that everything is constantly changing, so the demands grow and this is sometimes not easy or good for the Health. That is why there could be numerous benefits of thinking slowly, as we will see later.

When making decisions, people can do it in two different ways or, in other words, using two systems of thought, both of which can be very beneficial depending on the circumstances in which each should be taken. decision. That is why there is no more important system of thought than another, since both are useful; however, the quick-thinking system seems to be used more frequently on a day-to-day basis. day despite the fact that the reflective thinking system can bring us great benefits in many occasions.

Thought system 1, or quick thinking, offers us the possibility of making decisions quickly, automatically even, so that we can act with the minimum effort. This system can be very useful and efficient since it enables quick responses to be issued without the need for too much information. There are endless daily activities that can be carried out thanks to system 1: driving and performing routine and repetitive tasks of automatically, understand simple sentences and respond with minimal effort, make some decisions quickly on a day-to-day basis, etc.

On the other hand, resorting to system 2, the one that allows us to think more slowly, is useful for make decisions that require more attention, reflection and/or deliberation on our part. It is for this reason that this system requires a greater investment of energy and effort, so that it can be tiring to use it constantly and for a few periods of time long. However, system 2 is useful for a wide variety of tasks: analyzing behavior in a specific situation, check the veracity of an argument, learn more about a person, be attentive to the details of things, etc.

Likewise, it is important to pay attention and keep it in a controlled manner in order to focus on the stimuli required to successfully carry out the tasks of thought system 2. In other words, to think reflectively, analytically, and/or deliberately it is necessary to intervene consciously and with sufficient will, since otherwise we would be resorting to system 1 of thought, which, as we have seen before, is a fast and automatic way of thinking.

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The different benefits of slow thinking

Having reached this point, it can be said that both systems of thought are useful and important to carry out different tasks and, depending on each specific context or situation, it is more useful to resort to a system of thought or other. In this article we wanted to focus on the benefits of thinking slowly and for this reason we are going to explain them below.

1. Allows you to consider various alternatives and think about the consequences

One of the benefits of thinking slowly that we can find is the fact that it offers us the possibility of processing the thought more slowly. information, thus being attentive to the details, in order to be able to reflect more deeply on the situation in which we find ourselves immersed and thus see more clearly the problems that could have been presented to us, thus being able to take into account several alternatives.

Likewise, system 2 of thought in this type of case also helps us to think about the consequences of our decisions, and this It is very useful when choosing the alternative that we are going to opt for from the range that we have found when taking a decision. This mechanism is very useful for carry out critical thinking beyond inertia and expectations, which enables us to carry out an analysis of the ideas in a meticulous and careful manner.

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2. Helps control one's thoughts and actions

Also noteworthy among the benefits of thinking slowly is the possibility that this way of thinking offers us to control our own thoughts and also our behavior. Using system 2, or slow thinking, we will be able to observe and analyze what we do and we will also be able to reflect carefully about our thoughts in order to control both processes.

Regulating one's thoughts and actions and directing them in the desired direction requires deliberate intervention. and aware, since it is necessary to evaluate and regulate the possible changes and implications that all this type of process could have.

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3. Helps to respect the rules

In the different societies and cultures in which the human being lives, there are a series of rules of a social and/or legal nature, as well as some norms; can be seen as collective consensuses that have been created and developed to regulate the way people behave within a society.

So, for people to respect the norms and comply with the rules, it is necessary that they use the thought system 2 since, by On the contrary, if quick thinking were used, people are more likely to forget about the rules and regulations that they should be aware of.

Furthermore, when we think slowly and deliberately, in addition to better following rules and respecting norms, we also we can better understand them by being able to reflect carefully and seek the meaning they have.

4. It serves to make decisions consciously and having deliberated enough

Another of the benefits of thinking slowly that we should take into account is the achievement of having made important decisions consciously and having deliberated enough, as automatic thinking through system 1 could cause us to have made rash decisions and wrong.
When an important decision has to be made, it needs to be done carefully and reflect what is necessary to choose the option that best suits our situation and ourselves, and for this we have the slow thinking system.

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5. You can help correct mistakes and learn from them

When we correct our mistakes and learn from them, we obtain great benefits and, at the same time, time, we prevent certain negative effects that might have caused some errors from reappearing. repeat. to correct errors it is necessary to resort to a slow mode of thinking in which sustained levels of attention intervene and thus be able to find where the problem is and thus avoid repeating the same situation.

6. It is used to carry out tasks that require the use of logical thinking

Carrying out tasks that require the management of logical thinking would be another benefit of thinking slowly because, even though we can solve some logic tasks quickly through system 1 (p. g., multiplying one-digit numbers) it is somewhat limited when it comes to solving other more complex logic tasks (p. g., multiplying numbers with two or more digits).

On the other hand, slow and reflective thinking helps solve complex logical tasks that are more likely to succeed, such as word problems. mathematics must be solved through various formulas and, for this reason, it is very useful in subjects such as physics, statistics or mathematics, among others. others.

7. Allows you to enjoy the present moment

Finally, the possibility of enjoying the present moment, without having to be with your head elsewhere, is key.

Living moments of mindfulness, using a reflective and slow way of thinking, offers us the possibility of enjoy every moment, every situation, the companies that we have with us and all the good things of the life, without letting ourselves be carried away by obsessive thoughts or catastrophic predictions. It is also important to face life with an attitude of openness towards all the good that comes to us. happens, although it should also be so in the face of bad things in order to find the best solution adequate.