Right Vs. Left Side of the Brain

Your brain is divided into two sections, or hemispheres. These are commonly referred to as the left and right side of the brain. These sections of the brain process information in different ways. However, brain activity functions at its best when these two sections operate together. It is important to discover which side of your brain is your dominant side, and to develop the weaker side.

Linear vs. Holistic

• The left side of the brain process information in what is referred to as a linear manner. This means that if you are predominantly left-brained, you process information step by step. You take the pieces of something, line them up and discover the answer. Right-brained individuals process information in what is known as a holistic manner. Right-brained individuals work best when they are given the answer, and then given the process. It helps in their understanding of how the answer was achieved. This is practical in things such as note taking. Left-brained individuals can hear a school lecture from beginning to end, and they understand what was going on. Right-brained individuals would do better to research the lecture topic beforehand, or read the chapter or explore the subject. That makes it easier for them to understand the lecture, and thus pay better attention.

Symbolic vs. Concrete

• Left-brained individuals have a predilection for symbols. People with a dominant left brain are very good at processing letters, words, numbers, mathematical notations, and other things of this nature. Left-brained individuals can memorize vocabulary words or mathematical formulas, without much context. They look at them and they make sense. Right-brained individuals are slightly different. Right-brained individuals prefer to see things in context. They like to know the "why" of something. People who use their right brain have difficulty learning words phonetically. They prefer to see the word in the context of a sentence or paragraph, and learn the meaning from there. The more hands-on something can be, the better it is for your right brain.

Logic vs. Intuition

• If you primarily use the left side of your brain, you prefer logic. Left-brained individuals like to look at something, examine it, and follow it to its natural conclusion. They take each problem step by step until it is complete. They prefer their answers to be derived in a linear, sequential, and logical way. Right-brained individuals prefer to use their intuition. Right-brained individuals know the answer, but not necessarily how they got to that answer. People who use their right-brain tend to skip over steps, or combine them in their minds, without giving any thought to the fact they are doing so. Left-brained people make sure it looks right, whereas right-brained people make sure it feels right.

Verbal vs. Nonverbal

• People who primarily use their left brain are very good at expressing themselves using words. They know what it is they want to say, and they know the way they want to say it. Right-brained people may know exactly what it is they want to say, but not how they want to say it. Right-brained individuals have difficulty expressing themselves clearly with words. If something isn't written down, right-brained people will generally have difficulty remembering it. They need to back up their understanding with visuals. If you were to get directions from a left-brained individual, they would give you street names, times, and distances. Right-brained individuals would be more likely to give you landmarks and other visual cues.

Sequential vs. Random

• The left brain is very sequential. Those who are left-brained are list makers. Scheduling, making lists, checking tasks off in order of completion, and knowing what comes next are all things that a left-brained individual enjoys. It's the way that makes the most sense to them. Right-brained people get just as much done, but they don't prioritize. If you are right-brained, you would be more prone to jump from task to task, doing a bit on each, but not finishing one before you moved to the other. Right-brained people prefer to work on what they feel like working on, as opposed to what a list tells them comes next. It's a good idea for right-brained people to try to make lists. When making the list, you should order the items from most to least important. You'll want to jump around, but you'll have a visual reminder that one task is more important than another. It will help to rein you in.