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Left
Brain / Right Brain Quiz
We use both hemispheres of our brains
at different times in different situations, though many people favor one
hemisphere over the other. This is a test (and only a test) to determine which
"style" you prefer and what hemisphere of the brain dominates your
thinking.
Relax. There is no pass or fail, there are no wrong answers.
Just choose the one that comes closest to describing you:
- When meeting someone
- I usually show up early or on time.
- I am usually running a teensy bit late.
- When it comes to paper
- I like to file it.
- I prefer to pile it.
- I prefer to
- work on one task at a time.
- I like to juggle several things at
once.
- At the beginning of the workday
- I make a list of things to do and plan my day
around my list.
- I shuffle through the piles of papers on my
desk before I finally decide what to do first.
- When reading a magazine I will
- start at page one and read in sequential
order.
- jump in wherever looks most
interesting.
- When learning how to use a new piece of
equipment,
- I read the instruction manual before
beginning.
- What manual?
- When someone gives me directions, I
- write them out (with street names).
- draw a map with landmarks and visual
references.
- When I see something I want to buy,
- I save up until I have the money.
- I charge it. You only live once, baby.
- When I'm telling a story to a friend,
- I cut to the chase, yada yada yada.
- I'm very animated and am likely to get
sidetracked.
- When faced with an unpleasant task,
- I do it a little at a time, step by
step.
- I either jump in and get it over with or put
it off and hope it goes away.
- When it comes to projects,
- I am known for my stick-to-itiveness.
- I always intend to finish them, but . .
.
- My work space looks like
- the top of an aircraft carrier (nothing lying
around).
- Disneyland (neat stuff and office toys
jumbled in with the piles of work).
Total number of "a" answers:_________
Total
number of "b" answers:_________
If you have 8 or more "a" answers, you
can consider yourself left-brain dominant. With 8 or more "b" answers, you're a
right-brainer. Otherwise, you're probably "whole-brained" or at least partly
lateralized. To find out what this means, read the descriptions below. No
matter what your predisposition, it'll help you live your life and your work
painlessly and effectively.
LEFT-BRAINERS
The left hemisphere
of your brain is the timekeeper (linear awareness), logical (just the facts,
please), analytical (good with relationships, abstractions), linear (prefers a
sequential, step-by-step approach), critical (judgmental), verbal (language and
speech and spelling), compartmentalized (likes to do things one at a time,
keeps home and work separate). It's also the memory center (names but not
faces). People who are left-brained are usually good at researching and
retaining information, fact gathering, math, tidiness, and written
instructions. They are responsible, good at organizing, obessive, compulsive,
dislike change, are easily overloaded, can be seen as dull, into conformity,
controlling, and may be insensitive at times. They can be strong finishers;
focused; perfectionists; detail oriented; goal oriented; list makers; orderly;
stable; punctual; decisive; cautious; successful and productive. They are also
amazing.
RIGHT-BRAINERS
Right-brainers can do as much as their
left-brain counterparts (maybe more) but prefer to do it in their own unique
way. With a little savoir faire. Despite the negative bias against
right-brainers as unproductive, undisciplined dreamers, they can get things
done and have some fun doing it. The right brain is artistic (can draw and
paint), intuitive (perceptive and receptive to hunches), rhythmic (can see and
feel patterns), fun (spontaneous, with a keep sense of humor), visual
(nonverbal), spatial (it's the part that works jigsaw puzzles), nonjudgmental
(sees and accepts different points of view), imaginative (creative and makes
odd associations), metaphorical (uses imagery), emotional (people oriented and
empathetic), holistic (sees the big picture), divergent (deals well with more
than one thing at a time), sexual (just thought you'd like to know that),
nonlinear (likes to jump around rather than follow a step-by-step approach),
illogical, irrational, and persuasive, too. This is also the site of the
unconscious mind (where dreams reside). Right-brainers may be unpredictable,
impatient, sloppy and offbeat. They loathe routines, lack follow-through, abhor
structure and rules, take a wait-and-see approach more often than not, juggle
several tasks at once, and deal well with change. Organizing comes natural to
them (stop laughing) but not organizing that anybody else might recognize as
such. They want to have fun and are freewheeling rather than focused. They are
daydreamers and their thoughts tend to wane and wander--often. They are
oblivious to time. They are very visual but lose things easily and frequently.
Most see tidiness as a waste of time. Right-brainers are independent,
impulsive, flexible, easygoing, dramatic and actually like to have drama and
chaos in their lives. They are also wonderful.
WHOLE-BRAINERS
If you had an equal amount of "a" and "b"
answers congratulations, you are "fully lateralized". Or put another way, you
are a whole-brainer. You will recognize some of yourself in the descriptions of
both right- and left-brainers.
"Most
right-brainers have no patience for the mundane and maddening task of
bookkeeping. The only way I have found to deal with it is to make it as simple
and fun as possible. So I tip my hat to Kathy Miller and her Too Busy to Budget
system. It's got everything the right-brainer wants -- quick, easy, visual and
unique. Bravo!"
-- Lee Silber, Author of
Organizing
From the Right Side of the Brain |
Copyright © 2003 by Lee
Silber. All right reserved.
Adapted from "Money
Management For The Creative Person" (Three Rivers Press, 1998)
Lee
Silber is CreativeLee Speaking
www.creativelee.com
"Creative solutions to everyday
business problems."
leesilber@earthlink.net
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