Practical thinking: how to make decisions and solve problems

Practical thinking is the ability to apply knowledge and experience to effectively deal with everyday tasks and make intelligent decisions. It is an important skill that helps us to successfully deal with a variety of situations we encounter in everyday life. Let's take a look at what practical thinking is, why it is important, and how to develop it.

What is practical thinking?

Practical thinking is the ability to apply knowledge and experience to solve specific problems and situations. It involves analysis, logic, judgment and decision-making based on available data and resources. Practical thinking enables us to:

1. Problem solving: we use practical thinking to identify a problem, analyze it, and develop strategies to solve it.
2. Decision making: when faced with a choice, practical reasoning helps us evaluate all alternatives, taking into account their pros and cons, and choose the best solution.
3. Plan and organize: we use practical thinking to develop action plans, set priorities, and manage time and resources effectively.
4. Predict consequences: practical reasoning helps us anticipate what the consequences of our actions might be and make decisions based on that information.

Why is practical thinking important?

Practical thinking plays an important role in our daily lives and in various fields of endeavor:

1. Personal life: in practical terms, we use this mindset to manage finances, solve household problems and live a comfortable life.
2. Professional: Practical thinking skills are needed in the workplace to solve problems, plan projects and make strategic decisions.
3. Education: practical thinking helps students understand and apply learning material and succeed in academic assignments and exams.
4. Health and wellbeing: we use practical thinking to make decisions about our health, such as making healthy diet, exercise and self-care choices.

How do you develop practical thinking?

Developing a practical mindset is a process that can be improved. Here are some tips:

1. Analyze situations: Take time to think about different situations and problems. Work out what factors influence the situation and what decisions can be made.
2. Set goals: define your goals and gradually develop the steps necessary to achieve them.
3. Practice critical thinking: teach yourself to analyze information critically by asking questions and evaluating data sources.
4. Learn new things: continuous learning and expanding your knowledge will help you see broader perspectives and solve problems more effectively.
5. Collaborate with others: discussing and sharing ideas with others can lead to new ideas and solutions.
6. Try new things: don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new approaches to solving problems.
7. Practice planning: teach yourself to plan actions and prioritize to achieve your goals.

Practical thinking is a skill that can be developed and refined throughout life. It helps us to better understand the world around us and make more informed and effective decisions.

Theoretical and practical thinking

Theoretical and practical thinking represent two different sides of the cognitive processes that people use to understand and solve problems. Let's look at them in more detail:

Theoretical thinking

Theoretical thinking is the ability to think abstractly, to create theories, hypotheses and models to explain phenomena and understand the world. It is focused on analyzing and understanding principles, patterns, and concepts. Important characteristics of theoretical thinking are:

1. Abstraction: theoretical thinking operates with abstract concepts and ideas beyond concrete situations.
2. Theory generation: this type of thinking facilitates the creation of theories and models that can be used to explain complex phenomena.
3. Generalization: theoretical thinking allows us to generalize knowledge and identify general patterns.
4. Research: it can serve as a basis for scientific research and further investigation of phenomena.
5. Critical thinking: theoretical thinking allows you to analyze and critically evaluate different theories and concepts.

Practical thinking

Practical thinking, on the other hand, is concerned with concrete situations and tasks that need to be solved in the real world. It is action-oriented and focuses on the application of knowledge to achieve specific goals. The main features of practical thinking include:

1. Concreteness: practical thinking focuses on solving concrete problems and applying knowledge to everyday life.
2. Problem solving: it helps in developing strategies and actions to overcome practical problems and overcome difficulties.
3. Adaptation: practical thinking requires the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions and requirements.
4. Decision making: this type of thinking helps you make decisions based on available resources and constraints.
5. Application of knowledge: practical thinking is concerned with the use of knowledge and skills in a real-world environment.

The importance of balance

Good decision making and successful goal achievement often requires a balanced approach between theoretical and practical thinking. For example, you can use theoretical thinking to develop a strategy, but it is also important to consider the practical aspects and feasibility of that strategy in the real world.

Understanding the difference between theoretical and practical thinking helps people better adapt to different situations and make more informed decisions.

Functions of practical thinking

Practical thinking serves many important functions in everyday life. Here are some of the key functions of practical thinking:

1. Problem solving: practical thinking helps us to identify and analyze the problems we face and develop strategies to solve them. This may involve finding the best solutions, considering resources and assessing consequences.
2. Decision making: an important function of practical thinking is the ability to make decisions based on available data and resources. This can apply to both small and large decisions that affect our lives.
3. Planning and organizing: practical thinking enables us to develop action plans, set priorities and manage time and resources effectively. This is particularly important in work, education and everyday life.
4. Adapting to change: Practical thinking helps us to adapt quickly to changing conditions and demands. This enables us to deal effectively with unexpected situations and challenges.
5. Teamwork: Practical thinking is important when working together and collaborating with others. It allows you to make informed decisions, coordinate actions and solve problems in a group.
6. Resource management: this mindset helps us to make optimal use of available resources such as time, money, materials and information to achieve desired results.
7. Predicting consequences: practical reasoning involves the ability to anticipate the possible consequences of our actions. This enables us to make decisions based on informed assessments.
8. Self-development and learning: Practical thinking supports self-development and learning. It helps us to learn from experience, analyze our actions and strive for continuous improvement.
9. Well-being and self-care: practical thinking is important for making decisions related to our health, physical activity, nutrition and overall well-being.
10. Skill development and professional growth: in professional life, practical thinking contributes to skill development, informed decision-making and professional growth.

These practical thinking functions play a key role in our ability to successfully cope with everyday tasks, develop and achieve our goals. Improving this type of thinking can significantly improve our quality of life and enhance our performance in various areas of endeavor.

Types of practical thinking

Practical thinking can occur in different situations and have different types, depending on the specific area of activity or task. Here are some types of practical thinking:

1. Practical thinking in everyday life: this type of practical thinking is used in everyday situations. This may include planning a budget, choosing groceries at the store, managing household chores, making decisions about traveling, and other aspects of daily life.
2. Practical thinking in business: in business, practical thinking is used to manage an organization, develop strategy, analyze the market and competitors, make decisions about investing capital, and many other aspects of entrepreneurship.
3. Practical thinking in education: the learning process requires students to think practically when solving problems, writing research papers, completing projects, and making decisions about choosing courses and majors.
4. Practical thinking in science and research: scientists and researchers apply practical thinking to plan experiments, analyze data, and develop hypotheses and conclusions of scientific research.
5. Practical thinking in art and creativity: artists, musicians, and other creative people use practical thinking to create works of art, develop designs, and translate their ideas into tangible form.
6. Practical thinking in sport: athletes and coaches apply practical thinking in developing training programs, competition strategies, and adapting to different environments.
7. Practical thinking in medicine and health care: health care professionals use practical thinking when diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients, taking into account their individual needs and medical information.
8. Practical thinking in technology and engineering: engineers and technicians apply practical thinking to design and create new technologies, machines and systems.

These types of practical thinking can overlap and vary depending on specific circumstances. It is important to recognize that practical thinking is an important skill that can be developed and applied in different areas of life and work.

Clear practical thinking

It is the ability to apply knowledge and skills to practical situations using visual and concrete images. This type of thinking is often associated with the ability to see, understand, and solve problems using visual representations, diagrams, pictures, schematics, and other visuals. Here are some characteristics of visual practical thinking:

1. Visualization: this type of thinking focuses on visual representation of information. People with developed visual practical thinking can easily create images in their mind and use them to analyze and solve problems.
2. Working with images: visual practical thinking allows you to create and manipulate images and diagrams to better understand complex concepts and tasks.
3. Charts and diagrams: people with a visual practical mindset often use charts, diagrams and drawings to describe and explain processes and phenomena.
4. Problem solving: this type of thinking helps in solving practical problems such as assembling furniture according to instructions, navigating a terrain using a map, or designing graphic designs.
5. Understanding space: visual practical reasoning helps to better understand and navigate space and solve problems related to the location and positioning of objects.
6. Working with information: people who prefer visual thinking can more easily analyze information and relate it to visual images for deeper understanding.
7. Training and education: Visual practical thinking is important in the educational process. Educational materials such as whiteboards, slides and visual presentations can facilitate better learning.
8. Creativity and Art: In the creative process, artists, designers and other creative individuals can rely on visual practical thinking to create unique works of art and design.

Clear practical thinking can be an important tool for solving a variety of problems and being successful in different fields. Improving this skill can enhance learning, professional work and everyday life.

Effective practical thinking

It is the ability to make informed and effective decisions in everyday life and professional activities. It is oriented towards achieving specific goals and results. Important characteristics of effective practical thinking are:

1. Goal setting: effective practical thinking begins with identifying specific goals and objectives to be achieved.
2. Analysis and evaluation: this type of thinking involves analyzing available data and information and evaluating possible courses of action.
3. Decision-making: informed decisions are made based on the analysis and evaluation of various alternative courses of action.
4. Planning and strategy: effective practical thinking involves developing plans and strategies to achieve goals.
5. Resources and constraints: effective use of available resources and consideration of constraints (time, budget, resources) are important aspects of action thinking.
6. Realization and action: actionable practical thinking involves performing actions according to a developed plan and strategy.
7. Evaluation of results: after the actions have been carried out, the results achieved are evaluated and, if necessary, the strategy is adjusted.
8. Learning from mistakes: effective practical thinking also includes the ability to learn from past mistakes and experiences to improve future actions.
9. Communication and collaboration: in some situations, effective practical reasoning is linked to the ability to communicate, collaborate and cooperate effectively with others.
10. Adaptation and flexibility: this mindset also includes the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions and change strategies when necessary.

Effective practical thinking is an important skill in a variety of areas of life, including professional activities, time management, solving complex problems and achieving personal goals. It is a skill that can be developed and refined to increase efficiency and success.

Objective and practical thinking

It is the ability to consider and analyze situations, tasks and problems with reference to specific objects, subjects or subject areas. It focuses on applying knowledge and skills to real objects or subjects and assumes that understanding a situation is linked to understanding the properties and characteristics of those objects. Important aspects of object-oriented thinking include:

1. Object Identification: the ability to identify and recognize specific objects and objects related to a given situation or task.
2. Analysis of properties and characteristics: understanding of the basic properties, parameters and characteristics of objects, as well as their interrelationships and influence on problem solving.
3. Comparison and choice: the ability to compare different objects and make decisions based on their comparative characteristics.
4. Knowledge application: using object-specific knowledge and skills to solve tasks and problems.
5. Developing strategies and plans: developing action plans based on an understanding of the objects and their role in solving the problem.
6. Resource utilization: effective use of available resources and tools related to the subject area.
7. Adaptation to context: the ability to adapt knowledge and approaches according to specific situations and contexts.

Examples of object-oriented thinking may include problem solving in various fields such as medicine (diagnosing and treating specific diseases), engineering (designing devices and systems), science (investigating certain phenomena and processes), art (creating works of art using specific materials), and other subject areas.

The development of object-oriented thinking can be useful in a variety of activities where it is important to consider specific characteristics of objects and subjects in order to successfully solve problems and achieve goals.

Practical systems thinking

It is an approach to problem solving and decision making oriented towards understanding system interrelationships, integrity and the influence of system elements on its functioning. This type of thinking allows to consider complex situations and tasks as part of larger systems and to take into account the interactions between the elements of these systems. Important characteristics of practical systems thinking are:

1. System analysis: the ability to analyze the structure and composition of a system, identify elements, relationships and dependencies between them.
2. Accounting for interactions: understanding how the impact of one element of a system can affect other elements and the system as a whole.
3. System Dynamics: the ability to consider the dynamics and changes in a system and their impact on problem solving.
4. Consequence Consideration: analyzing the possible effects of decisions on the whole system and its elements.
5. Consideration of multiple objectives: the ability to take into account the different objectives and interests of different actors in the system.
6. Modeling and simulation: using models and simulations to investigate system behavior and predict the outcomes of various decisions.
7. Solution Synthesis: developing integrated and balanced solutions that take into account the needs and goals of the entire system.
8. Communication and cooperation: the importance of communication and cooperation among system actors to reach agreed solutions.

Practical systems thinking can be applied in various fields such as business, management, ecology, health, education and others where solving problems and challenges requires consideration of complex interrelationships and long-term consequences. This approach enhances understanding of systems aspects and improves decision-making processes.

Practical pedagogical thinking

It is a specific type of thinking used by educators and teachers in educational activities. It is oriented towards understanding, planning and evaluating educational processes, as well as interacting with learners. This type of thinking includes a number of characteristics:

1. Understanding learners: teachers with a practical pedagogical mindset seek to understand the needs, abilities, interests and individual characteristics of each learner.
2. Goal setting and planning: educators develop educational goals and strategies to achieve specific educational outcomes.
3. Learner Adaptation: the ability to adapt the learning process to the different learning styles and proficiency levels of students.
4. Creating a stimulating educational environment: pedagogical thinking involves creating a motivating and supportive environment for student learning and development.
5. Assessment and feedback: teachers analyze and evaluate student progress and use feedback to improve the learning process.
6. Use of methods and technologies: teachers strive to use modern teaching methods and technologies to make the learning process more interesting and effective.
7. Reflection and self-reflection: the ability to analyze one's teaching practice, identify one's strengths and weaknesses, and learn from one's mistakes.
8. Collaboration with colleagues: pedagogical thinking also includes the ability to collaborate with other teachers and education professionals to share experiences and develop joint educational projects.

Practical pedagogical thinking plays a key role in the educational process, as it determines the quality of learning and development of students. Teachers with this type of thinking contribute to successful learning and the development of competent and literate citizens.

Intuitive practical thinking

It represents the ability to make quick and informed decisions in everyday situations based on intuition and practical experience. It is often used in situations where immediate decision-making is required and where it is not always possible to conduct detailed analysis and consideration of all alternatives.

Important characteristics of intuitive practical thinking include:

1. Intuition: the ability to quickly and unconsciously assess situations and make decisions based on intuitive feelings and premonitions.
2. Experience: intuitive practical thinking is based on accumulated experience and knowledge that allows you to quickly determine what is the best solution in a given situation.
3. Adaptability: the ability to adjust one's actions to changing circumstances and situations.
4. Risk taking: intuitive practical thinking may involve taking some risks in favor of achieving a desired outcome.
5. Reaction speed: this type of thinking allows you to make decisions quickly, which can be important in situations that require instant action.
6. Self-trust: Based on intuitive feelings and experience, intuitively practical people tend to trust their decisions.
7. Creativity: sometimes intuitive practical thinking can contribute to unconventional and creative ideas and solutions.

This type of thinking is widely used in various areas of life, including business activities, sports, emergency situations, creative arts, and even in everyday life. It complements analytical thinking, allowing you to react quickly to events and make informed decisions under conditions of limited time and information.

Practical thinking test

A practical reasoning test can include various questions and scenarios where you have to make decisions based on specific situations. Here are some questions and tasks that can help you test your practical thinking skills:

1. Business situation: You are running a company and you are faced with a competitor who has lowered the price of his product. What action will you take?
2. Work problems: Your work team has encountered a problem that needs to be solved urgently. How would you organize the team to quickly find the best solution?
3. Health and Fitness: You want to improve your physical condition. Which fitness and diet program will you choose to achieve your goals?
4. Education: Your child is facing a choice of educational path. How would you help him/her to make a choice, taking into account his/her interests and abilities?
5. Finance: You have a certain amount of money and you want to invest it. What investment decisions would you make given your financial goals and risk?
6. Charity: you want to make a charitable donation. How would you choose the organization and amount to donate?

These questions are designed to test your ability to make informed decisions in a variety of situations. It is important to remember that practical thinking develops with experience and practice.

Books on the topic of practical thinking

1. "Practical Thinking" - Edward de Bono (1985).
2. "Thinking and Winning. Applying Practical Thinking to Business and Life" - George A. Kafka (2006).
3. "Practical Thinking. Foundations and Applications" - Gregory Bateson (2014).
4. "A practical guide to decision making" - Joseph R. Gibbons (2010).
5. "Decide like a businessman: Practical thinking in business and in life" - Jeff Sluais (2015).