Julianna
As an avid user of computer technology, it is easy to forget how clumsy I was when I first had to handle a computer mouse. Over the last few years I have been having major trouble with my right arm from repetitive mouse use. Many people have suggested I switch hands to mouse with. I have tried and I am almost completely handicapped. I have decided to continue until my motor skills improve.
While I was volunteering for Keep Vancouver Spectacular, a fellow volunteer suggested
switching hands while picking up rubbish with our tongs. She said that this allows the other half of your brain to get a workout and allows the halves to make neural connections. I have looked this up and it is true. The interesting thing about this is that those connections can make other thought processes run more smoothly, or allow us to think in broader ways.
Using my other hand to mouse is so difficult that I can’t help but think the benefits to my brain will be awesome. It has been humbling to a great extent as I wondered: was I this clumsy when I first picked up a mouse with my right hand? Now that I am using my left it seems even the content on the screen is confusing. Is this what all new users need to overcome? An almost crippling combination of motor skills and attention can make a simple task seem difficult.
What I’m learning from this is that practicing anything new gives you abilities that leech into your other everyday tasks. This makes everyday life become exponentially easier .