Basic cognitive training (2) 'Your hobbies build your cognitive skills'

Interestingly, your hobbies (that seemingly have nothing to do with your specialty and occupation) may help you build cognitive skills.

For instance, I know some acupuncture experts whose hobbies are knitting, art craft, and origami (traditional Japanese art of folding paper into various figures). They said they can train their fingers and eyes, especially, the sense of touch and three dimensional sense) through hobbies.

It's true the job of acupuncture require the practitioners to have basic knowledge and skills of traditional medicine, but they need to have basic cognitive skills such as good senses of touching, hearing, smelling. In clinical settings, acupuncture practitioners grasp the patients' health condition through their five senses.

As a cognitive researcher and coach, I always ask my clients look for hobbies and other enjoyable tasks that relate to necessary cognitive skills and abilities for their specialties. My friend who is a college American footballer started to practice karate because he thinks he can train his concentration, agility, physical and mental toughness through karate. In fact, he said practicing karate is very helpful when he play football though he never uses arts of karate during the game.

To build your cognitive skills and abilities holistically, don't be afraid of having various experience. Explore various fields.