I usually try doing it in my head first. I use paper if it is available. I use a calculator when I don’t have time, or fail at the first two steps.
I noticed my number skills were deteriorating without proper use, and I found that alarming. I’m still weaker than I used to be, but not as bad as I was.
It’s just important to think for ones self when one can. The brain is a muscle that atrophies without use.
I’ve actually taken note of my navigational skills over the last couple years… I grew up in one state, and then a few years after graduating college, moved to a different state. When I was growing up, phone navigation didn’t really exist as it does now, cars didn’t have built-in navigation, and standalone navigation devices were slow and not all that great (at least the ones I could afford).
I find that when I return home, even 10 years later, I am able to navigate all the places I used to go unaided with ease, back-roads, niche routes, able to travel for hours without getting “lost”.
When I moved, though, I had very recently gotten my first smartphone, and google maps was very convenient to “learn” the new area. I ended up just continuing to use navigation since it was convenient. I’ve found that beyond the major main routes, I don’t have the same kind of “built-in” navigational skill that I do for my original home-turf. I never really learned the area.
I am moving towards a smart-phone-less life, and I’ve been able to let go of a lot, but GPS navigation remains a sticking point. I need to start training myself to navigate unaided in my current area.
I like this analogy and generally avoid using GPS (admittedly it’s out of laziness lol). The most insane part to me is I live where everything is on a grid and somehow people are still impressed I can figure out how to get places, even without having been there. GPS brain is real.
Depends on the complexity of the route. When I visit my parents in another city (5-6 hour drive) I write down the intersections/exit numbers to look out for on a sticky note I leave on the dashboard.
I guess if you wanted to get detailed you could include the distance then as you drive do the mental math as an activity for yourself.
Same reason I don’t use GPS. I want to actually learn, use my brain and grow as a human.
No one grows when the work is done for them.
Do you use a calculator?
Slide rule
Abacus
Beans in a clay pot
Fingers and toes
I usually try doing it in my head first. I use paper if it is available. I use a calculator when I don’t have time, or fail at the first two steps.
I noticed my number skills were deteriorating without proper use, and I found that alarming. I’m still weaker than I used to be, but not as bad as I was.
It’s just important to think for ones self when one can. The brain is a muscle that atrophies without use.
Maybe you number skills are fading because you waste your time and energy on pointless computations. Maybe they just fade with time…
This is anti-scientific. But again I don’t think doing multiplication problems is really going to help anything.
I’ve actually taken note of my navigational skills over the last couple years… I grew up in one state, and then a few years after graduating college, moved to a different state. When I was growing up, phone navigation didn’t really exist as it does now, cars didn’t have built-in navigation, and standalone navigation devices were slow and not all that great (at least the ones I could afford).
I find that when I return home, even 10 years later, I am able to navigate all the places I used to go unaided with ease, back-roads, niche routes, able to travel for hours without getting “lost”.
When I moved, though, I had very recently gotten my first smartphone, and google maps was very convenient to “learn” the new area. I ended up just continuing to use navigation since it was convenient. I’ve found that beyond the major main routes, I don’t have the same kind of “built-in” navigational skill that I do for my original home-turf. I never really learned the area.
I am moving towards a smart-phone-less life, and I’ve been able to let go of a lot, but GPS navigation remains a sticking point. I need to start training myself to navigate unaided in my current area.
I drive via landmarks and signs most of the time unless it’s an address I don’t personally know. Makes you feel more connected to where you live.
I like this analogy and generally avoid using GPS (admittedly it’s out of laziness lol). The most insane part to me is I live where everything is on a grid and somehow people are still impressed I can figure out how to get places, even without having been there. GPS brain is real.
I do something similar except I’ll stop using my GPS if I’ve driven the route multiple times.
I think that is a good compromise, or maybe doing it just for your own local area and regular commute routes.
While I get the appeal in general, I don’t know if I want to go back to planning out a route with maps when driving to far-away unfamiliar locations.
Roads trips I’m willing to compromise on, but not my home city. That’s the one place I should know like the back of my hand.
Depends on the complexity of the route. When I visit my parents in another city (5-6 hour drive) I write down the intersections/exit numbers to look out for on a sticky note I leave on the dashboard.
I guess if you wanted to get detailed you could include the distance then as you drive do the mental math as an activity for yourself.
For long drives I have maps up mostly to alert me for traffic. Even if I know the route.
Your brain doesn’t have real time traffic information.
I use them to find a new route. I’ll try and drive back on memory. After that I should be able to find it on my own