Here are some ways to develop your logical thinking skills.
- Play chess. The king of games will teach you the values of concentration, patience, planning and calculation.
- Solve soduko puzzles. There are many good word and number games you can find in daily newspapers and puzzle websites. Soduko is pure logical thinking.
- Make lists, analyse your work, break it down into smaller tasks. Become more methodical in your approach to work and problems.
- Practise active listening. Listen carefully to other people’s statements and arguments. Break them down into facts, evidence, logic and polemic. Ask searching questions to challenge and learn.
- Learn problem analysis methods such as Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis and Why, Why?
- Learn critical path methods. Critical Path Analysis is a business planning tool which identifies logical dependencies and relationships.
- Study mathematics or computer programming. Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry all develop logical thinking skills. So does any computer programming language.
- Study a foreign language. You will learn many rules and exceptions. German and Latin are two languages which involve structure, rules and logic.
- Study Science and the scientific method. The scientific method is a rigorous and logical approach to testing hypotheses.
- Read biographies of great scientists, philosophers and detectives.
- Develop your theories and arguments based on facts and evidence much more than emotion and feelings. Review what you said and see how much logic or emotion you used.
- Debate constructively. Participate in discussions, present your arguments and respond to opposing viewpoints. This strengthens your ability to articulate your reasoning logically, defend your position, and consider alternative perspectives.
