Psychological tips to make life easier!

Humans can be complicated and the way our mind works is extraordinary. We think we have control over it but usually, the unconscious dictates our actions — especially when it comes to our interaction with others.

Learning a few simple psychological hacks can make life a lot easier!

1. Want people to concur with your requests?

Tell them they’re free not to comply! It might sound counterintuitive, but reminding people that they have the option to not do what you want, can often motivate them to oblige your request.

A recent review of studies highlighted the effectiveness of the “but you are free” technique: Reaffirming someone’s right to make their own decisions increases their likelihood of doing what you want, whether that’s donating to a specific cause or taking a survey. The exact phrasing is not necessary, you can just say something as straightforward as “But obviously do not feel obliged”.

2. Feet Don’t Lie: Look at people’s feet to assess their interests

When speaking with a co-worker, but not sure if they’re genuinely enjoying the conversation? just look at their feet. If they’re pointed toward you, the person is probably genuinely engaged. If they’re pointed away, their mind is probably elsewhere, says Carol Kinsey Goman, a body language expert.

This trick can also help you tell if you’re welcome to join a conversation. If those you’re looking to chat with turn their feet toward you, go ahead. But If they just twist their upper torsos in your direction while keeping their feet in the same place, move along!

3. Want to master new skills? Use the “See one, do one, teach one” technique

This  idea is endorsed by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman.”If you are taught a new task at work, most people learn to do the task and then perform the task. But if you’ll find another employee to teach what you just learned, you will comprehend the concept better, and retain the info for much longer”.

4. Build up trust by mirroring other people’s body language

If you subtly mimic the body language of the person you’re talking to, you can effectively build up trust with them. This is called called the “chameleon effect”. Research has shown that mirroring the way a person speaks and moves can make them like you more - because it makes them think you’re compatible. To put it simply, we enjoy speaking to people who mimic our postures, facial expressions, and any kind of other behaviour.

5. The Benjamin Franklin Effect: Why It’s Better to Ask For a Favour Than Do One!

This “psychological effect is attributed to an observation of Benjamin Franklin, who noticed that when you do someone a favour, you will eventually like them more than you did before,” explains Planet of Success.

Why? Your brain dislikes cognitive dissonance and fights tooth and nail against situations where our beliefs and our actions don’t match up. So when you do something nice for someone you don’t have particularly warm feelings for, your brain will decide the recipient of your help must be a cooler person than you first thought!

6. Chew off your stress and anxiety! (Quite literally)

Try popping in a piece of gum before doing something that is nerve-wracking. By chewing gum, you are basically tricking your brain into thinking you are comfortable. Rather than getting flustered and panicky (which takes a lot of energy), your brain reasons that because you are doing something else (chewing gum), you mustn’t be worried or nervous - if you were, you wouldn’t be doing something like chewing gum,” explains psychologist Ryan Anderson on Psychology Today.

7. The Pratfall effect: How mistakes can work in your favour!

The Pratfall effect says people will like you more after you make a mistake. Revealing that you aren’t perfect makes you more relatable and vulnerable toward the people around you. Researcher Elliot Aronson at the University of Texas, Austin first discovered this phenomenon when he studied how simple mistakes can affect perceived attraction.

(BONUS) Got A Song Stuck In Your Head? Try this!

Oftentimes when a tune plays on a loop in our head it’s because of a psychological phenomenon known as the Zeigarnik effect, which says that your brain will keep reminding you of unfinished tasks. (that’s why to-do lists are so mind-clearing even if you just lose them). Now, to get that song out of your head, Simply listen to it all the way through and don’t forget to sing along.

There you have it. The 7 most useful psychological life hacks can help you gain an advantage in social situations. Use them wisely.

This Article is contributed by Azkiya Siddique, who is an aspiring Psychologist who is in quest of understanding how humans work….When not procrastinating, she’s likely to be found reading about spooky stuff and history. She has opinions on a lot of things, but mostly writes about psychology and lifestyle and occasionally on historical events.

Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in The Brew Opinion – our opinion section – are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TheBrew.ae, the company, or any of its members