Do you ever not do something for awhile, then get really good at it for no reason?

kaitie

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So this is something odd that I've noticed. Now, common sense tells me that when you stop doing something for awhile you're going to get worse at it, right? The whole being out of practice thing and all.

I've noticed, however, that when I doing do origami for a few weeks, when I pick it up again things just click into place. Isn't that bizarre? So for example, there was a particular insect that I had been working on (maybe I'll post some pics later, actually) that had a particularly weird sink fold. I've tried this a few times and have never been able to get it right. Well, last week I pulled it out again and decided to try while we were watching a video in class and I managed to figure it out in less than five minutes. How weird is that? It's happened a few times now, actually.

Anyone else do that sort of thing?
 

Parametric

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It happens to me occasionally (rarely, I must confess) in writing. I think of it as levelling up. :) I imagine the subconscious must be ticking away under the surface.
 

KTC

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Why, just the other day I stumbled upon a tightrope and walked it like I was born on a wire. It was suspended between the CN Tower and the Eiffel Tower. Got hella cold over the Atlantic...but I did as fine as daisies up there! I knitted meself some razor sharp purple mittens while I walked. Never knitted a stitch in my life, I swear to baby Jesus...but they came out so fine, they...well, they fit me like a glove, they did. I swear to Betsy, they did. I also cooked meself some exquisite gourmet dishes whilst I walked that shivery wire, I tell you. The phyllo pastry was, I must admit, the hardest task I had up there in them clouds. I almost shook meself right into the drink while rolling out that bastard dough. I swear to baby Jesus, I did.
 
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You have all the information on how to do whatever it is...your brain just needs a rest to process the information. Once it's cleared away all the unnecessary nonsense, everything clicks into place.
 

KTC

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You have all the information on how to do whatever it is...your brain just needs a rest to process the information. Once it's cleared away all the unnecessary nonsense, everything clicks into place.

Why, just the other day I found that I've been clicking way better than usual. Everywhere I go these days, I'm hearing perfectly tuned clicks. They are verily milling about me. I'm clicking like I've never clicked before. I think it's helpful that I gave up clicking for a spell. It seems to have honed my clickability nicely!
 

kaitie

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KTC, you made me laugh. :D I think that sorta makes sense, SP. Maybe it's because I do something wrong so many times if I take a break from it I forget the wrong, too. I don't know. It's just weird haha.
 

Seams

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i do things to see if i'm good at them, if not, then i do them til i am.

eta - in regards to 'no reason' determination is always my reason
 

shakeysix

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i am a much better teacher today, than i have been for the two weeks since we got back from christmas break. everything is just clicking this morning. my papers are all graded, my grade book is up to date. i have my benchmarks, standards and goals well documented and in clear sight. now, tomorrow, when the kids come back, i fully expect my teaching to go to hell in una cesta de mano. until spring break--s6
 

Ken

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... origami is cool. From time to time I make something and have made original creations of sorts. With getting better after taking time off I've noticed this, too. My writing seems to improve when I switch to drawing for awhile. And the same with my drawing.
 

aadams73

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I've decided synaptic pathways are a lot like muscle tissue in that respect. You need some downtime in order for everything to knit back together better and stronger after heavy use.

Which is why it's good to step away from a completed first draft for a while.
 

semilargeintestine

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I've decided synaptic pathways are a lot like muscle tissue in that respect. You need some downtime in order for everything to knit back together better and stronger after heavy use.

For some reason that made me laugh. You just decided this, haha. :D

I find that whenever I'm working on something, if it isn't going the way I want, taking a break always helps. Whether it's Torah or gemara, climbing, boxing, writing, school, anything. If I take 5-10 minutes to just not think about it, everything clicks when I go back to it.
 

KTC

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I find that I'm far better at standing by than I used to be. I stopped standing by for a spell...now I'm so zoned at it, it's just incredible.
 

CaroGirl

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I think your brain continues to process information even when you aren't performing a certain activity. When you go back to it, lo and behold, you can do it better than you did.

For example, I always tell my kids to start studying for a test a few days early. Then take a day-long break. When they go back to it, they find they remember more information than they did before the break.