As a noted expert in performance improvement said, you can observe a lot just by watching.

I’ve spent a lot of time onsite at client locations recently, and I’ve noticed two effects of inertia:  I don’t always take the time to look for new ideas (e.g., on blogs or other online sources), and I don’t reflect on what I find (since I’m finding less).

I have explanations, but not especially good ones.  It’s more the case of needing to practice habits I’d like to have, and in some cases trying to uproot habits I’d just as soon lose.

A brief browse at my NetVibes page brought up an interview with Robert Sylwester at SharpBrains.  That includes a link to Sylwester’s columns at Brain Connection.

I found another post at SharpBrains:  Cognitive Reserve and Intellectually Demanding Jobs.

Intellectually demanding work was associated with greater benefit to cognitive performance in later life independent of related factors like education and intelligence. The fact that individuals with lower intellectual aptitude demonstrated a stronger positive association between work and higher cognitive performance during retirement suggests that behavior may enhance intellectual reserve, perhaps even years after peak intellectual activity.

Maybe I noted this because of a birthday last month…