Challenging Our Minds Weblog

To get the most from the COM system you should do your exercises while sitting in a chair, directly facing your computer screen. Your face should be no more than about two feet from the screen. When you are looking straight in front of you, you should be looking at the center of the screen. Your elbows should be resting on your chair arms or the table and you should try using only your hands and fingers to move the mouse, not your whole arm. Stay relaxed while doing the programs, even the timed programs. Open your vision up so that you are ’seeing’ the whole screen even when what you are doing is in one area. Better use of peripheral vision will help you function better in general. Also, you can’t be doing Instant Messenger type things at the same time you are working on enhancement exercises, so please turn other programs off during the time you are working on COM.

Talking out loud to yourself while you are doing your exercises is always a good idea! Doing this gives another way for the information to reach your brain. This helps with gathering information and can also help with memory. If someone is working with you (like a teacher) on doing the COM system, talking out loud can reveal to your helper what you are thinking and how you are doing the task. With this information your teacher or helper can discuss your technique with you and provide you with better hints.

You should always have a PLAN! Once you have read the instructions you should form a plan as to how you will do the Task. You should be able to tell someone your plan. As you do the Task (and maybe repeat it many times) you may find that you have to modify or change your plan so you can do better on the Task. Don’t let anyone tell you how to do a Task — make up your own plan. If you are having trouble making up a good plan ask someone for just a small hint that might help you to form your own plan. If you and everyone helping you are totally stuck then perhaps you could email us at info@challenging-our-minds.com and we could provide an additional hint.