“Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text by the human brain and 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.17 Humans evolved over millennia to respond to visual information long before they developed the ability to read text. Images act like shortcuts to the brain: we are visual creatures, and we are programmed to react to visuals more than to words.”
― Ekaterina Walter, The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand
Our minds process things faster via visuals than words. In fact, as I quote in Effective Virtual Conversations, 3M found that visuals were interpreted 60,000 times faster than words.
Here’s what Dr. Lynell Burmark, Ph.D. Associate at the Thornburg Center for Professional Development writes,
“Words are processed by our short-term memory where we can only retain about seven bits of information (plus or minus two). This is why, by the way, that we have seven-digit phone numbers. Images, on the other hand, go directly into long-term memory where they are indelibly etched.”
What can you do to incorporate more visuals into your work?
As Noah Parsons writes, a “3M-sponsored study found that presenters who use visual aids are 43 percent more effective in getting people to do what they want.”
(Reference: https://www.liveplan.com/blog/scientific-reasons-why-you-should-present-your-data-visually/)
Activity
What can you do to incorporate more visuals into your work? As it relates to productivity here are some additional suggestions for incorporating visuals:
- Building up your amount of stock photos
- Keeping a list of your top 3 priorities on a whiteboard (virtual) or post it
- Creating a vision board to represent your key goals. Putting emotion and intentionality around your goals, helps to create a story and can move them from a check-box activity.
- Color Coding Emails coming into your inbox according to priority OR topic
- Creating a visual map of where you want to go.
- Start your next meeting with a picture. Capturing people’s attention is absolutely critical.
Conversation Sparkers
- Where can making things more visual in your conversations?
- Visually, what will help to serve as a reminder in your work?
- What are the metaphors that represent the more complex ideas in your business?
- What icons capture your vision?
Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Coaching Skills Training | Leadership Development | Teamwork
Growing Team Leaders, One Conversation at a Time™ in the Remote Space
Contact us to discuss leadership, coaching or performance needs for your and your team
Phone: (416)996-8326
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