For my mundane activity, I've decided to tie my shoes. In my four years of track, I had to constantly change out of different running spikes for several different events. Since I've gotten so used to this simple action, I want to see what truly "thinking" about tying my shoes will do.
I play a sort of "mental video" of tying my shoes, wanting to cheat and physically try it. Instead, I close my eyes and try to recall the movements of my hand without the laces. I can distinguish three major parts within the action--visualizing where the laces rub and tighten together. I think about where my hands have to grip the laces, and how they have to squeeze and relax at very specific points. It's interesting to wonder how, at some point in my life, I was clueless on tying my shoes. That this action wasn't second nature.
Recording myself tying my shoes didn't really change my impressions of the action. When watching the video back, I can pretty much following along with what my hands are doing. However, when I see how I do the double knot, I feel like my fingers are randomly moving until suddenly there's a knot. I go back and try to concentrate only on the fingers. It appears like they're almost fumbling with the laces. Yet, somehow the knot is still tied.
When I try the action for the first time, it's nearly impossible to record my thoughts. I do the motions so fluidly that it's hard to really judge what's going on inside my head. When I try it a second time, I do it much slower. There seems to be a rhythm to how the laces get tied. I don't really stop and think about the next step, but instead, there's a sort of memory in my fingers that plays back the actions. I feel like I'm watching something instead of really doing it. I try it for a third time, trying to name each step as I go along. I try to verbally dictate the actions of tying my shoe, which helps me understand the action much better
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