Your brain is capable of amazing things, you just have to unlock its potential. (ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com)
A few simple changes to your daily routine can have immense benefits - including boosting your intelligence! Just like the muscles in your body, your brain requires exercise to become stronger and more effective. Adopting these ten habits can help foster creativity, reduce stress, and improve critical thinking, and unleash the full potential of your brain power.
1. TAKE IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU
Really pay attention to your surroundings and observe what’s going on in the background. When you focus on observing, you’ll tap into your imagination and take note of things you may not have seen before, which allows for learning opportunities. Teaching moments could come from anyone at any time, so stay sharp and embrace remaining present in the moment.
2. SOLVE SOME PUZZLES
Test your brain and solve challenging problems like Rubik’s Cube Sudoku or crossword puzzles to work your mind. Puzzles or brain games help with logic and problem solving capabilities, which are immensely useful for everything from professional to personal situations.
Puzzles or brain games help with logic and problem solving capabilities. (zehrayagri / Shutterstock.com)
3. EXERCISE THOSE MUSCLES
Who knew there are even more reasons to go to the gym? Exercise has many benefits ranging from memory and productivity improvement, to enhanced concentration and even increased happiness. If that’s not enough motivation for you, try these tricks to actually get you excited for your next workout.
4. MEDITATE
Meditation isn’t just for the yoga-obsessed. Anyone can reap the benefits of this brain exercise that helps you connect to yourself and figure out how your mind functions. Meditation trains the brain to focus on decluttering your thoughts and rid yourself of distractions, which in turn boosts your intelligence. The peaceful habit also helps reduce anxiety and stress.
Meditation trains the brain to focus on decluttering your thoughts. (hotobac Shutterstock.com)
5. READ THE NEWS
Catching up on current events doesn’t just give you something to talk about with your friends and family. Reading the news increases cultural awareness and knowledge about the world around you. You’ll become exposed to a wide variety of opinions and boost your critical thinking capabilities in the process.
6. NOW READ SOME FICTION
When you immerse yourself into another world, you automatically engage your imagination, which promotes empathy, a sign of emotional intelligence. You’ll begin to see situations from different perspectives, allowing you to relate to more people and their emotions, motives, and thought processes.
When you immerse yourself into another world, you automatically engage your imagination. (diy13 / Shutterstock.com)
7. LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Invest some time in a new hobby or take an online course. You will be absorbing and processing new information on a regular basis, increasing your skill sets, and working those brain muscles.
8. NOW APPLY IT
What good is learning a new skill if you can’t apply it? Test your newly acquired knowledge and see if the ideas stick. If you can explain what you’ve learned to a 6-year-old, you’ve truly mastered a new concept.
Put your newly acquired skill to the test. (Carlos andre Santos / Shutterstock.com)
9. ASK QUESTIONS
Question what is happening around you. Talk to your friends, peers, professors, colleagues, bosses, whoever, and pick their brain about something they are familiar with that interests you. Asking questions is often the best way to learn.
10. WRITE DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS
Like meditation, this act truly helps you get to know yourself better and improve your self awareness. By jotting stuff down, you’re practicing how to communicate clearly and effectively, which certainly raises your intelligence.
