Get Smarter

If you want to improve your mental prowess, you don't have to be a genius or spend hours hitting the books. In fact, it's simple to become smarter by adopting some easy everyday habits that will strengthen your mind, make you more creative, and help you make better decisions. Here are ten of our favorite tips for boosting your brainpower:

Question Everything: Don't Just Assume

Skeptical thinking is like a mental superpower that we can all develop. Don't just accept everything at face value; instead, question everything you come across, and don't stop until you're satisfied with the answers. Always do your due diligence by researching, fact-checking, and cross-referencing different sources. This way, you can make well-informed decisions that serve you best. Remember, not everything you hear or read is true, and by questioning everything, you'll become more discerning and avoid falling for misinformation or fake news.

Read Widely: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

If you're an avid reader, it's easy to fall into a rut and stick with familiar genres or authors. However, to truly broaden your horizons and challenge your mind, step outside your comfort zone and read widely. Try picking up a book on a subject you know nothing about or a novel from a different culture. By exposing yourself to diverse perspectives and ideas, you'll expand your knowledge and empathy, while improving your vocabulary and critical thinking skills. Plus, you might discover new interests and passions you never knew you had.

Embrace Novelty: Diversify Your Day

Injecting novelty into your daily routine can be a powerful tool to stimulate your mind and boost your creativity. Challenge yourself to embrace diversity and incorporate new experiences into your day-to-day life. You can take a new exercise class, explore a new neighborhood, or try out a new restaurant. The more diverse your experiences, the more your brain has to adapt, learn, and grow. So, step out of your comfort zone, and you might be surprised by how much you enjoy it!

Expose Yourself to Different World Views

Expanding your worldview is an essential part of personal growth and intellectual development. One way to do this is to actively seek out diverse perspectives from people with different cultural, social, and ideological backgrounds. By exposing yourself to different ways of thinking and living, you become more empathetic and better equipped to navigate the complexities of the world. This can be done by attending events that celebrate diversity, traveling to different countries and regions, reading books by authors from different cultures, or engaging in discussions with people from various walks of life. The more you immerse yourself in different worldviews, the more you'll develop a well-rounded perspective on life.

Learn Something New Every Day

Expanding on the idea of learning something new every day, you can challenge yourself to explore a variety of topics that interest you. This could involve reading articles, watching videos, or listening to podcasts on a range of subjects, from science and technology to history and culture. You can also sign up for online courses, attend workshops, or join local groups that allow you to explore new areas of interest and learn from others. Additionally, consider keeping a journal to document what you learn each day and reflect on how it enhances your knowledge and personal growth. By consistently exposing yourself to new ideas and concepts, you'll foster a curiosity for learning and expand your horizons in unexpected ways.

Apply Your Knowledge

Don't let the knowledge you acquire slip away, instead, integrate it into your life and see how it can enrich it. Dedicate time and effort to practicing what you've learned, so it becomes a part of your daily routine. For example, if you've learned to code, create a project to apply your newly acquired skills, or if you've learned to play an instrument, join a band or orchestra to practice regularly. When you apply your knowledge, not only do you cement it in your mind, but you also get to enjoy the practical benefits of your new skills.

Think Outside The Box: Try New Ways of Doing Things

Get out of your comfort zone and explore new ways of doing things. Challenge yourself to try something new every day, whether it's learning a new skill or simply taking a different route to work. When you try new things, your brain has to work harder to process the information and adjust to the unfamiliar environment, which helps to keep it agile and adaptable. Additionally, thinking outside the box can lead to new insights and discoveries, opening up new opportunities and enhancing your overall quality of life. So, don't be afraid to experiment and be creative in your approach to daily tasks and challenges.

Play Games That Challenge Your Mind

Playing games that challenge your mind is an effective way to stimulate your brain and improve cognitive function. Strategic games, such as chess, encourage critical thinking, and decision-making skills while also improving memory and spatial awareness. Video games with puzzles or problem-solving challenges are also excellent options to engage your mind. Card games like bridge or poker require strategy and memory recall, while board games like Settlers of Catan or Risk test your planning and decision-making abilities. Completing jigsaw puzzles or crosswords can also help to boost your cognitive function. Engaging in these types of games on a regular basis will not only be fun but also improve your brain's overall performance.

Increase Mental Intensity

If you want to take your mental abilities to the next level, it's important to increase the intensity of your learning. This means pushing yourself to learn something that's challenging and requires effort to master. By dedicating a set amount of time each day, say 30 minutes, to a new skill or area of study, you'll be strengthening the neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for learning and memory.

The key is to find something that you're genuinely interested in and passionate about. This could be anything from learning a new language, to mastering a new musical instrument, or even studying a complex mathematical concept. As you immerse yourself in your chosen subject, you'll find that your brain will begin to adapt and change, becoming more efficient at processing information, and retaining knowledge.

Of course, increasing mental intensity isn't just about learning new things. It's also about challenging yourself to think critically and creatively about the world around you. This could involve reading challenging literature, debating complex ideas with others, or even playing strategy games that require you to think several moves ahead. Whatever you choose, the goal is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and take your cognitive abilities to the next level.

Take Up A Productive Hobby

Having a productive hobby is not only enjoyable but also an excellent way to enhance your mental abilities. Engaging in creative activities such as writing, painting, or gardening can stimulate your brain and improve cognitive function. Moreover, it provides an outlet for self-expression and encourages you to think outside the box. When you take up a productive hobby, you are not only relaxing and unwinding, but you are also training your brain to think critically and creatively. This will not only benefit your mental health, but it can also lead to improved problem-solving skills and increased productivity in other areas of your life. So, take some time to explore your interests and find a hobby that inspires you.

So, are you ready to supercharge your brainpower? By adopting these ten habits, you'll be well on your way to becoming smarter, more creative, and better equipped to make informed decisions that benefit you in all areas of life.