Be open in your day-to-day life. If a coworker invites you to see a band you’ve never heard, go. If you have an opportunity to take a trip to a place you’ve never been, take it. Build a new hobby or skill. Teach yourself to crochet. Enroll in an art class at a local community center. Start a sewing project. Spend time exposing yourself to new information as well. Read an article on a topic that interests you. Go to a museum. Watch a documentary.

Brains use a lot of energy during training. While you’re attempting to learn something, you are challenging your brain to make connections and learn new things. Once you’ve mastered a skill, this cognitive growth slows. In order to increase your intelligence, you should keep pushing yourself for a higher level of mastery. For example, say you play a musical instrument. You work hard for a few weeks to learn a new song, and eventually master it. Do not stop here. Challenge yourself by choosing a new, more difficult song. This will put your brain back into training mode, allowing for cognitive growth.

Try cutting shortcuts on occasion. There are times, of course, where it makes more sense to use a short cut. A paper you turn in for a grade in school, for example, should be spell checked carefully. However, you could stand to go without spell check when chatting online with a friend. Your brain needs exercise to grow. If you want to increase your intelligence, make efforts to challenge your brain during daily activities by eliminating conveniences and shortcuts. Think of this as the mental equivalent of taking the stairs instead of the elevator. For an extra brain boost, turn the spellcheck function back on after you have finished your document and use it to go through your document after you have caught everything you can. Then write down the words you didn’t catch so you can learn how to spell the words you missed. This will help you learn, which will help with giving your intelligence a boost.

Use social media to your advantage. Post an article on a scientific study and ask people for their thoughts. Chime in when you see a discussion occurring on a topical event on a Facebook thread. Take a sincere interest in other people’s responses and input. Try to look for people outside your immediate field. If you work in tech, for example, go to a poetry reading and chat up the poet afterwards. You can learn a lot, and increase your overall intelligence, by learning about many different fields of interest.

Instruments can be expensive, but you may be able to find cheap secondhand instruments online. See if you can find an instructor in your area who gives lessons. If that’s not within your budget, you may be able to find free or cheap lessons online. Get on a regular schedule. Incorporate practice into your daily routine, as you incorporate things like brushing your teeth and showering. You will challenge yourself more if you try to learn new challenging songs than if you play songs that you have already mastered. [4] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source Try to work on learning new music all of the time in addition to your regular practice sessions.

Keep a book on you at all times. Read a book on the train on your way to work. Read during your lunch break. Try to read before bed every night. In addition to helping your intelligence, reading before bed can help you sleep better.

However, make sure to challenge yourself. Remember, your intelligence grows the most in training mode. After mastering a certain type of game, move on to the next one. For example, you can start with crossword puzzles for beginners. If you reach a point where you can easily solve beginner’s puzzles, buy a book of higher level crossword puzzles.

You can try taking a meditation class if you’re new to meditation. You can also look for guided meditation techniques online. Many people struggle with meditation initially, so don’t get discouraged if you feel awkward and uncomfortable at first. It will take a few weeks of regular meditation before you get used to meditating.

You can take classes online from a variety of universities. This will cost some money, however. You can try language learning software if a class is not within your budget. Try to expose yourself to a new language as you study. Watch television shows and movies in the language you’re studying. If you know anyone who speaks the language, ask them to practice with you.

Choose an activity you like, as you’ll be more likely to stick to it. If you enjoy long walks, for example, you can work on walking regularly. Go slowly. You should always ease into a new exercise routine to avoid injury. Talk to your physician before beginning a new workout routine. Try exercising first thing in the morning to help clear your mind and prepare your mind to learn new things during the day. [10] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

Omega 3 fatty acids can potentially boost intelligence. These are found in foods like salmon, walnut, and kiwis. Folic acid, found in spinach, orange juice, and yeast, are also important to brain functioning. Junk food and fast food may have a negative effect on your brain’s functioning. Work on cutting out these kinds of food from your diet.

Avoid stimulants, like coffee and nicotine, close to bedtime. You should also stay away from any food that could potentially upset your stomach. Find a relaxing bedtime ritual. If you engage in the same routine every night, your brain will learn to associate this with sleep. Do not do something stimulating, like going for a run. Instead, read a book or have a cup of tea. Make sure you associate your bed with sleep. If you read, watch television, or listen to music in bed, you may have difficulty falling asleep at night.

Deep breathing exercises Yoga Progressive muscle relaxation

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