8 ways to improve brain functioning!
Having a young and sound brain is an important pointer on everyone's checklist. But is our approach scientific or just random? Discover the real process.
“Memory is a way of telling you what’s important for you.” Says Salman Rushdie. Memory is one of the functions of our brain along with a host of others like logical thinking, calculation, etc. We nowadays feel that having a good memory is an obsolete arrow in our skill repertoire. But it’s a very big mistake. There must be countless instances in our own lives when we try hard to recollect something during a client presentation or in an informal meeting with our boss but we are simply unable to recall. Well, all these are important occasions when we need our memories to be on the top.
It’s always great to have a sharp memory. It’s not only convenient for ourselves but also for the people around us. And as always one can always show off a bit😎
Here are 10 techniques to save yourself from embarrassment in front of your boss and colleagues. But before that a few disclaimers
As Jim Kwik the memory expert says- There are no magic pills or things, there are magic processes. So we learn about the process here and not any quick-fix solution
There has to be a continuous practice of these processes. The brain just like any other muscle in our body develops with the right activity and exercises. And the more regular it is the better the results
So now let’s jump into the real stuff
1. Eat the right food
It’s very important to have the right kind of food that acts as a memory booster. Foods like almonds, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries are the best foods for the brain.🍒🍒🍇
Apart from this drink a lot of water. The brain is like a battery that works on electricity. And the better the conduction of current (a bit of grade 9 science jargon) the smoother the functioning.
2. Remove the negative self-talk
We might not realize this but we are in a constant state of self-talk. We are doing it almost all the time. But if we observe it consciously we will realize that a lot of it is negative. It’s not completely our fault. We are exposed to so much negative information all the time that our subconscious mind is filled with it.
So the only way to fight this demon is by first observing our self-talk consciously. Then we need to replace those with the ones we actually want. “I am enough”, “I will be successful today”, This job will be complete today and when I go to sleep I will have a remember what a great day I had.” Positive affirmations like these go a long way in supporting our cause to develop a good brain. Because memory functions best when the mind is at ease.
3. Stay in a positive friend circle
We are social beings, much more than we think we are- and that’s a fact. So the circle of people whom we are in contact with influences us a lot. Most of us have had the experience of sharing time with different kinds of people (especially during the education phase, during professional life we hardly see the other aspects of people other than the professional garb). We know that meeting some people fills us with positive energy and zeal while there are others who make us feel drained.
The first step then is to segregate these people into energy-giving and energy-absorbing. The next step is simpler said than done. Cut off the energy-absorbing people and add on the energy-giving ones.
4. Exercise regularly
Now, this seems more like a cliche. But trust me there are very few things that are more beneficial than exercising when it comes to increasing neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain cells to communicate with each other). Even a small amount of exercising (as few as 15 min daily) can lead to a brain aging reversal.
And apart from this, there are a whole bunch of benefits attached to exercising which we all are well aware of. So I always emphasize that one can’t miss out on his exercising routine.💪
5. Keep your surroundings clean and organized
The brain likes clean surroundings. Imagine you are in a clean room with everything organized and filled with fragrance. On the other hand, imagine yourself amidst a crowded place full of dirt and foul smells of various types. One can easily make out the difference between the two. Our brain functioning is very closely connected to our nose. There is a whole subject of aromatherapy which cures diseases using various fragrances. Also, our brain functions much better when it sees an organized environment.
One’s external environment is a major indicator of one’s internal environment.
6. Sleep well
Sleep is one of the most essential things for brain health- hands down. It enhances both neurogenesis (formation of new brain cells) and neuroplasticity. Simply speaking one’s brain runs out of gas without the proper amount of rest. It wears down and simply can’t bear the load (remembering things or thinking logically). Lack of rest is among the major causes of dementia and brain aging.
As is the case with exercising, the muscles actually develop when we rest. Same with the brain. The brain develops when it’s asleep.😴😴😴
7. Learn a new thing
Learning a new thing each day keeps the brain active. It can be as simple as reading a couple of pages each day. But it should happen regularly. Writing with our non-dominant hand also stimulates parts of our brains that remain mostly unused. Learning a new language also triggers brain functioning.
So all in all the essence of the idea here is to keep the brain active and learn new things each day. It will also act as a confidence booster as a top-up.
8. Live stress-free
Now, this is a no-brainer. But the devil lies in the details. Adrenalin doesn’t go well with brain functioning- except for when it is a fight or flight. There are some things that we immediately need to do. We can divide clear boundaries between work and home (the main reason for diminishing is the work from home scenario). We can try aromatherapy. It’s a proven method to manage stress. And lastly one should have time to practice gratitude. Well practicing gratitude immediately takes one out of the black clouds of stress to blue infinite skies of possibility.😇😇
Apply these concepts to your life and see the marked difference. If you liked our piece share it with your friends and fellow office goers. Be intelligent be smart in office.