Do THESE Little Things Every Day and YOU Will Be Smarter, Guaranteed!

Smart is the new sexy. Humans currently live to an average age of 85. We spend most of that time doing the same things in the same way over and over again. Thus, once learned, things quickly become second nature to us. However, those of us who are committed to lifelong learning have a distinct advantage. They stay mentally fit longer and their brains age much more slowly than those of their peers who have sworn off the acquisition of knowledge at some point. The training of one’s own brain function not only has the advantage that we can accumulate more knowledge, but we also remain mentally young and flexible longer. It’s all in our own hands, what goes on in our heads and what does not. In this article we show you ten small but effective ways to get smarter every day.

1. Write, write, write.

The process of handwriting is a real fountain of youth for our brains. In particular, the regions responsible for long-term memory and retention benefit tremendously when we reach for pen and paper and take notes every day. The art of diary writing, for example, brings several enormous benefits for our mind, but also for our psyche and our well-being. Words that we put down on paper by hand are burned into our brains much better and more sustainably than mere typing on a PC or laptop. The connection between hand and head is of particular importance, but research has not yet been able to fully clarify this. Many forms of therapy also deal with writing. What has once been put down on paper has already been half processed by our consciousness, or once a thought has been formulated, it becomes a fact that has been acknowledged and can be taken for granted.

2. Surround yourself with interesting people.

Granted, you can't always choose your environment, but consciously steer your social contacts in directions that inspire you and that teach you new things. Attend lectures, tours, or seminars devoted to topics that interest you and that might otherwise go missing in your life. Knowledge is a tremendous treasure trove that we are free to help ourselves to as the mood moves us.

3. Share your knowledge.

Your peers will be happy if you can fill those awkward pauses in conversation with valuable information. Instead of lamenting about the weather or illnesses, tell them about an exciting newspaper article you've read or a special event you've experienced. As one American human rights activist noted, "Great minds discuss ideas, average thinkers discuss events, little minds discuss people." It’s up to you to decide what you want to be.

4. Learn a new language.

According to estimates of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, there are currently between 6500 and 7000 living languages worldwide. This does not include the countless regional dialects, programming and computer languages and, of course, the so-called dead languages such as Latin, ancient Greek and the wonderful picture language of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Think about which culture has always fascinated and appealed to you. Through their language you will get closer to it even from a distance and will also gain access to a lot of exciting new information. In addition, you will meet new people who share your interests and can expand your horizons if you let them.

5. Surf only in the water.

The Internet, and with it the digital age, provides us with a flood of information that our brains can't even handle. As tempting as it is to surf the worldwide web every day, the actual information gain is shockingly thin and your time spent there is therefore more pointless than meaningful. Reduce your online time to the minimum necessary and learn in real life instead.

6. Get involved with new things.

One of the many foundational myths about the success of Apple and its mastermind Steve Jobs is of a calligraphy course that the brilliant self-made millionare attended to pass the time after dropping out of university. This example is often cited as an example of the fact that a direct connection between acquired knowledge and its implementation does not have to be immediately apparent. Any new knowledge that we absorb with passion and great interest like a sponge is guaranteed to benefit us sooner or later. Incidentally, the appealing design of Apple's user interfaces and the products themselves benefited greatly from Jobs' foray into the wonderful world of beautiful writing, albeit many years later.

7. Give yourself mental time-outs.

The breaks in between are as important as the learning itself. Our minds have a limited capacity to absorb. Even with the most demanding program, give yourself a break in the fresh air without any mental challenge.

8. Time to play Scrabble again.

If you love word games, you probably remember the board game Scrabble. Hardly any other game promotes our logical thinking skills and at the same time challenges our mind as much as this one. The good news for all singles or overachievers with whom no one wants to play anymore: Scrabble is available on the Internet completely free of charge! The computer even lets us humans win sometimes.

9. Reading is still a hit.

The good old book is far from being obsolete. Whether digital or analog, reading promotes and challenges our minds in equal parts. Besides the adventurous journeys that play out before the mind's eye and the great information gain, engaging with a book or magazine is pure relaxation for body and soul. If you're particular about exercising your intellect, read a novel and a nonfiction book in parallel. Brain researchers also recommend reading a few pages a day in a language other than one's native tongue. This is guaranteed to keep the little gray cells from getting bored or stagnant.

10. Keep a done list.

One memory training of the pleasant variety is the keeping of a daily list, in which all activities are noted that we’ve successfully completed. This gives us a sense of achievement, which is good for our mood and general well-being. In addition, we involuntarily train our short-term memory and integrate the writing from the first point into our daily routine. Repeating your activities in your mind trains memory and also provides a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.

Our conclusion

Knowledge never perishes. We learn so much throughout our lives that we never implement or need. Anyone who is not striving for a career as a world-leading mathematician or quantum physicist, for example, will never again encounter the tedious integrating and differentiating from torturous school days. It is all the nicer, therefore, to occupy ourselves as adults only with those things that really touch our hearts and that we would most like to grasp with all our senses. Those who remain open to new things will never really be old. General knowledge and common sense are guaranteed never to go out of fashion. Even if we forget one or two things in old age, knowledge creates numerous memories that remain with us...and as we know, this is the only paradise from which we can never be expelled.