Let’s admit it, the school education is not that perfect. It doesn’t teach people how to think critically and be creative. That’s why you need to educate yourself outside of school as well. There are a lot of things that can help you to improve your skills and live up to your potential.
All you need is to build new habits. Make learning your daily hobby, and you will be able to hold a conversation with anyone and make better decisions in life.
Here you can find a list of hobbies that can help you to broaden your thinking ability and become street smart in a short time:
Play Board Games
Board games were made not only for the sake of entertainment. They can also help you to improve your thinking skills and develop working memory (the system responsible for processing already-stored information).
Other than that, board games can also help you to improve strategic planning and spatial navigation. Some of them can also boost motor performance.
When choosing a board game for a Friday night, follow one rule: the game should not be easy. Consider playing Scrabble to master strategic thinking and expand your vocabulary. In case you have any problems, in the beginning, feel free to use unscramblex.com to help yourself (taking a hint doesn’t hurt!). Later, you will see a common pattern in this game and be able to build your own strategy.
Also, learn how to play chess, Catan, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Tsuro. Every week you should play a different game. This little trick will help your brain to process the information faster and more efficiently.
Play a Musical Instrument
A study conducted in 2007 has shown that playing a musical instrument can change the brain plasticity and improve cognitive skills. It can increase an IQ not only in kids but also in adults! So, it’s never too late to start learning.
Keep a Diary
You should start writing a journal in order to organise your thoughts. You will also have a chance to improve your emotional intelligence by processing negative feelings. According to a study, daily writing can slow down mental ageing since it challenges the brain to stay active all the time (exposure to abstract ideas, metaphors, and imagery will do its job!).
Exercise Regularly
An unexpected one, right? To become smarter, you also need to take care of your physical performance. First of all, working out will increase your energy. You will be able to think clearer and use your imagination to the fullest. Remember one thing: tired people don’t come up with brilliant ideas.
Secondly, only one gym session can improve your blood flow and help you to raise your focus for a few hours.
Last but not least, an effective work out can enhance your mood, which leads to improved memory.
Cook Different Meals
Another great way to make your brain work is to cook a new meal every day. Some people eat the same things all the time because they are too lazy to learn new recipes. If you want to develop a can-do attitude, trying out new dishes can be an excellent solution.
Also, cooking will train your brain to pay very close attention to details and force creativity.
You might fail on the way and cook something you will not be able to eat at all. If this happens, just tell yourself this line: “I don’t make mistakes, I do variations”.
Travel More
Travelling to new countries fuels your brain to function at a higher level since it is a step outside of your comfort zone.
Needless to say, all-inclusive planned tours will not help you to become smarter. You need to plan the way, accommodation, and attractions on your own. This experience will make you uncomfortable; it will make you THINK.
Travel can also increase your attention span, help you to meet new people, and look at the world from a different angle.
You will have a chance to develop your sense of reality and empathy towards others (multicultural engagement will have a strong positive impact on your personality).
Read More
If you want to sharpen your mind through imagination and improve your vocabulary, start reading more. If you are not a big fan of reading, begin with something simple like Harry Potter. Then, gradually, advance to the next level by reading novels and scientific literature. Other than that, reading will also help to improve your long-term memory and writing skills. Some studies also proved that reading relieves stress.
Stay Curious
You experience new things every single day. Make sure to ask yourself as many questions as possible. Whenever you don’t understand something, use this knowledge gap as a chance to improve your skills. Developing your critical thinking and becoming a better person takes time and requires a lot of effort, but it’s totally worth it!
