W ouldn’t it be wonderful if there really were such a thing as a thinking cap? You could put it on, and you’d immediately find yourself coming up with creative solutions to problems or amazing ideas that will instantly impress everyone the instant they hear about it.
Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a thinking cap (at least not that we know of!). However, don’t worry because it’s not all bad news.
There are plenty of ways you can use to train yourself to become a better, more effective thinker, and we’ve listed a few of the best.
Practice the following engaging methods and you won’t need a thinking cap—even if you happen to find one!
Exercise
Unlike many of the exercises designed to create a healthy body, exercises that boost your brain function are loads of fun.
Anything from teasers, puzzles, to riddles and Sudoku, can help improve your thinking prowess. If you happen to own a smart phone, you should try downloading apps (some of them are free,) so you’ll always have a puzzle or riddle handy when you have a few minutes to spare.
So, next time you’re caught waiting in a boring queue, don’t just get annoyed, whip out a puzzle and jumpstart your thinking instead.
Eat
Mental agility and thinking abilities improve when you feed your mind with the right food. Tomatoes, which are rich in the brain-friendly lycopene, are the way to go when it comes to fueling up right. So, go ahead and order that yummy pasta with tomato sauce.
Other treats that can have you topping the genius charts include oily fish like salmon as well as nuts and leafy greens.
Think
Okay, this might seem like a no-brainer but we’re not just talking about plain ol’ thinking here.
If you really want to boost your brainpower, use structured techniques like mind mapping to ponder a problem or come up with an idea. There are plenty of other thinking techniques to choose from and you’ll find a whole array of books and websites on the subject.
If you really want to boost your brainpower, use structured techniques like mind mapping to… Click To TweetMeditate
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years by some of the greatest minds in the world, and it can help you think better.
Meditation allows you to clear your mind and focus. These are must-have skills if you aim to become a better thinker. There are scores of meditation techniques out there, so go ahead and try a few before you choose the technique that’s right for you.
Read
Reading opens your mind and your imagination. It enables natural visualization as your mind creates pictures of the words that enter your brain.
Reading also helps you concentrate on one thing for a specific period of time and if you’re reading a novel, this could mean hours and hours of focus.
Imagination and concentration are essential ingredients in the recipe for better brainpower. If you’d like to take it a step further, try learning how to speed read. It requires even greater powers of focus and concentration than normal reading. The Soundway Efficient Speed Reading™ workshop is based on proven techniques backed up by four decades of research. The workshop offers quick, reliable ways to achieve supersonic reading speed.
Imagination and concentration are essential ingredients in the recipe for better brainpower. Click To TweetSleep
Getting the right amount of shut-eye is crucial if you’d like to think clearly. There are plenty of articles and books out there that claim adults can get by with 6 hours of sleep or even less. Don’t fall for this myth!
Recent research shows that you need about seven to eight hours of sleep a night to get your brain to work at an optimal level.
After all, a tired brain is a fuzzy brain, and a fuzzy brain leads to fuzzy thinking.
Watch
If you love watching mystery movies or a TV series like CSI, you’re going to love this great piece of news—mysteries aren’t just great entertainment, they can help sharpen your analytical and thinking powers. Exciting plotlines keep you guessing, and you’re inadvertently honing your thinking skills as you try to keep ahead of the characters, trying to solve the mystery/crime.
Next time you’re at the cinema, give the romantic comedy or adventure movie a pass, and opt for the thriller instead. You’ll have some fun, and you’ll boost your brainpower at the same time.
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