| Some brain exercises can be as simple as an | | | | architects, we would want to improve that. |
| intelligent conversation or reading something | | | | This can be done by concentrating on scenes |
| new. Others can be more involved, like doing | | | | in one's mind. Imagine walking through your |
| crossword puzzles or solving lateral thinking | | | | home, for example, and repeat the process |
| puzzles. Here are some general brain | | | | until you can easily "see" everything in each |
| exercises you can do anywhere, followed by a | | | | room. |
| few ideas for exercising specific areas of | | | | |
| brain function. | | | | For better concentration, practice |
| | | | identifying "mind" irritations. Anything |
| Some Simple Brain Exercises | | | | that's going on just below the surface is |
| | | | sapping your ability to concentrate. Become |
| An entertaining brain exercise is to invent | | | | aware of these things, and you can put them |
| things in your mind. You can use many | | | | on a list or otherwise dismiss them. More |
| techniques for doing this. It can be as | | | | formal meditation practices can help with |
| simple as looking at things and asking "How | | | | this, but simple mindfulness exercises may be |
| could this be better?" Consider a clock, for | | | | enough to let your natural powers of |
| example, and you might wonder if it would be | | | | concentration function. |
| better if you didn't have to look at it. | | | | |
| Maybe a clock that periodically announced the | | | | Simple brain exercises to strengthen your |
| time and even reminded you of appointments | | | | memory can be the repetitive use of any |
| might be useful. | | | | memory techniques. For example, mentally |
| | | | placing a list of items to be remembered at |
| Other brain exercises involve puzzle solving. | | | | predetermined locations in your house, and |
| These can range from crossword puzzles to | | | | seeing them there in an unusual way (think |
| difficult lateral thinking puzzles, but a | | | | cucumbers dancing in the microwave), is one |
| simpler, fun version of the latter, is the | | | | such technique. Just imagining where you'll |
| basic riddle. For example, "Why wasn't Bertha | | | | see a person next, and calling to them by |
| put in jail after killing dozens of people?" | | | | name in your imagination is a good way to |
| Because she was a hurricane. Whether riddles | | | | remember names. |
| are easy or difficult, they get your mind | | | | |
| thinking in new directions, and this is good | | | | Get a little wild to develop your creativity. |
| for getting your mind out of it's "ruts.". | | | | See things and imagine something absurd, like |
| | | | flying lights. For more than just an exercise |
| Inventing jokes is one of the more difficult | | | | in imagination, though, you have to create |
| brain exercises, especially if you haven't | | | | some sense of the image. For this example, |
| done it before. Just take a topic or a word | | | | I'm thinking there might be a market for |
| at random, and find a way to make a joke with | | | | little lights on helium balloons. With a more |
| it. The word "Justice," for example, could | | | | or less neutral buoyancy for the balloons, a |
| become "What's the one place in the world you | | | | party could be full of colorful, floating, |
| can find justice?" In the dictionary! If you | | | | moving lights. |
| draw a blank after five or ten minutes, move | | | | |
| on to the next word or topic. | | | | Recent research makes it clear that |
| | | | exercising your brain makes it work better. A |
| Brain Exercises For Specific Areas | | | | more active brain has even been shown to |
| | | | postpone or reduce the incidence of |
| You may want to work on a particular area of | | | | age-related decline of mental function. So |
| your brainpower. Some of us have trouble with | | | | why not start today with some simple brain |
| visual imagination, for example. To be | | | | exercises? |