We all know that exercising our brains is important. Use it or lose it, right? If you challenge yourself to think, problem solve, and create in a variety of ways, your brain will be stronger and better prepared for all that life will throw at you.
No one I know has time to fit anything new, no matter how valuable, into already packed lives. So…let’s change the question to this: how do you wrap brain exercises into your everyday life– not add extra things but make those things you already do brain boosters?
One great way to fire up activity and nourish your brain is to mix up your routines. No falling into any thinking ruts! Take every day activities, mix them up, and make them new!
Waiting Games
I live in Southern California and getting stuck in traffic is a way of life. Here are a couple games I play to pass the time, lower my stress, and work out my brain. Pick a billboard like this one.
Choose a word like “MOO”. Come up with as many words as you can that use the letters M-O-O.
Or try this. Pick a sign on a business like this one:
Try to find as many 3 letter words as you can while stopped in traffic.
In Line at the Grocery Store? Here is a quick and easy brain booster. Pick a magazine like this one and challenge yourself to find the letters for words that describe what you see on the cover.
The top sentence is written in red letters. Find the letters R-E-D. The woman’s dress in pink. Find the letters P-I-N-K- D-R-E-S-S. Keep it going!
This is the self-checkout at my local grocery store. These signs all convey a message, right?
An-cay ou-yea anslate-tray ese-thay o-tay ig-Pay atin-Lay? Or how about using the same words to make new sentences?
At Work Games:
Change your view at your desk.
Turn the items on your desk upside down!
Or change the view on your desktop.
Changing the position of your menu bar will mix things up and not let your brain get too comfortable.
When thinking about how to add brain works to your life, consider these three things:
Is it new (Novelty)?
Is it different (Variety)?
Did it make you think or stretch your thinking (Challenge)?
Roll a brain exercise or two into your daily life!
Do you have 90 seconds?
You have time for rigorous brain exercise. Try our new Cranium Mini challenges! There are 3 games you can play on your phone and each takes 90 seconds or less!
Cranium Crunches 