Mental Sharpness & Clarity

[Rcs6r]

How do you obtain/maintain it? Any tips or tricks?

In a world where we stay up late, over-caffeinate, use too much tech and are exposed to too much noise in general, it's easy to muddy the mental waters that flow down the river of life.

I've been reading this interesting article about a few tips, but this one in particular stood out:



Routine Is Deadly for Your Brain

http://bebrainfit.com/brain-exercises-mind-sharp/

Just as too much sitting has proven to be very unhealthy for our bodies, too much day-in, day-out routine is bad news for our brains.

Most of us live our lives as a series of fixed routines. And there are many good reasons for this.

It simplifies life. It limits brain-draining decision making. It lets us perform complex tasks like driving a car with little mental effort. Routines are run by our subconscious and require very little brain energy.

And consequently they provide the brain with very little stimulation.

Making a point of shaking up routines and proactively exercising your brain are both key to a more vital and sharp mind.

Some of the reported benefits of brain exercise include faster thinking, improved memory and mood, better vision and hearing, quicker reaction time, and a feeling of increased focus, motivation and productivity.

It can also help you ward off future memory loss and mental decline.

There are different theories on the best ways to to exercise your brain.

But the experts are in agreement that for an activity to help your brain, it must be novel and complex.

Here are some of the best ways to exercise your brain that meet these criteria.

 

[Night Owl]

One thing I like to do is have a tapas of intellectual content nourishing my mind throughout the week. So that I'll have a few projects on the go at once, some more intellectual/academic, others more hands on and artsy. I'll have several books on the go at once, and at least one fiction book, and I just read sections from each and rotate each when I feel like it. Yet never ploughing through anything lest I harvest in vain (plus I can only read something so long until I get tired of it or feel inspired to create something myself instead of enjoying what someone else has created).

And no matter what, I'll ensure I have quiet chill time to reflect and just be. It's easy to absorb information, but to convert it into understanding and wisdom requires such information to be filtered, processed and pondered. A clear pond becomes muddy when stirred, and such stirring is essential if it is an eco-hive of activity. Such mind stirring is keeps it sharp. But it's only when the pond is left to be calm and undistributed in silence that it becomes so clear that without any effort one can see the contents of the pond (i.e. ideas within one's mind) and even the reflection of the sky above (i.e. higher things). Such mind settling keeps the mind clear.

 

[Night Owl]

Oh yeah, interesting about the contrast between routine and doing new things by shaking things up. To find a pleasant balance between the two would probably be ideal.

 

[Tin Man]

I don't know how seriously I'd take the advice on that site. A lot of those brain training exercises are bullshit, they don't do anything to increase memory or brainpower.

I think the best thing is just to keep your mind active. Choose to read more challenging books or try partaking in puzzles that require your brain to think in new ways. You could also take up a new mentally stimulating hobby. Hell, just doing the puzzle section every day can help keep the mind active.

 

[sprinkles]

Practice with stuff that really makes me think, like playing Logic Bots or TIS-100.

 

[bolognamacaroni]

I don't mean to be the hippy-dippy, new age member of the forum here, but seriously, meditation. Breath, let go of your 10 simultaneously buzzing thoughts, and be present in your actions (like actually be aware and focused on what you're doing; IE: the opposite of being on autopilot).

Easier said than done, and it takes practice, but if you're seeking mental sharpness and clarity meditation helps.

As far as shaking up your routine, nothing pulls me out of the mundane like, traveling, meeting new people, learning new things, and being in nature.