These 10 practices will make you smarter

Want to get smarter, have better income at school and work? Did you know that you can give your brain a little boost? Time magazine has a list of small attitudes that can help you be a smarter person. Check out these following attitudes and then tell us if you already practice any of them:

1 - Managing your time online

You have probably noticed that you log in to Facebook from time to time "just for a peek" and suddenly there were a few hours left in front of the blue and white screen. Not that you can't have fun with social networks, but learning how to manage your time on the internet is a big thing.

You can use the “good side” of the internet and dedicate yourself to learning new things, seeing TED lectures, trying to learn a new language, getting to know a new country, learning more about the human body and so on.

2 - Take note!

You have access to a huge amount of information every day, so it's no use thinking that you'll always be able to remember the content of that Curious Mega story you just read and found it amazing. When something is really important to you - for example, if it's something that might fall on a test - ideally, you should take notes to remember later.

3 - Make a list of things you have already done

Being confident and happy is a sign of intelligence, and a good way for you to become confident and satisfied is to remember the things you have already achieved. If your goal was to go to the gym and you've been doing weight training for two weeks now, keep that in mind. Same for that achievement at work, in college, at school. This will make you a more motivated person.

4 - Play more!

The most recommended games for training your brain are chess, some card games and of course the famous crossword puzzle. Everything that involves strategic planning and memory is a good idea. Even better if you play alone without the help of books and tips.

5 - Select your friends better

Unsurprisingly, the people you relate to can influence your habits and decisions. That's why it's always good to keep close with that friend who likes to read, who does well in school, who has a good social relationship, who knows how to make good decisions and who has good conversations. This advice is lifelong: It's always good to have a smart person around, both rationally and emotionally.

According to Saurabh Shah, your IQ is an average of the IQ of the five people closest to you. This only proves what we said in the previous paragraph: being around smart people makes you a smart person.

6 - Read a lot

This is very popular advice and, for some, a little boring. Still, we need to strengthen the power of reading, especially in times of social networking, when we spend more time in touch with shallow content than with a good literary narrative, for example.

Scientifically speaking, reading has the power to give you the boost your brain needs from time to time, not to mention a great exercise for creativity as well. You don't have to start by reading Dostoevsky's complete work, but you can make a habit of reading the newspaper and, perhaps, that book that best fits your style. The important thing is to read a lot and always.

7 - Explain things to people

Albert Einstein, the genius everyone knows, once said that “if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand the subject well enough” and, once again, he seemed right. When you really understand a subject, you can talk about it easily. Therefore, get used to talking about the things you have learned. It may even be to yourself in front of the mirror.

The truth is, it is easy to learn new information, but keeping that knowledge with you enough so that not only do you understand but pass along what you understand is the “right” way to learn.

8 - Random New Things

No one likes routine, not even your brain. So do new and different things often. It may be that someday what you did today is useful or, at worst, you are creating memories of new experiences and that is always good.

Steve Jobs, for example, took handwriting classes when he was younger, even without having to worry about it. Years later, when he became Apple's genius, the design concepts he had learned were more than helpful.

If you work with photography, try writing a little too. If your main interest is health, practice yoga or venture into a zumba class. Anything goes: from poker tournaments with friends to walks in unfamiliar parks on weekends.

9 - Learn a new language

If you have internet access, it is no longer the excuse that you are out of money to pay for classes in another language. Of course taking a foreign language class with a teacher is always the best option, but you can also learn on your own. With good research, you can discover sites that teach grammar, spelling, text interpretation, idioms, and tips on how to delve into another language.

It is important to know any language besides Portuguese to stand out in the job market, of course, but it also makes your brain smarter, more trained. Have you ever thought it cool to hear that song in English, French, Spanish, or whatever language, and understand what it says? You can even learn some fictional languages ​​if you want!

10 - Relax!

After a busy day, all the chores at work, after doing that pilates class, starting reading a new book and learning a bit more about cow mooing, relax, breathe and be quiet for a while., doing nothing, focusing only on his body and his breathing.

These quiet minutes are very useful for your brain to assimilate everything you have done and for your body to replenish its energies. If you are the type who is very stressed and irritated, try doing some meditation every day and you will surely find that the feeling of irritation will begin to subside.

* Posted on 10/29/2016