Being smart is not just something you are born with, but can also be boosted with daily activities. To sharpen your mind and reduce the risk of memory loss, make the following changes to your daily routine.
1. Hydrate Yourself Within Half An Hour Of Waking Up
Although you might not realize it, your body is pretty dehydrated when you wake up in the mornings. Drinking at least two large glasses of water will hydrate your body and help you to perform mental tasks better.
2. Take Daytime Naps
Depending on the work you do, this might not always be possible, but taking daytime naps is great for refreshing your mind. Taking a short nap when your brain is tired will lead to an increase in both productivity and alertness for the remainder of the day.
3. Listen To Audiobooks Or Podcasts During Your Commute
Load audiobooks or podcasts on your mobile device so you can listen to these during your daily commute. This is not only a more productive use of your time, but is even better if the audio is intellectually stimulating.
4. Avoid Sugar
Instead of loading up on sweets containing sugar during lunch times, opt for more substantial foods such as eggs or fish. This will help you to avoid the sugar highs and subsequent lows that prevent your brain from functioning optimally.
5. Substitute Coffee For Green Tea While Working
For relaxed focus instead of anxiety, drink green tea at work instead of coffee. Because the l-theanine amino acid in green tea increases alpha brain waves, it also won’t leave you feeling drowsy after a while.
6. Don’t Spend Too Much Time On Social Media
Spending too much time on social media or other online sites that feature fast switching and non-stimulating content can seriously hamper your focus. If you do visit these types of sites, restrict your browsing to only a few times per day.
7. Opt For Interactive Games Instead Of Passive Television Watching
Watching television is entertaining, but it is a passive form of entertainment. To let your brain engage with the entertainment, instead of consuming information passively, try playing some video games. It is even better if you play games with motion controls.
8. Substitute Watching TV With A Good Book
If playing games are not your thing, you can opt for a good book instead of simply watching television to relax. Reading a book requires your brain to make mental images of what is being described, offering a better brain exercise than television.
9. Get Into Discussions With People Who Have A Different Viewpoint Than You
Only talking to people who agree with everything that you say means you will not be able to sharpen your arguments or be proved wrong. Instead, engage people who disagree with you on any topic to reap these benefits.
10. Hang Out With People Who Are Smarter Than You
One of the best ways to increase your knowledge is to spend more time with people who are smarter than you. By putting your ego aside and engaging someone who is smarter than you, you can learn a lot.
11. Learn How To Program
Learning how to program might sound daunting, but there is a wealth of free resources available online to get you started. Sites, such as Code Academy (https://www.codecademy.com/) offer interactive lessons for free, enabling you to train your brain how to think more logically.
12. Go For More Nature Walks
Calm your mind and improve your blood circulation with nature walks. Even if you only go for a walk in the park during lunch time, it will allow you to experience these benefits.
13. Plan Your Next Day Before Bed
It is easy to be busy without actually being productive, so take ten minutes before going to bed in the evening to plan out your next day. This will allow you to work smarter, not harder.
14. Always Carry A Notepad Around With You
Carry a notepad with you and jot down any ideas or observations. You don’t have to write essays, but the simple act of writing will help to improve your logical thinking.
15. Exercise More During The Day
Going to the gym is good, but even if all you are able to do is something physical such as a couple of push-ups or stretching every hour, you can improve your brain functions.
16. Use Your Time While Cooking More Constructively
While preparing dinner, watch entertaining videos with informative content, such as those found on Ted (http://www.ted.com/). This will allow you to learn new things while you are being productive.
17. Use Your Non-Dominant Hand For Brushing Teeth
By using your non-dominant hand for brushing teeth you actually exercise the opposite side of your brain. This will in turn expand the parts of your cortex related to processing tactile information.
18. Do Your Morning Activities In A Different Order
Larger areas of the cortex are exercised if you perform novel tasks, instead of routine ones, which become automatic. Mix up your morning activities to keep your brain pattern from falling into a rut.
19. Use Different Seats When Sitting Down For Dinner
The brain benefits from new experiences and the easiest way to provide it with that is to sit at a different chair every time you have dinner. This will change your view of the room, how you reach for items on the table and much more.
20. Read A Book Out Loud
Reading out loud might be slower than reading silently to yourself, but it actually uses different brain circuits. You can make this activity more fun by alternating with a friend or partner.
21. Look At Familiar Objects In A New Way
When looking at a familiar object, your brain quickly labels it, but turn it upside down or at an unfamiliar angle and you engage your right brain network.
22. Play More Puzzle Or Board Games
Chess, Scrabble and other board or puzzle games are not only entertaining, but also provide a mental workout. Playing them with friends also makes it a social experience.
23. Explain Something To Other People
While you might think that you fully understand something, the easiest way to know for sure is to try to explain it to someone else. Being able to explain it in a manner that makes it 
understandable to someone else will also help you retain the information better.
24. Be More Observant About Your Surroundings
It is easy to fall into a familiar routine and stop noticing familiar surroundings. Exercise your brain by actively paying attention to what is going on around you. A great place to practice this is at the supermarket by scanning shelves top to bottom instead of only at eye level.
25. Check Multiple Sources For Your News
When reading the news or an article, check multiple sources to try to see the other side of the story. Getting into the habit of doing this will train your brain not to be easily duped by the media or those with agendas.
