Tag: Brain

Doing your Math by Hand is a Great way to

Doing your Math by Hand is a Great way to Keep your Mind Active

In the early years of school we learn the basics of math. Those skills definitely are used in many aspects of our lives. However, as adults we tend to rely on other methods for calculating things. As a result our skills arent nearly as sharp as they used to be. Have you ever been out with friends for lunch and then struggled to divide the total bill three ways? Simple math can become a struggle if you dont work on it.

One of the main reasons why this part of your brain isnt as sharp as it used to be is that we have too many handy resources. We tend to use calculators for everything including balancing our checkbook and setting up our budget for the month. Most software programs have built in calculators too so that you dont have to check the math as you create spreadsheets or other materials either.

The retailers do this for us as well. For example when there is a big sale on clothing many of the items have a percentage off on them. The sign on the rack may say 30% off the retail price. Instead of having to figure out that savings on your own though the will have a chart attached to the rack. This tells you the full price and then the sales price with that 30% reduction.

So how do we get that ability to do math very well back? The answer lies in taking the time to practice it. Do your math by hand and you will be able to strengthen that part of your brain. Put the calculator aside and do your math by hand. Many people are able to do it quickly when they can visually see the numbers they are working with.

As your skills significantly improve you need to challenge yourself to do more of the math in your head. This is more difficult but as you work at it you will find that you are able to do it in no time at all. This is going to come in time as you work at it. You will be able to quickly determine how much of the bill is yours as well as how much of a tip you should leave based upon your balance that is owed.

When you go back to doing math by hand and in your mind it is going to take you more time than before. This can be frustrating if you deal with numbers often throughout the day. However, keep in mind that such exercises for the brain really do have a significant purpose. You will be pleasantly surprised too as you notice your skills improving over the course of time.

If you arent confident in your ability to calculate things in such a way you can keep a calculator handy. However, make a rule that you only use it after you have made a very good attempt to get the answer on your own. You can use the calculator as a way to verify that your answers are correct.

The more your challenge yourself to do your math by hand or in your mind the more your mind is going to benefit. When we stop using a part of our brain functions we will lose them. Dont allow that to happen and if it already has then you have the ability to change it now.
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By Experiencing New Things in your Life your Brain will

By Experiencing New Things in your Life your Brain will be Healthier

Most people feel very comfortable with their daily routine. They know what will be taking place for the most part because it is so similar day after day. While it can feel comfortable to live like that your brain may be on auto pilot for much of it. If you want your brain to be healthier then you need to start experiencing new things. It can be as simple as taking a different route to get to work in the morning than you have for the past 7 years.

If you always read romance novels, pick up a good mystery and see how well you like it. You just might find that you have found a passion for something like this that you didnt even know existed before. Turn your favorite radio station to a channel that plays another type of music for a week. In that span of time you may have a new found appreciation for it. You may have learned the lyrics to some top hits as well that are in heavy rotation on that radio station channel.

A chemical called dopamine is produced in the brain. This is a natural substance that helps with moods. The more dopamine you produce the happier you will be. Research has shown that when the brain is exposed to new images and new experiences that it will begin to make more dopamine. As a result the ability to retain information about such events both in the short term memory and the long term memory are improved upon.

You can offer yourself some new challenges as well. For example instead of renting the newest movie on the top ten list rent a documentary on a subject you arent familiar with. There will likely be a great deal of learning by the time you are done viewing it. You may have some questions as well that trigger your desire to find out more information about the subject.

New social experiences are a good idea too if you want a healthier brain. For example if you usually go to casual restaurants get dressed up and go out to one that is fancy. If you usually drive in the city take a cab or ride the bus. Allow your mind and your eyes to take in everything around you including the people and the scenery. Since you wont have to keep your eyes on the road the brain is going to be more receptive to things you likely overlooked on that same commute before.

As we experience new things our brain is learning and it is processing. This awakens a part of it that may have been dormant for a long time based on your same old routine. You will also find that you look forward to each new day when you have some adventure to look towards. You can experience new things on a small scale at first to get yourself comfortable with it. Then you can move on to larger ones like traveling to a foreign country or learning a new language.

The fact that your brain can continue to change and to build new neurological paths is very interesting. Dont waste the ability you have though to allow it to experience more than it has. Life is really too short to spend it doing the same things day after day. You will find you are happier overall when you add some adventures to your life.

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Are you Thinking on Auto Pilot?

The brain is a fascinating aspect of our bodies because so much of who we are is controlled there. It is common though to get caught up in a pattern of behavior when it comes to thinking. If you are doing it all on auto pilot then it is time to change the way you think! You will definitely get more out of life when you take such an approach. It will improve your relationships, your attitude, your work environment, and even how you feel about yourself.

It can be hard to really assess your thinking process when you are on auto pilot. Try to do so objectively though so you can see things in a new light. Think about something you do at home or work all the time. Now ask yourself why you do it that way. If the answer is because that is the way it has always been done, you arent really thinking about it. Now that you have identified the situation, put some serious thought into the process. If there a better way that it can be done?

Relationships can be tricky as well as difficult. If you find some of them that you have to be stressful at times, you need to change your way of thinking. What is it about the relationship that doesnt flow well? Do you have the same conversation over and over again with your spouse, child, or other person in you life? Is the outcome always the same no matter what? If so, then it could be due to the fact that one of you or both of you is on auto pilot when it comes to your thinking.

A great way to change that is to ask the other person what they are thinking. Once they tell you, ask them why they feel that way about it. When you respond to them, ask yourself the same thing. What is it that is triggering such a response? Is that the pattern on behavior that you always go with? If so, then why not try something new because obviously what you are doing now and what you have done in the past wasnt productive.

The work place environment is a great opportunity for you to change your way of thinking. Many people go to work each day, do their job, and go home. There is likely to be many areas of you job where you can do it differently with the same or better results. As you start to identify those areas, write them down. Present your plans to your boss and see if they are willing to allow you to try them. Most employers love to see employees taking such initiative.

When you make the conscious decision to change the way you think, you can remove many of the negative things around you from your life. You can focus your energy on the positive around you. Look for solutions that fit the situation instead of going on auto pilot and doing what you always have in the past. At first you will have to really think about it to make it work. However, it will soon become part of your regular behaviors that you engage in.

Other people will appreciate you more too because you will be giving them a fair chance to explore their own ideas. You wont be cutting them off with your automated response to their situation. As a result you will find that you are happier, you have less stress, and that your various relationships with others have improved. If you are thinking on auto pilot you may be getting several things done, but you are really only going through the motions with them.

You need to make sure you are fully exploring all your options. Dont just accept what is in front of you at face value. There is certainly much more out there being offered to you if you are receptive to it. Once you have made the choice to change this type of thinking, you will start to notice those opportunities more and more throughout your day.

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Why Learning a New Language is a Great Way to

Why Learning a New Language is a Great Way to make your Brain Healthier

We are exposed to our native language very early in life which is why we are able to speak it and to understand it without any problems. Our brain has been programmed to decode everything that is related to that language. However, when you hear someone talking in another language it cant be decoded. This is because your brain hasnt been exposed to it enough to be able to process it.

Learning a new language is one of the best ways you can make your brain healthier. It is going to expose it to a great deal of new information that it hasnt processed before. It can be very difficult to learn to speak a new language but it is possible. It is going to take a time commitment on your part to work at it every day. It is also going to require lots of repetition. Carve out a period of time each day that you can spend learning your new language. Master each section of the learning process before you move on to the next one.

It doesnt matte what language you would like to learn as long as you are committed to the process. There are many different ways to go about learning such a language as well. Many people sign up for courses at a college. If that doesnt fit your schedule you can buy tapes to listen to or your can take a course online. Just make sure you carefully examine the curriculum before you sign up for such a program. You want to make sure it is accredited and that it offers all you will need to successfully learn that new language.

Many people find that they are able to pick up a new language faster if they have both the visual and the audio of it available. For example hearing the word in the new language and at the same time seeing a picture of what it means. The brain will be able to process both the sound and the image and that is going to make recalling such information much easier. If you have failed at learning a new language before try this format and you will see that it is a great benefit.

As we get older it is harder to learn a new language as well. This is because areas of the brain that are needed to do it arent active. Dont worry though because your brain has the full capacity to activate that area of the brain again. You will need to brush off the cobwebs and then start exercising it on a daily basis. Young children are able to pick up a second language easier than adults because their brain is still developing in those areas.

It can be exciting to learn a new language. Perhaps you have friends that speak another one or you can use that ability to enhance your role at work. Have some goals for yourself and make sure you offer yourself small rewards. Once you learn a new language you need to keep on practicing it so that your brain will easily recall all of it. Perhaps you can even travel to locations where that language is the main one spoken. You will have a delightful vacation and you wont have the burden of not being able t successfully communicate with people there.

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