5 Simple Ways To Keep Your Mind Sharp
The importance of keeping your mind sharp cannot be overstated. We’re all part of a fantastic intellectual and information economy, which thrives on ideas, creativity and intelligence. Keeping your mind sharp is sure to give you the edge over the competition, and more importantly lead to your own higher levels of happiness.
When your mind is in top shape, you will:
1 Have greater motivation and focus
2 Get more done
3 Come up with more creative ideas
4 Find inspiration more often
5 Remember more
6 Experience a better life
I’d like to share a few practices I’ve found are extremely beneficial in keeping my mind sharp and can help you as well:
1) Continue reading, absorbing knowledge and experiencing culture
Sorry to use a clichéd quote, but education is not preparation for life, education is life itself. It should be something pleasurable and done for intrinsic reasons above all else. Read blogs on subjects both within your field and in new fields you know nothing about; read books; watch lectures on fascinating new subjects; read about ancient societies; take in a new form of art you’ve never experienced; you get the idea. Challenge your mind to continually broaden your horizon and soak up new information like an infinite sponge (that’s pretty much what it is, you should use it to do just that).
2) Learn a skill or craft you’ve never tried before like playing an instrument, composing music, painting, building a model airplane, or even coding computer programs.
Engage your mind in learning a new skill. You’re never too old to do this, but this is definitely something you should start as young as you can. I started composing my own music at around 17, and in retrospect I wish I had started even younger. You’d be surprised how much learning a new skill will open up many new paths in your mind and help you become even better at whatever you are already an expert at. You’ll also open yourself up to tons of new connections and intellectual social circles by engaging yourself in a new hobby, form of art, or trade.
3) To improve memory don’t write everything down.
If you can, try this for a week: write down everything you need to do at the beginning of the week, as you normally would, but take your list and put it out of sight. Instead of keeping that list visible at your desk, internalize your projects and simply remember and know what needs to be done, prioritize it in your mind, and do it. Your brain is extremely powerful and you’ll find that, in time, you may not have to write anything down to remember everything (you can still keep a list for reference, but it’s great not to need it).
4) Give your mind time to assimilate knowledge
We live in a culture where we are constantly experiencing and learning new things and taking in new information. This is a great thing, I’m not going to go into the information overload spiel, I don’t really believe in that anyway (you are in total control over how much information you take in at once). But in your process of absorbing new skills, knowledge and life experiences; internal analysis of yourself, what you have learned and where you are going is vital to put everything in proper perspective. Some people do it well during running, others through listening to music, and some people through making art. Find your own place that allows you to assimilate all you have learned and frequent it often.
5) Eat well, sleep well and exercise often
Giving your mind the proper rest and energy is essential to getting the best performance out of it. This one is pretty self explanatory, but people often forget that you need proper fuel and proper rest to function optimally. Also, putting your physical body through the paces is a surefire way to rejuvenate yourself mentally. If you’re ever feeling stressed, out of inspiration, or depressed, a few days of nutritious food, good sleep and vigorous exercise will put you back to your full self soon enough.
7 ways to keep your memory sharp at any age
As we grow older, we all start to notice some changes in our ability to remember things.
Maybe you’ve gone into the kitchen and can’t remember why, or can’t recall a familiar name during a conversation. You may even miss an appointment because it slipped your mind. Memory lapses can occur at any age, but we tend to get more upset by them as we get older because we fear they’re a sign of dementia, or loss of intellectual function. The fact is, significant memory loss in older people isn’t a normal part of aging—but is due to organic disorders, brain injury, or neurological illness, with Alzheimer’s being among the most feared.
Most of the fleeting memory problems that we experience with age reflect normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. These changes can slow certain cognitive processes, making it a bit harder to learn new things quickly or screen out distractions that can interfere with memory and learning. Granted, these changes can be frustrating and may seem far from benign when we need to learn new skills or juggle myriad responsibilities. Thanks to decades of research, there are various strategies we can use to protect and sharpen our minds. Here are seven you might try.
1. Keep learning
A higher level of education is associated with better mental functioning in old age. Experts think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active, but pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill can function the same way. Read; join a book group; play chess or bridge; write your life story; do crossword or jigsaw puzzles; take a class; pursue music or art; design a new garden layout. At work, propose or volunteer for a project that involves a skill you don’t usually use. Building and preserving brain connections is an ongoing process, so make lifelong learning a priority.
2. Use all your senses
The more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain will be involved in retaining the memory. In one study, adults were shown a series of emotionally neutral images, each presented along with a smell. They were not asked to remember what they saw. Later, they were shown a set of images, this time without odors, and asked to indicate which they’d seen before. They had excellent recall for all odor-paired pictures, and especially for those associated with pleasant smells. Brain imaging indicated that the piriform cortex, the main odor-processing region of the brain, became active when people saw objects originally paired with odors, even though the smells were no longer present and the subjects hadn’t tried to remember them. So challenge all your senses as you venture into the unfamiliar. For example, try to guess the ingredients as you smell and taste a new restaurant dish. Give sculpting or ceramics a try, noticing the feel and smell of the materials you’re using.
3. Believe in yourself
Myths about aging can contribute to a failing memory. Middle-aged and older learners do worse on memory tasks when they’re exposed to negative stereotypes about aging and memory, and better when the messages are positive about memory preservation into old age. People who believe that they are not in control of their memory function are less likely to work at maintaining or improving their memory skills and therefore are more likely to experience cognitive decline. If you believe you can improve and you translate that belief into practice, you have a better chance of keeping your mind sharp.
4. Economize your brain use
If you don’t need to use mental energy remembering where you laid your keys or the time of your granddaughter’s birthday party, you’ll be better able to concentrate on learning and remembering new and important things. Take advantage of calendars and planners, maps, shopping lists, file folders, and address books to keep routine information accessible. Designate a place at home for your glasses, purse, keys, and other items you use often. Remove clutter from your office or home to minimize distractions, so you can focus on new information that you want to remember.
5. Repeat what you want to know
When you want to remember something you’ve just heard, read, or thought about, repeat it out loud or write it down. That way, you reinforce the memory or connection. For example, if you’ve just been told someone’s name, use it when you speak with him or her: “So, John, where did you meet Camille?” If you place one of your belongings somewhere other than its usual spot, tell yourself out loud what you’ve done. And don’t hesitate to ask for information to be repeated.
6. Space it out
Repetition is most potent as a learning tool when it’s properly timed. It’s best not to repeat something many times in a short period, as if you were cramming for an exam. Instead, re-study the essentials after increasingly longer periods of time — once an hour, then every few hours, then every day. Spacing out periods of study is particularly valuable when you are trying to master complicated information, such as the details of a new work assignment. Research shows that spaced rehearsal improves recall not only in healthy people but also in those with certain physically based cognitive problems, such as those associated with multiple sclerosis.
7. Make a mnemonic
This is a creative way to remember lists. Mnemonic devices can take the form of acronyms (such as RICE to remember first-aid advice for injured limbs: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) or sentences (such as the classic “Every good boy does fine” to remember the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F on the lines of the treble clef).
Natural Beauty Tips for Girls
Wake Up Call
Make paste of honey and ginger and apply this paste on face every morning before brushing teeth. This will prevent wrinkles to a greater extent.
Rich Olive
Massage is very useful as it increases blood circulation and result in tightening of skin. Use olive oil to massage your skin daily. Remember to massage in anticlockwise
Ample Apple
Cut apple’s thin slices and rub it on affected area, wash with warm water after 10 min. It helps in controlling oily shine.
Healthy Haldi
Make a paste using Haldi (Turmeric) with a little raw milk and lemon juice. Apply it on the skin, it will help in removing a tan.
Sweet Honey
Prepare mixture of honey, lemon and vegetable oil. Apply this paste on dry skin and wash after 10-15 min. This mixture is a good moisturizer for dry skin.
Fruit Lunch
Make it a habit to add lots of fruits as part of your meals. Take fruits without adding any salt and sugar to it. Eat wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including dark green vegetables and feel the difference in your skin.
Ideal Drink
Make a habit of drinking 2 glass of water early in the morning. Drinking water early in the morning will bless you with shiny and healthy skin.
Utterly Buttery
Buttermilk is another proven recipe to fade the sun tan. Wash you face with Buttermilk regularly for a few days and you would notice the difference. Being a natural astringent, it tones the skin and is ideal for oily to combination skin.
Morning Buzz
Try to take food that contains more calories (as compare to night) in morning and noon. This way you might eat less in the evening. It gives more time and chance for burning the calories during day and noon.
Moisturizing
Applying moisturizer after a warm face wash or a warm shower is the best remedies for skin. Moisturizing helps to restore the oils that our skin has and helps to keep the skin hydrated.
Greedy Grapes
Add 3-4 tablespoons of oatmeal to the juice of a grapefruit. Mix to thick paste. Spread on face and leave on 15 minutes, remove with luke warm water. Get healthy and smooth skin quickly.
FACE WRINKLES
 |
| Add caption |
Wrinkles generally are due to age, Stress and dry skin. You should always keep the areas around the eyes mouth and nose and also the neck well cared for and moisturized.
Tip 1:
Take 1 tbsp of cold milk and add 3-4 drops of lime juice. Rub this paste well into the wrinkles before going to sleep. The next morning wash with warm water and dry with a rough towel firmly. Once again rub in the cream - in the direction opposite to the wrinkles. Wait for ½ an hour and wash, avoid using soap. BEAUTY
Tip 2:
Rub the pulp of a ripe Papaya on the face and leave for ½ an hour before washing.
This is a very good toner also.
Tip 3:
Rub almond oil on the wrinkles in upward strokes. Leave overnight and wash with warm water next morning.
Tip 4:
Cut open a Vitamin -E capsule, add ½ tsp of glycerine and apply. Wash after 15- 20 minutes.
Tip 5:
Add ½ tsp honey to 1 tsp rice powder. Smoothen the lines with this paste. Leave for ½ an hour and wash.
Tip 6:
Mix 1 tsp honey with 1 tsp of milk cream. Apply well. Wash after 20 minutes.
Note: Treatment for wrinkles should be done everyday for a period of 30 - 40 days to have visible results.
10
Quick
Health
Tips
for
the
Office
1)
Eat
breakfast.
Breakfast
sets
your
metabolism
for
the
day.
People
who
eat
breakfast
end
up
eating
less
during
the
day
than
those
who
don’t.
2)
Take
your
breaks.
Breaks
=
peace
of
mind.
And
peace
of
mind
=
energy
and
focus.
Energy
and
focus
productivity.
Need
I
say
more?
3)
Pack
your
lunch –
and
make
it
tasty
–
if
you
eat
things
that
don’t
taste
good
you
won’t
be
satisfied
and
you’ll
end
up
searching
for
more…like
for
the
cookie
downstairs
at
your
favourite
coffee
shop.
4)
Eat
lunch
away
from
your
desk.
When
you
eat
your
lunch
while
responding
to
your
emails,
you
may
as
well
be
eating
your
emails.
While
eating,
it
is
best
to
focus
on
eating.
In
the
end,
you
will
better
digest
your
food.
You
will
also
remember
eating
your
meal
and
will
feel
more
satisfied
from
it.
Once
again,
preventing
the
need
for
that
cookie
downstairs.
5)
Be
careful
with
drinking
more
than
2
cups
of
coffee
per
day.
Trust
me,
you
don’t
notice
how
jittery
you
have
become
until
you
cut
down.
6)
Don’t
heat
your
lunch
in
a
plastic
container
in
the
microwave.
The
plastics
will
get
into
your
food
and
increase
your
risk
of
developing
cancer.
Please.
This
is
a
simple
one.
If
you
really
need
to
heat
your
food,
ask
your
company
to
buy
a
hotplate.
7)
If
possible,
bike
or
walk
to
&
from
work.
There
are
so
many
benefits
to
this
tip.
You
will
arrive
at
work
with
a
healthy
glow,
fit
in
your
exercise
for
the
day,
get
that
much
needed
fresh
air
before
you
sit
at
your
desk,
avoid
road
rage,
and
often
save
time
(bikers
and
walkers
don’t
have
to
deal
with
traffic
–
they
just
ride
or
walk
on
by).
8)
Drink
greens.
At
3pm
often
drinking
a
greens
drink,
such
as
a
chlorella
or
spirulina
mixture,
can
give
you
that
boost
you
need
to
keep
you
going
until
the
end
of
the
day.
9)
Nuts
make
great
office
snacks.
They
are
full
of
protein
and
fat.
These
two
nutrients
help
sustain
your
energy
over
a
long
period
of
time.
When
you’re
energy
is
sustained,
you’ll
be
able
to
focus
and
be
more
productive.
A
high‐carbohydrate
snack,
like
crackers,
granola/breakfast
bars,
or
muffins
will
often
give
you
a
short
burst
of
energy…and
then
the
inevitable
crash…hence
the
need
for
that
third
cup
of
coffee.
10)
Fit
your
exercise
in
before
you
get
home
for
the
day.
Home
is
comfort.
If
you
get
home
after
a
very
long
day
at
the
office,
the
comfort
will
lure
you
in.
However,
it
is
the
exercise
that
will
make
you
feel
better,
not
the
couch.
I’ll
say
this
again
–
get
your
exercise
in
before
you
get
home
for
the
day.
5 Simple Ways To Keep Your Mind Sharp
