5 Methods To Enhance Your Brain For Greater Productivity
You could be more productive and you know this. What you don’t know yet? The best way to go about enhancing your productivity. Try these five tested methods.
Starting your day with the intention to be productive is an important aspect. The best output happens when your motivation and actions align together!
For this to happen optimally, your brain has to be clear and rested. In reality, though, there are thousands of factors that distract us from our peak performance.
You can set up your appointments in your planner and have your to-do list in line. But if your brain isn’t functioning at full speed — it’s easy to lose focus.
The key to harnessing the full power of your mind lies in a few simple tricks. With these five proven methods, you can enhance your productivity by sparking your already impressive brainpower!
1. Sleep Well and Often
Sleep has remarkable therapeutic effects on the body, so much so that the impact of even a few hours of lost rest lingers for days.
One evening spent tossing and turning has a detrimental effect on your brain’s performance. But chronic sleep deprivation leads to a multitude of health problems, like memory loss and a weakened immune system.
For your brain to operate optimally, you need to have consistent, restful sleep. But tens of millions of people suffer from sleep deprivation.
If you’re one of the many who can’t sleep, try these tips:
- Stay away from caffeine after lunchtime. You may think you need it to pep you up, but you’re perpetuating a dangerous cycle.
- Put your screens away at least an hour before bed. Your brain needs that time to wind down and relax.
- Get plenty of exercise, both physical and mental. By bedtime, your body will be ready for a break.
- Don’t eat a late dinner. Your stomach will be digesting as you sleep, causing discomfort.
If all else fails, speak to your doctor about your sleep problems. Your body needs rest, whatever it takes!
2. Pay Attention to Your Nutrition
When you take the time to get to know how your brain and what you eat connect — you quickly understand the phrase, “You are what you eat.”
Every part of your body needs nutrients to run efficiently. If one system is low on what it needs, it will steal that nutrient from somewhere else in your body. And if that fails, it will begin to deteriorate.
The same functioning works with your brain. When the nutrients it needs are gone, it will start to break down in little ways.
You might notice yourself stumbling a little more than usual or forgetting words. These are all symptoms of cognitive decline.
Before it gets worse, be sure to load up on these vitamins and minerals:
- Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fishes, eggs, and supplements. This nutrient contains the DHA needed for your neurons to work as they should.
- Choline, the connector between memory and retention in your brain. You can get this from foods like Brussels sprouts and eggs.
- Vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects all your cells from environmental and other damage. You’ll get plenty of this vitamin in leafy greens and nuts.
Just as important as what you do eat is what you shouldn’t eat. Stay away from processed foods, sugary drinks, refined carbs, and aspartame. All these will decrease your mental functioning over time.
3. Exercise Every Day
Your brain needs mental stimulation, but your body needs exercise, too. Getting enough movement is good for your physical health, but it’s also what your mind needs to be more productive.
Sitting for too long causes your brain to lose focus. If your job requires a lot of sedentary work, you have to take action to remind yourself to get moving!
Schedule a five-minute break after 55 minutes of work, so you remember to stretch and move. Plan a 30-minute or more exercise every day.
A bit of regular movement increases your concentration and improves memory functioning.
4. Schedule Some Fun
Keeping your eye on the future and working toward goals is a great idea. It feels great to accomplish that thing you have been trying to do for months, or even years.
But continuously working with nothing to show for it will burn you out. You have to let yourself enjoy your life in moderation.
Meeting a goal you’ve worked hard for is the perfect reason to schedule a trip! Keep it proportionate to the effort you put into the goal.
Hit a target you’ve worked on for weeks? Take a day off and go to the beach!
Hit that target you’ve aimed for steadily for a year? You’ve earned a few days of vacation time!
In the meantime, plan outings with friends and social gatherings. This reenergizing is necessary to keep you fresh and excited to work!
5. Never Stop Learning
Famed author Oscar Wilde penned the quote, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.”
While the clothing part may seem a bit silly, the second part is correct. Knowledge is something you can’t have too much of in your life.
For your brain to continue to work optimally, you need to expose it to new things. Studies have shown that the more you learn new hobbies and ideas, the slower cognitive decline affects your brain.
Stay curious about things you already know and anything that you find you don’t! Push yourself to use the more laborious method occasionally. Skip the calculator or pick up the actual dictionary instead of using Google.
Sign up for free classes at your local college or take up a sport you don’t know and learn the history of it.
There’s always something new to explore!
Conclusion
Pushing your brain to its limits is fun and rewarding. We only use a tiny percentage of our capabilities, so why not keep expanding that limit?
These five methods easily fit into a daily routine and will enhance multiple areas of your life.
When you continually work to enhance your brain’s ability to function, better productivity is a natural byproduct.
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Featured Image: Human brain by ksandrphoto on Freepik.com