Did you know that your brain has an incredible ability to adapt to change through experience, even though the process of forming new neurons slows down in adulthood?
This adaptability, known as neuroplasticity, underscores the importance of nourishing your brain, giving it proper rest, and allowing it the time it needs to create the best version of yourself.
With the right habits, you can help your brain adjust to your environment while minimising unnecessary stress.
By consistently practicing specific habits that support long-term brain health, you can enhance your intelligence and keep your mind sharp.
READING DAILY
When you read daily, your brain processes new information, strengthening neural pathways related to comprehension and memory.
Even just 10–15 minutes of reading every day can improve memory, helping you recall storylines better the next time you pick up a book.
As you connect the dots, you are also improving your critical thinking and storing new ideas for future scenarios in your life.
This makes the knowledge you gain from reading not just theoretical, but also practical—further improving the quality of your life.
As Pride and Prejudice novelist Jane Austen once said, "If I read a good book, I will always find it too short."
This makes reading an easily trainable habit that helps feed your brain in a beneficial way, making you smarter than you were yesterday.
CURIOSITY DOES NOT KILL US LIKE IT DOES CATS
As humans, we have the ability to differentiate between danger and safety.
This makes questioning everything a great way to keep your life lively and engaging.
If you feel stuck in what seems like an endless loop, questioning everything in your life and working on turning those questions into answers can improve your perspective.
It’s better to be more curious than not.
Research suggested that curiosity correlates with intelligence, though intelligence is multifaceted, and many factors contribute to cognitive ability.
This habit indirectly improves your problem-solving skills and deepens your knowledge, which will be valuable throughout your life.
WRITING AND JOURNALLING
Writing is a skill that can be strengthened through research, but the two are independent.
While research is essential for informative writing, you can also write creatively without it.
The two are intertwined; if the brain is smart enough, they can co-exist harmoniously, whether in a particular order or in whatever way suits you.
Another practical habit is writing and making it a regular part of your life.
While some people don’t find importance in this and never do it because they’re too busy with work or life in general, allocating time for it after work, or even doing it as part of your work, can greatly benefit your brain.
You can write about general knowledge with the intention to educate or simply reflect on the day, further improving your memory when recalling, comprehension when understanding and creativity when solving problems.
Whether with a pen or a keyboard, this habit helps polish your brain and keep you sharp.
LEARNING A NEW SKILL
When you learn a new skill that’s unfamiliar to you, such as playing a musical instrument like the piano or guitar, it helps your brain discover new ways to excel at something.
The best part is, it doesn’t always have to be something you’re already familiar with.
It’s a great brain hack, teaching it to be more flexible and learn how to solve unique problems.
This is excellent for the brain in the long term.
EXERCISING REGULARLY
Did you know that the walks you take every day at the office or as part of your cardio routine don’t just improve your cardiovascular and physical health but also benefit your mental well-being?
When more blood flows to the brain due to increased physical activity, it enhances memory and focus by promoting neuroplasticity, particularly in the hippocampus.
Research shows that even a 30-minute walk can do wonders.
Just remember not to stress about when to exercise or worry that you haven’t done enough for your brain, especially when other things, such as eating healthily, need to be sorted first!
These elements exist in an ecosystem that only works when you truly care about yourself.
When properly balanced, they contribute significantly to both your physical and mental well-being.
ENGAGING IN DEEP CONVERSATIONS
Ever had conversations that gave you a headache? Don’t stop there!
Difficult conversations, with the wrong people, are often seen as confrontational, unnecessary and overly opinionated.
However, for those who recognise their value, a challenging conversation that questions your views and introduces new perspectives can enhance both your critical thinking and emotional intelligence.
This allows you to converse more effectively in future discussions, with a sharper brain.
When you are smarter, difficult conversations become easier to handle and intelligent people will enjoy engaging with you because you can confidently defend your political stance without being triggered by opposing views.
PASSIVE CONTENT CONSUMPTION
Did you know that passive content consumption is a thing?
It happens when you don’t actively seek knowledge, but instead, let it enter your brain by itself, such as by playing an educational podcast in the background.
This also applies to reducing the time spent doomscrolling on social media, which has been shown to reduce focus.
While passive learning can reinforce knowledge, active engagement leads to a deeper understanding.
Apart from playing podcasts, you can listen to real-life educational talks, which require minimal physical effort aside from being present to listen, or you can listen to songs and let the lyrics sink into your brain, processing them into new pieces of information.
This habit is a low-effort way to keep learning while multitasking.
REST AND RELAXATION
Rest and relaxation help with memory consolidation and creativity by allowing the brain to process information.
These processes support synaptic consolidation (strengthening neural connections), though forming new neuron connections primarily happens through active learning and experience.
Make sure to be free from environmental distractions and aim to take short, intentional breaks rather than an entire day of inactivity, as prolonged mental disengagement can be counterproductive.
You could simply rest without any television shows or music playing in the background, or opt for classical music, which helps your brain unwind into a relaxed state.
Research has also shown that it improves your creativity, which is vital when tackling problems that might come in unfamiliar forms.
These short pauses can go a long way in keeping your brain refreshed and ready for new challenges.