Your Way to a Better Brain
“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
Whether you’re an actor or not, everyone could use a few tips for keeping the old steel trap sharp, right? We all want to find ways to keep our brains working at their best. Actors particularly have to keep themselves creative and observant. We train our bodies for the stage and screen, but it’s just as important to train our minds. So how can everyone make time for mind improvement in our busy lives? Well, like everything else in life, a little bit can go a long way. If you take these tips to heart and try just a few of them on a regular basis you will see significant improvement. If, on the other hand, you already live by these tips then please write in and share your own tips, I’d certainly love to learn more.
- Drink Water! – When you stop to consider that something like %70 of your body is made up of water, dehydration starts to look really scary. Water not only cleans out toxins, it leaves you feeling more refreshed and vital. There’s a reason that dehydration causes disorientation, so be sure to drink plenty of water through the day to keep your brain fueled and functioning.
- Talk to Yourself – Most people do it, though not many of them will admit it. Actors are used to mumbling things to themselves as they memorize, so why not take it one step further and have a full-blown conversation? Talking to yourself as you study, or even just think, helps your brain get things organized and even put information into your memory. So the next time you’re faced with a complicated situation, talk it through even if there’s no one talking back. Have both sides of the conversation, you’ll be surprised how many problems you can discover and solve.
- Puzzles – Puzzles are a wonderful way to pass the time, but more than that they are a great work out for the brain. When you do a puzzle you are creating more neural connections in your brain. Your mind is like a muscle, the more you use it the better it works and puzzles are a great way to get your mind moving toward improving your reasoning and creativity.
- Take a Deep Breath – Whether you want to meditate or just relax, there’s a reason they call taking a break a “breather.” Take a few deep breaths throughout the day. The deep breathes get your blood flowing and help cart oxygen to your brain and flush out toxins in your bloodstream. Just a few inhalations can make you feel more awake and alert. For tips on correct breathing check out this post in the Projection Series.
- Draw Pictures – Not only can drawing improve your creativity, but also your spatial reasoning. If you’ve never really tried drawing or painting, it can be a wonderfully freeing experience as your mind begins to race with new possibilities for transforming your canvas. Give into the child inside of you and draw something ridiculous. The key here is to let go of any preconceived notions of what a “good” picture looks like. So you’re not Monet, just make a picture.
- Read Everything – As we grow older we seem to loose the curiosity we had as a child. Grown-Ups talk about a child’s mind being a sponge soaking up knowledge. The secret however is that your mind never stopped being a sponge; you are still thirsty for knowledge. Reading feeds that need. Read anything and everything you can get your hands on, no matter what the subject matter. Your motto for reading should be the same as the motto for pasta: throw everything against the wall and see what sticks.
- Take Naps – Not only has it been shown that more sleep can equal less fat, but also improved cognition. Keep your nap at around thirty minutes to avoid being groggy when you get up and take it on your lunch break. Think of it as a snack for your brain. It’s hungry and you’re not going to really feed it again for hours. So throw it a bone and take a siesta.
- Exercise – Yeah, yeah, we all know exercise is good for the body, but it’s also great for the mind. Just thirty minutes of exercise a day can improve blood flow, which intern improves brain function. More blood and oxygen to the brain equals better brain cells and a happier outlook. So get out there and take a little walk.
- Listen to Music – It’s long been said that new parents should play classical music for their children. Well, the trend doesn’t change as you get older. Even now you should listen to classical music to improve you brain; Mozart is a particular favorite of mine. Classical music by its nature has a steady, mathematical rhythm and is predictable, all of which point to improved mathematical and spatial reasoning.
- Reduce Television Intake – I hate this one. Personally, I love my Tivo, but I know that it’s in my best interest to turn it off more than I used to. Television really is a mind numbing device, however entertaining. The problem with TV is that it’s a passive form of information gathering. The more active your brain is in the learning process the more information gets. So be more proactive in your learning, try reading a book instead of vegging before the TV. I know, it’s nowhere near as much fun as Hugh Laurie’s Dr. House, but really what is?
- Clutter Is Not Your Friend – Cluttered rooms make for cluttered thoughts. Want to think more clearly and be more productive? Organize your desk. The best method I’ve found is to keep as much of your desk open as possible. Keep only what you need for any given task. Focusing only on one topic at a time can improve your concentration drastically.
- Ask Questions – Remember that thing about your mind being a sponge? Yeah, it’s back. Your brain is still curious and asking questions is its active method of learning. Now I’m not suggesting that you revert to your two year old self and ask about everything you see, but curiosity never hurt anything but a cat. Ask questions as you are trying to study. Forming and answering your own questions is a tried and true method for learning.
- Read Iambic Pentameter – We all know I love Shakespeare and Marlowe, but this really is a great method for improving your mind. Reading something written in iambic pentameter gets your brain thinking in new rhythm. It’s like changing gears in your brain. All of a sudden you find yourself thinking a different, and sometimes faster, way.
- Write to be Read – As a blogger I can speak from personal experience when I say that this really gets you thinking in a new way. I personally have written two novels and they were the most productive and creative times of my life. There is nothing more stimulating and mind expanding than writing to be read. Does anyone have to read what you write? No, just ask the two novels in my bottom drawer. Just write with a reader in mind. It will improve your communication skills by leaps and bounds.
- Learn Another Language – Not only would this be a great skill to add to your resume, it’s also a great way to get your brain thinking differently. It’s been shown that people who learn a new language have improved memory. Learning the inner workings of a new language is a great way to get your brain creating in new ways, which is the key to success and continued improvement.
So there you have it, fifteen tips for keeping your brain oiled and sharp. Remember as you read through everything on this site that, be you an actor or not, any art form is a journey. The goal is not to create our art through ourselves, but to create ourselves as our art.
Want to Share? Bookmark this Post to:
Filed Under Articles, The Best of, Personal Development, The Body
Comments
6 Responses to “Your Way to a Better Brain”
Leave a Reply
As an actor, I would amend #10 to read “Reduce Television Intake but When you Watch Watch Critically.”
There is a lot of really great acting on television and just as many lessons to be learned from studying that acting. I agree, though, that watching television idly is possibly the most mind numbing thing one can do.
Great tips, especially learning a language. It challenges you to think in a different way and is a lot of fun.
Hello.. Great blog and great post. Can you tell me what is an Iambic parameter?!
Also I believe that challenging games like chess or Igo besides puzzle help sharpen mental acuity!
Regards,
Sania
Great post!
Thank you for sharing such beneficial knowledge.
I greatly appreciate the advice.
I talk to myself all the time. As such, on the way home, considering how to do assignments.
I do it in my head, however, so not to scare random passbyers.
I love this blog. It actually had *good* advice.
Meh. Television is boring.
Says the actor.
Ironic, no?