We hear a lot about exercising our bodies. But what about our brains?
Just like we can create habits that support our physical wellbeing, we can also make choices that keep our minds active and engaged. And you don’t necessarily need complicated brain-training programs or hours of crossword puzzles to do it. Some of the best ways to challenge your brain are already available in everyday life.
Your Brain Likes New Things
Think about something you know how to do almost automatically, such as driving a familiar route, making your morning coffee, or using an app you open every day. You barely have to think about the steps anymore.
That efficiency is helpful, but our brains also benefit from being challenged. Learning something new requires attention, concentration, problem-solving, and memory.
That could mean learning a language, trying a new recipe, taking a class, learning to use a new piece of technology, playing an instrument, trying a new hobby, or simply taking a different route somewhere familiar. It doesn’t have to be complicated. The important part is giving your brain something new to work with.
Challenge Yourself Without Making It Miserable
Keeping your mind active shouldn’t feel like homework. If you love word games, do them. If you hate them, don’t assume you’re doomed to an unstimulated brain.
Read about something that interests you. Play cards. Learn a dance. Take photographs. Garden. Build something. Join a book club. Research a place you’d like to visit. Try a new craft.
The best mental activity is one you’ll actually continue doing. Sometimes the activity that feels a little difficult is exactly what gives your brain a challenge. It’s okay not to be good at something immediately. Learning is part of the exercise.
Break Out of Autopilot
Routine makes life easier, but occasionally changing our routines can force us to pay more attention.
Try brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand. Learn a new route to a familiar destination. Cook something you’ve never made before. Move a few commonly used items to a different location and notice how automatically you reach for the old spot. Start a conversation about something you’ve never discussed before.
Small changes require us to become more attentive instead of moving through the day completely on autopilot.
Connection Is Good for the Mind Too
Some of the most enjoyable ways to stay mentally engaged involve other people. Conversation requires us to listen, remember, respond, interpret, and think.
Social activities can expose us to new ideas and experiences. They may encourage us to learn, laugh, debate, plan, remember, and solve problems together.
Call a friend. Join a group. Volunteer. Take a class. Teach someone something you know. Spend time with people who make you think, laugh, and stay curious. Supporting brain health doesn’t always have to happen alone.
Use Your Memory
Technology is incredibly convenient. It also remembers almost everything for us. Our phones store phone numbers, birthdays, appointments, directions, grocery lists, passwords, and reminders.
There’s nothing wrong with using those tools, but occasionally give your own memory something to do. Try remembering a short grocery list before checking your phone. Learn someone’s phone number. Recall the names of people you met at an event. At the end of the day, think back through what you did without looking at your calendar.
Small memory challenges can be an easy way to engage your brain during ordinary activities.
Take Care of the Whole You
Brain health isn’t separate from the rest of our health. Physical activity, sleep, nutrition, managing stress, staying socially connected, and addressing health concerns all contribute to overall wellbeing.
That’s another reason a whole-person approach to wellness is so important. We aren’t a collection of separate parts. Our physical, emotional, social, and cognitive wellbeing are connected.
Taking a walk may support your body while giving you time to think. Learning something new may challenge your brain while introducing you to new people. Spending time with a friend may support your emotional wellbeing while keeping you mentally engaged. One healthy choice can often support more than one part of us.
Stay Curious
Perhaps one of the simplest habits we can practice throughout life is curiosity. Ask questions. Learn things. Try something unfamiliar. Talk to people with different experiences. Read, explore, and create.
There is no age when we have to stop learning.
You don’t need to completely reinvent your routine to keep your mind engaged. Start with one question: What is something I’ve always wanted to learn or try?
Then give yourself permission to be a beginner. Your brain might appreciate the workout.
Join Us: Keep Your Brain Sharp
Our second Fall Wellness Circle session is Keep Your Brain Sharp on Saturday, October 24. We’ll explore brain health, memory, learning, mental stimulation, and simple ways to keep your mind active and engaged.
It’s part of our four-session Fall Wellness Circle, with sessions running from October through December and covering physical wellbeing, brain health, mindset and resilience, and designing your next chapter.
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