A lot of people think of intelligence as something you're simply born with. Some people, after all, make being smart look effortless. Intelligence, though, isn’t a set trait; it’s a changeable, flexible ability to learn and stimulate your brain that can improve over time. The thing smart people have in common is they’re dedicated to lifestyle habits that support and protect their mental health.
Welcome to ssegu, the place where people come to get inspired and educated about the world. Habits make us the person we are, and this is certainly true when you look at popular entrepreneurs and academics who have risen to the top of their field thanks to their ability to think up solutions to daily problems. We've gathered the 15 habits they all have in common, and we think are important to make you smarter every day. But before we go any further, make sure you leave us a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel. You do not want to miss out on our daily dose of entertaining and educational content.
1. Ask Questions
The German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer once said, "Knowledge can only be with those who have questions." Most people don’t ask questions because they feel like they’ll look stupid, but they couldn’t be farther from the truth. Learning requires asking questions and finding answers. As kids, the depth of our curiosity has no boundaries. Everything around us piques our interest—why is the sky blue? Why do cats meow? Consequently, if you don’t understand something or are unsure about it, don’t be afraid to ask. Even ask yourself questions and research the solutions on your own. Instead of watching TV, look online for material that will help you understand topics you're interested in but a little confused about. This simple but time-consuming practice can considerably increase your intelligence.
2. Read Across Genres
The brain is a very powerful tool, and reading is the mental exercise it needs to stay in tip-top shape. We have instant access to almost all the written books created by humans thanks to smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and the internet. However, we often waste time viewing amusing videos of cats and dogs on Facebook while mindlessly scrolling a news feed. While it’s a way to unwind and feel cheerful, it’s not realistic or healthy to use all your free time this way. Reading often can help you stay informed, teach your brain to function well, and continuously learn new things. The best options are books, instructional periodicals, and lengthy articles on websites. Maintain a reading routine, even if it just involves reading a portion of a chapter each day. Your intellect will grow over time.
3. Hang Out with Smart People
Friends can teach you new skills and keep your mind active. Our surroundings shape our values, beliefs, and ways of thinking. Spending time with intellectuals will constantly help to feed your brain because, with smart people, there's always something to discuss and learn. You might sometimes feel as though you don’t know enough, but even that has its perks. You are adjusting to your surroundings, and your mind will compel you to put in the effort to improve as a result of acknowledging your shortcomings. Your friends don’t have to be smarter than you; the important thing is they always have interesting things to discuss and are pacesetters in whatever field they work. Intellectuals already know how to feed their brains, so spending time with them is very beneficial for adopting not only knowledge but also a learning style.
4. Take Time to Think
We are all easily distracted from one thing to another, not properly understanding the true essence of the information received. The habit of taking pauses to reflect on what you’ve learned is highly beneficial and an important part of the learning process. When you take time to think, you get to consider all the factors that might directly or indirectly connect to whatever you’re doing. You get to plan three to five steps and will seldom be caught lacking. The same goes for conversations—smart people listen more and talk less, managing to get a lot done with fewer words.
5. Exercise Frequently
Don’t overlook exercise and its effects on our intelligence. The brain and body constantly cooperate, and our overall energy and physical health have a direct impact on the quality of our thoughts. As you grow cognitively, you should also grow physically since the two are intertwined. Physical exercise instills discipline, which is advantageous for the efficient growth of positive habits and new information. Make time for at least one form of exercise. You can sign up for a gym, get running shoes for a few miles, or simply practice yoga or other home workouts. Anything works—just move your body more.
6. Prioritize Eating Healthy
You must be familiar with the notion that glucose is the ideal fuel for the brain, but a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals is the best fuel for your thought engine. The optimum diet for enhancing brain performance includes enough protein, moderate amounts of carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Whole grains, lean meats, nuts, fish, and dairy products should be on your dinner table. Adopt the habit of eating just enough to be satisfied and avoid junk food, as it will tire you out and, in the long run, cause health complications.
7. Keep a Diary
Group studies have proven that spending a few minutes reflecting on the events and thoughts of the day in writing increases brain power. Nothing motivates and helps you become smarter like personal experience and your achievements. Take a few minutes each evening to write down your thoughts, events, and insights of the day. This allows you to analyze ideas, thoughts, and questions that arise. Writing frequently makes you smarter by expanding your language and communication skills, as keeping a diary is a language practice activity. Learning new terms and expanding your vocabulary will raise your IQ.
8. Do Something New
Even if you think it won’t work, practice makes perfect. Smart people are not unnecessarily scared of failure; they understand that without practice, nothing can be truly learned. They are up for the challenge. It’s impossible to learn a new equation without attempting questions on it, and so is learning to play the guitar without trying those chords yourself. Sometimes outstanding and even spectacular successes are the results of something that frightened us tremendously.
9. Apply and Share New Knowledge
If you don’t intend to use what you learn, there’s no use in studying it. Smart people always make use of their acquired knowledge, not just to succeed but because sharing their intellectual resources makes them more valuable. Have you read a book? Discuss it with people who’ve also read it. The best technique to reinforce and comprehend subject matter is to share new information and concepts. You will learn more during such discussions about the work itself and the lessons others have discovered. It doesn’t matter who you share your thoughts with—family, friends, co-workers, or members of a social network group—because the act of sharing knowledge itself enriches your understanding and helps you draw more informed conclusions.
10. Be Selective of What You Put Your Effort Into
Smart people tend to have few friends, but they make up for the lack of numbers with deep and genuine friendships. Those with whom you spend time reflect your identity and needs, guiding you toward understanding yourself and the world around you. Beyond friendships, when you’re careful about what you give your attention to, you’ll be able to work optimally without unnecessary distractions. Smart people find it easy to get their priorities in order. Think of a mental checklist—it’s far easier to follow the next agenda on your list than to juggle every plan at once.
11. Take Short Breaks at Work
In the era of total digitalization, our brains burn out from the bombardment of information. Being in touch with what’s happening isn’t always good. That’s why even a short vacation is sometimes needed to stay creative and stave off cognitive burnout. After working for several hours, weeks, or months, and due to the absence of pauses and moments of mental calmness, we begin to think superficially and automatically. The same goes for reading; you will assimilate better when you take breaks after a few hours of reading. In your free time, you can enjoy a short walk, meditate, exercise, or do some chores around the house—just give yourself a mental timeout.
12. Learn How to Be Organized
People with a habit of making things orderly tend to be smart. Disorganized objects, frequent message alerts, and clutter on a desktop and in work folders all divert the mind from tasks and lower productivity. Your mind will function more effectively the less disorder there is in the areas where you live and work. Develop the habit of putting things away right away, make multiple themed folders on your desktop, and avoid saving individual papers there.
13. Study Other People’s Behavior Patterns
Smart people tend to be understanding in their own way and consider things like their colleagues’ motivations, perspectives on the project, and the level of help they require. Try to understand the situations of people around you. It’ll take strong intellectual effort, but in the long run, you’ll have better social skills and be able to make the right decisions, especially when other people are involved.
14. Be Actively Observant
Though you can see everything around you, do you pay attention to it? Many of us watch the world uncritically, focusing primarily on the things that immediately affect us. Instead, spend a few minutes every day examining your surroundings critically. Examine the normal interactions in your environment on a global, interpersonal, and societal level. This should be normal for everyone, but given the circumstances of our times, this useful practice is a little bit unpopular. When you turn your attention outside of yourself and actively pay attention to details, you’ll be surprised by what you discover about your surroundings.
15. Sleep Whenever You Need To
Studies show that giving our bodies more downtime helps our brains function better in terms of memory, attention, and focus. Those who normally stay up late and get up early have worse attention levels than their peers who sleep longer. The brain processes information from the previous day as you sleep, and having enough rest strengthens memory and removes amyloid and tau proteins linked to plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease. There is no set length of time everyone should sleep; different individuals need varying amounts. Your main priority should be to rest whenever your body needs it.
Bonus: Play Games That Task the Mind
A particularly beneficial way to spend your time is by playing games that force you to think creatively, utilize your imagination, and solve constantly evolving problems. These games hone your mental faculties while bringing you delight and happiness. Research from 2019 found that those who frequently played games that task the thought process performed better cognitively than those who didn’t. Mental games like crosswords or sudoku don’t have an age limit and can be enjoyed by both adults and children.
Hey folks, that’s all for today’s content. Let us know in the comments which of these habits you think would have the best effect on your overall intelligence. Make sure to leave us a like if you enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow our socials for more educative content. We’ll see you back here tomorrow!