If clear thinking is essential to you, sample just one or two of our 10 sure fire ways to improve your thought processes.
10 Notions About How To Think Clearly & Creatively
There are a large number of ways to increase our IQ, be smarter, to increase our ‘creativity thinking’. Actually, though, we can achieve miracles with the brain power we already possess just by learning to think clearly. Absolutely, it’s nice to be ‘smarter’ but clear thinking is often more workable than a sudden spurt up the IQ ladder. So, let’s look at 10 techniques to increase your brain power.
Clear Thinking Technique #1: Be Comfortable
I detest hot, humid climate! Yes, I absolutely hate it. Other people, though, look forward to the muggy summers here in Atlanta, Georgia. What does that have to do with clear thinking? Just this … when you’re physically uncomfortable, it’s a good deal tougher to summon intelligent and clear thinking. So, take care of your physical comfort first. If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re thirsty, drink. When you’re hot or cold, move to a more compatible temperature.
Clear Thinking Technique #2: Avoid Sugar Like The Drug It Is
Sugar is a killer! A bestseller named ‘Sugar Blues’ made an impressive case against the detrimental effects of sugar on the human body – and as a matter of fact, sugar is a drug. There’s no reason to argue this point because you can prove it to yourself. If you think you are immune to the effects of sugar then try an experiment: the next time you’re really hungry and your stomach is shouting out, “I want chow and I want it now!”, eat a large slice of chocolate cake (or other delectable sweet) – but absolutely nothing else. Then set a timer for 30 minutes and decide for yourself how well you’re thinking (and feeling).
(Honesty compels me to admit I usually ignore this tip! :-)
Clear Thinking Technique #3: Energize Your Neurons With Exercise
Whenever your brain feels like it’s swimming through mud, stand up and start moving. Better yet, go for a short walk. This will improve the quality of your thinking for two reasons:
* Getting our butts out of that chair is wonderful because movement causes our blood and lymph to start flowing. Enhanced circulation all through our bodies will result in more energy and get our brains going, also.
* Flirting with something new – or not thinking at all – is a mini brain vacation. Those who examine creativity know that one effective way to find answers is to completely forget the problem you’re attempting to solve and inspiration will most likely appear.
Clear Thinking Technique #4: Get Enough Rest
It’s important to get enough sleep. The minimum – minimum, not optimum – for an efficient brain is five hours per night. A necessary note: the quality of your rest is more essential to extraordinary brain function than the quantity of rest.
Clear Thinking Technique #5: Take A Deep Breath
Breathe slowly and deeply. Our bodies need an optimal balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide or CO2. Too much CO2 and we’re worried, troubled, agitated and exhausted. Our brains aren’t obtaining enough oxygen to perform at their best. Deep breathing will rejuvenate your system. Go outside and breathe in some fresh air. Sending oxygen to your brain is guaranteed to refresh and improve it.
Clear Thinking Technique #6: Forget Cocktail Hour
Scientists debate whether injury is done to the brain whenever we drink alcoholic beverage. However, when watching a drunk with slurred speech, clumsiness, slow reflexes, and a loss of inhibition, it’s very obvious that alcoholic beverage affects the brain in some way. Presently, researchers think that the cells of the brain aren’t destroyed but that alcohol certainly hurts the dendrites of the brain, the branch-like endings of the brain cells whose obligation is to deliver messages inside the cell. This interrupts brain function.
Clear Thinking Technique #7: Consider a “Brain Dump”
Most of us own cluttered minds. That is, we are busily engaged in thinking of a multitude of different “mind irritations” and we resemble honey bees, forever flitting from flower to flower or thought to thought.
A long time ago I was exposed to the idea of a “brain dump”, which is simply taping or writing down every possible item that’s on your mind. Don’t hurry this process. All you need do is get down everything – everything! – that’s on your mind. Don’t try out to rush the process and don’t try out to ‘do’ anything with the items on your list.
Carry a notebook everywhere you are until you’re pretty positive that you’ve transcribed everything that is on your mind, no matter how trivial. Once you feel like your list is complete, organize your list into categories and start taking whatever action is necessary to get rid of each distraction.
The key for effectiveness is consistency. If you have a 98-item-long list, you don’t need to cross off all 98 in the first ten minutes. Merely mark off each item on your list as you take care of it, and relieve the mind clutter. You will be incredibly relieved! And it’s a good habit to continue with an ongoing list to forestall future brain clutter.
Clear Thinking Technique #8: Don’t Allow Your Surroundings To Be In Control
Organize your space. Yes, there are a few unusual mortals who thrive in clutter, mess and disorder. But most of us don’t and the sight of accumulated papers, pens, cups, folders and books covering every surface is mentally discouraging and draining. That kind of mess bubbles over from our cars, to the kitchen table where we eat our meals, to our jumbled closets and bedrooms. Just facing such a mess can seem to be overwhelming so, again, a list is your best ally. Record what must be done in each space and set aside just five minutes per day to deal with just one moderate mess. That five minutes can, and almost certainly will, expand without really trying and you will feel a sense of achievement and psychological relief when your mountain of clutter is conquered.
Clear Thinking Technique #9: Don’t Obsess
Virtually all of the decisions in our lives are quite minor – yet they can make us nuts. First, we agonize over what to do and then we agonize over whether we’ve made the “right” decision. Yes, there are a few life-changing decisions that require reflection but in general simply make your decision quickly – and forget about it.
Clear Thinking Technique #10: A Brain Booster From The Ancients
Nothing is better for your mind and brain than meditation. Most of us wander through life oblivious to our surroundings because we’re listening intently to the dialogue in our own brain. It’s as though there’s a collection of people living in our minds and they’re forever gabbing away while we listen and even argue with them! As Eckhart Tolle so beautifully points out in ‘The Power Of Now’, living in the moment, the present moment, is the only place to be. Meditation is the most potent antidote to our fragmentation. Just a few minutes of silence will quiet the mind and create strong, fresh brain patterns.
If you want more moments of clear thinking in your life, these ideas will will make dramatic change possible. Good news: you don’t need to use all of them to acquire an increased supply of brainpower. Any one will help you to think clearly while the power of all of them together can be incredible.
And here’s some more good news: you don’t have to take our word for any of this. If you are greedy for more wonderful creativity, find out for yourself.
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