1. Meditate

Ironically, keeping you from having a clear mind is sometimes all the swirling thoughts floating around in it. An excellent way to clear up those messy thoughts is to practice meditation. While you will start seeing the benefits of meditation immediately, you will get the most out of it by practicing it regularly. A meditation session doesn't take hours, either. You can meditate anywhere and in any position for as little as five minutes and still see improved mental agility. A simple meditation to start with is called quiet mind meditation. You can easily find full tutorials and guided sessions online, but in short, it's a 5-20 minute quiet session where you focus on your breath and let all thoughts slide off your awareness like water off a pane of glass. There are other meditation methods, but all are extremely helpful when training your brain for better performance. 

2. Unplug 

Not letting the hustle and bustle of life interfere with our mental processes is a difficult task at best. More often than not, this difficulty is compounded by the overuse of electronics. An excellent way to train your brain is to exercise self control and put down the electronics and unplug for a while. Removing the distraction of scrolling through social media, news, and games, while challenging at first, will lead to a clearer mind ready for creativity and productivity. When you feel like you are getting proficient at resisting the screen, try adding it back in as a reward, but don't overdo it! What do you do during unplug time? A few things come to mind. Try reading a paper book or magazine. Go for a walk or tend the garden. Unplugging will help reset your brain to be more productive. 

3. Learn a New Skill

Nothing hones the mind like learning something new. When your brain gets stuck in a rut of the same old skill or routine, the neurons get locked into their own pattern as well. Break the cycle and refresh your brain by learning a new skill. Motor skills like sewing, knitting, drawing, or cooking are excellent ways to add new and interesting information to your mental repertoire. Mental skills are important too. There are many free programs out there that let you learn a new language. Or try doing the weekly crossword or sudoku in the paper. Pretty soon, your brain will be doing amazing acrobatics from the fresh skills. 

4. Work Your Body

The brain is an organ and the most important part of your body. Its source of food is oxygen and blood flow. If you don't get enough exercise, you are depriving your brain of the stuff it needs. Make a point to get out and move. A regular exercise routine will promote blood flow and oxygen to your brain, giving you a mental edge you may not have had before. A quick walk around the block suffices or, better yet, go for a jog with the dog or try some yoga. 

Your brain is often an overlooked part of your physical health. Keeping it in shape and limber is just as important and maintaining healthy body weight. So don't be afraid to work it out to keep it sharp!

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