Terry Small posted the following about how learning and challenging our brain is most effective for us by learning something new every day.
1. Seek Novelty.
Seek out new activities, experiences, and information. Learn an instrument. Take an art class. Go to a museum. Learn a new subject, language, technic. When you expose yourself to new things, you create new neural connections that build on each other and create an optimal environment for learning.
2. Challenge Yourself.
Efficiency hinders cognitive growth. As soon as you start to become proficient in a subject or activity, move on to the next one. Always be challenged by what you are doing. This keeps your brain constantly making new neural connections, creating an optimal environment for learning.
3. Think Creatively.
Engage both your left and right hemispheres. Think across a wide range of subjects. Make connections between remote ideas. Alternate between conventional and unconventional thinking. Look for orthodox solutions.
4. Do Things The Hard Way.
Your brain needs exercise just like your body. Technology can weaken your cognitive abilities if relied on too much. Use your memory instead of GPS. Use your spelling skills stead of reaching for the calculator.
5. Network.
Exposing yourself to a variety of people gives you opportunities to see problems from a new perspective, or offer insights in ways that you hadn’t thought of before. This helps you to think in new and different ways.
