Brain training doesn’t have to be hard work. Here are 10 ways to exercise your brain while you chill out.

We’re always told that you need to work hard to be intelligent and that it’s important to keep learning at every step. This can all seem like a constant struggle, so what if you could relax and still become more intelligent? Wouldn’t that be great? Well, it’s not as difficult as you might have imagined. Here are some simple tips that you can use in your everyday life which could make you more intelligent with minimal effort.

10. Wake Up with a Glass of Water

Image: Free Stock Photos/CDC/Amanda Mills

Drinking a glass of water in the morning, and staying hydrated, is known to provide a great deal of benefits. These range from having a healthier stomach to improving the speed at which your brain responds.

9. Engage in Meaningful Debates and Discussions With Others

Talking over the big topics keeps you up to date and gives you an insight into the views of others, but it also improves your powers of argument and of logical thought.

8. Go for a Swift Walk in the Open Air

Fresh air will not only clear your head, it will also help you feel rejuvenated. Because as well as giving you a light workout, it will help you manage your thoughts and ideas, thereby increasing your efficiency and productivity.

7. Try to be Around People who are Cleverer Than You

Spending time with people who are smarter than you may make you envious but it has more upsides than downsides. Not only will you get a more intellectual outlook on life, but it will also give you a broader view of the world.

6. Have a Break and Drink a Cup of Green Tea

Taking a time out is just as important as putting in the long, hard hours. So the next time you take a break, go for a cup of green tea. Doing so is known to bolster your concentration levels, along with other health benefits.

5. Instead of Watching TV, Pick Up a Book!

There’s no doubt that watching TV is fun, but reading a good book is a better option any day. Not only are their stories richer but they are also more descriptive, which is thought to develop your creativity and imagination.

4. Play Computer Games

Even though a lot of people will advise against doing this, computer games, which empower you as an armchair general, are known to improve one’s grasp of processes and strategies. Having said that, you shouldn’t start spending hours and hours on it!

3. Start Writing Down Your Thoughts

This will help you in more than one way. Not only will you be able to recollect your thoughts whenever required, you will also develop your creative side by gaining a better access to your inner world.

2. Take a Siesta During the Day

Your brain can function continuously for long periods, but do not take it for granted and remember that sometimes it needs a reboot. A power nap can be a great way to achieve this and it often comes with the benefit of boosting your concentration levels and getting you refocused.

1. Watch Movies in Their Original Language

Without a doubt there’s nothing that can beat the original flick. Not only are movies better for being watched in their own language, but doing so also helps you to improve your mental agility and your grasp of foreign languages. Who wouldn’t want to be a linguistic ninja, after all?