Three Mind Power Secrets

There are hundreds of ways to improve your mind power. Some have to do with the mind-body connection, some with what you eat, and some with how you train yourself to think. Here is an example of each.

Posture And Mind Power

Your posture affects your thinking process. You can easily prove this to yourself with a simple experiment. Start by sitting in any chair. Then slouch, letting your head hang down and looking at the floor. Now let your mouth hang open. Now, try doing math in your head. Add large numbers or multiply two-digit numbers - just do whatever math you can normally do with some difficulty in your mind.

Now for part two. Sit up straight, keep your mouth closed and look forward or slightly upwards. Try that mental math again. You'll notice that it's easier to think with this better posture. Keep this in mind. Whenever you feel that brain fog coming, just sit up straight and close your mouth.

Watch That Glycemic Index

Diabetics know about the "glycemic index," which rates foods according to how slowly the carbohydrates are released into the system. Slower is better, both for diabetics and for those who want to avoid "brain fog" and think more clearly. Foods that slowly release sugars into your system (and have a low index rating) include beans, whole grains, apples, and salads.

There are other factors involved in how some of these foods affect your brain in the short-term. Beans cause drowsiness in some people for example. However, in general, any foods that are rated high on the glycemic index are likely to cause "brain fog." If you really want to test this, eat a large piece of sugary pie on an empty stomach, and see how your mind feels fifteen minutes later.

Train Your Brain

To develop greater mind power long-term, train yourself to think in certain useful ways. For example, for more insightful analysis, you can train yourself to challenge assumptions. This is one of the most powerful problem-solving techniques.

Suppose you want ways to get customers into your store? Ask, "Do I really need more customers?" An assumption-challenging question like this suggests other creative solutions, like finding ways to make more money off existing customers, or ways to cut expenses. Maybe these will lead to more profitable ideas. Challenging assumptions increases the creativity of your solutions.

Do this with a given technique for several weeks. Carry a card that reminds you to think a certain way or use a certain technique. Three weeks seems to be the amount of time it takes to make something into a well-established habit, and habitually thinking in better ways is the most effective ways to exercise greater mind power.

Copyright Steve Gillman.

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