10 out-of-the-box ways to supercharge your brain health: Practice polymathy, mind palaces and more

Did you know that some of the world’s greatest minds, like Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and William Shakespeare, used simple habits to unlock their full potential? These geniuses weren’t just born brilliant; they cultivated routines that fuelled their creativity, problem-solving, and memory. With a few small changes, you too can boost your brainpower and think like a genius.

Here are 10 unique practices that you can introduce into your life and keep your brain healthy and focused:

Practice polymathy: Just like Leonardo da Vinci, who was a painter, engineer, scientist, and inventor, and William Shakespeare, who excelled as a playwright, poet, actor, and businessman, cultivate a broad range of interests. Try exploring unrelated fields simultaneously, such as learning to paint while also studying coding or engineering. Polymathy improves creativity, builds new neural connections, and helps you to approach problems from diverse perspectives.

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Daydream: Schedule intentional daydreaming sessions. Even geniuses like Einstein used imaginative thought to work through complex problems. Allow your mind to drift, unburdened by tasks, and let creativity flow freely. Daydreaming sparks innovation, helping you make connections and think beyond the conventional.

Switch hands for daily tasks: Perform activities like brushing your teeth, eating, or writing with your non-dominant hand. This seemingly simple habit activates underused areas of your brain, promotes neural growth, and strengthens cognitive flexibility over time.

Use mind palaces: Picture information stored in vivid, imaginary location, technique is called the mind palace. It is used by memory champions. Assign details to rooms or objects in your visualised space. Practicing this boosts your memory, spatial awareness, and ability to process complex data.

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Engage in micro-meditations: Pause for 30 seconds to take three deep breaths before meetings, during stressful moments, or after challenging tasks. Micro-meditations are an effective way to calm your nervous system, reduce cortisol levels, and regain mental clarity, even in high-pressure situations.

Divide and rule: Tackle complex subjects or goals by dividing them into smaller, manageable challenges or levels. Reward yourself after completing each step, whether with a treat, a short break, or acknowledgment of your effort. This approach sustains motivation and makes overwhelming tasks approachable.

The 10 ideas a day habit: Write down 10 random ideas daily, regardless of how unconventional or impractical they may seem. This exercise strengthens your brain’s creative muscle, improves ideation skills, and trains you to find innovative solutions to everyday problems.

Mental snapshots: Take mental photographs of your surroundings. Pause to observe intricate details; a tree’s texture, the design of a building, or the subtle hues of the sky. This habit promotes mindfulness, improves memory retention, and makes you more attuned to the world around you.

Reframe failures: Instead of dwelling on setbacks, treat them as learning experiments. Geniuses like Thomas Edison reframed thousands of failed attempts as steps toward invention. Adopting this mindset improves resilience, rewires the brain for growth, and fosters problem-solving abilities.

Change small workplace settings: Switch up your workspace periodically, rearrange your desk, try working near natural light, or add inspiring elements like art or plants. Small adjustments create novelty, stimulating your brain and boosting creativity in your daily tasks.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.