5 Random Things You Do That Actually Strengthen Your Mind
When you’re trying to be productive, sometimes focusing on the task at hand seems like the only thing that matters. Taking a break to do some random little activity is frowned upon. But a lot of the little things we do everyday actually help us stay focused, strengthen our brains, and help us relax. Here are five random things you probably already do that can help strengthen your mind.
1. Doodling
Doodling is often something you do when you’re bored,like when you tune out a long lecture in order to scribble cartoons on a piece of paper.
But in a study where people were asked to remember a list of boring information, the group that was also asked to doodle recalled 29% more information. While researchers are still not sure why doodling helps, the theory is that doodling keeps your mind just active enough that you don’t completely tune everything out. Instead of falling asleep or spacing out, doodling keeps your brain active and alert. So next time you catch yourself drifting off during a boring meeting, try doodling to keep yourself awake.
2. Listening to Music
Listening to music is often something we do in the background, just to add a soundtrack to an otherwise mundane task. Often music isn’t allowed during tests or at work because it’s believed to be distracting. But in some cases it can actually help you do tasks better.
A study found that software designers who listened to music completed their work faster and had better results than those who didn’t have music. Music seems to aid in productivity, but only if it’s music you actually like. People in the study who were forced to listen to music they didn’t choose were more distracted. It’s thought that this is because listening to music you like puts you in a good mood, which boosts productivity, while being forced to listen to a song you hate can have the opposite effect. So bring your headphones to work, but not your speaker.
3. Playing Video Games
Video games are popular with kids,which means that you often hear people complaining about how they “rot your brain”. But could the opposite actually be true?
A study found that people who played Super Mario 64 showed an increase in grey matter compared to people who didn’t. This growth was in the areas responsible for navigation, planning, memory, and motor skills. This suggests that video games could actually be used to train these brain regions and help people with certain mental disorders. Also, the people who wanted to play the game the most had the most pronounced brain growth, so playing your favorite game has its benefits.
4. Watching Fish
Watching fish swim around in an aquarium seems like a mindless activity, but it can actually help you calm down and improve your mood.
In a study, people viewed an aquarium tank without any fish, and then with increasing amounts of fish in it. They found that the more fish people saw in the tank, the more their heart rates dropped and their mood improved. This suggests that viewing fish makes people more relaxed.This is backed up by other studies that showed viewing a fish tank before going to the dentist helped relax patients, and that elderly people with fish tanks in their home had lower blood pressure levels.
Why is this? It’s theorized that seeing natural environments helps calm people down because of an evolutionary predisposition to feel comfortable in rich natural environments. A fish tank acts like a small piece of nature brought indoors, allowing people who can’t get out in nature to still enjoy it’s calming effects.
5. Chewing Gum
Chewing gum is often seen as a sign that someone isn’t paying attention, but studies have shown that chewing gum actually helps improve concentration.
In one study, the people who chewed gum solved a number puzzle faster and more accurately than the people who didn’t. The people who didn’t have gum did better at first, but got worse as the test went on, suggesting that chewing gum helps people stay focused on tasks over a long period of time. Similar to doodling, it seems chewing gum helps people stay alert and awake when they would normally start spacing out.
These five activities can help you strengthen your mind. Some of them help by keeping your brain focused when you would otherwise get distracted. The others help by keeping you in a good mood, which makes it easier to solve problems and apply yourself. Sometimes little things that seem pointless actually have hidden benefits. Thank you for reading this article!
