7 Habits of Highly Effective Brains

The United States Senate has engaged me to deliver a professional development workshop to the Senate staff later this month. This article is a brief overview of that planned presentation.

Recent research of the human brain has surprised the neuroscience community by revealing that our brains can change, and be improved, at any age in our life cycle. By developing simple habits, you can help ensure that your brain remains healthy and operating with improved efficiency for the rest of your life. People of any age can benefit from developing these 7 simple habits – listed in order of importance with the 7^th habit being the most valuable:

1. Have a Nutritious Diet. Eat a low glycemic diet with lots of nutrients. Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been shown to support brain health in countless studies. By the way, surprisingly blueberries are also an excellent food for your brain.
2. Focus Sequentially – Don’t Multitask. John Medina, author of Brain Rules, calculates that a person attempting to multitask takes up to 50% longer and makes up to 50% more mistakes that the person performing tasks sequentially!

Be Physically Active. You don’t need to be overly athletic for your brain to benefit. Studies show that 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking, three times a week is all you need to confer a wealth of benefits to your brain. In addition, such simple changes in lifestyle as taking the stairs at work, instead of the elevator, can help your brain stay healthy.

1. Participate Socially. People who are active socially tend to experience far less mental decline than people who are socially isolated. So look up an old friend, or get together with that aunt or uncle you haven’t spoken to in some time.

Sleep Well – And Long Enough. If you’ve been awake for 17 hours straight your performance is equivalent to having a blood alcohol-level of 0.05%! A sleep-deprived brain works harder, but accomplishes much less than a rested brain.

Challenge Yourself Mentally. When you learn new things, or even think new thoughts, your brain restructures itself. The more you exercise your brain, the better it performs. To really super charge your brain, take a class in a new language, or in computer programming, or practice learning a musical instrument.

1. Have a Positive Attitude – And Laugh Often. Attitude changes everything, including your brain. Research shows people who maintain a positive outlook on life are better equipped to cope with even serious brain disorders. Accept what you have, let go of anger and resentment, and move towards joy.

By making these 7 habits part of your daily routine, you’re taking steps to ensure that your brain stays healthy and efficient for a lifetime.

About the author: Jonathan Jordan, a member of the prestigious Society for Neuroscience, is an entrepreneur, Certified Business & Executive Coach and international speaker.  You can contact him through International Computer Negotiations, Inc at 407-740-0700 or via e-mail at Jonathan@MindfullyChange.com or via phone at (321) 214-5824. For more information visit http://www.MindfullyChange.com