As a leader, you need to be sharp in your thinking and actions. You know you can flex your muscles to make a difference in your body’s fitness, but did you know that you can exercise your mental muscles and gain a better memory and more brain power?
When you flex your mental muscles the brain creates neuro pathways to the brain. It’s amazing that we can actually create new neurons – out thoughts, i.e. neurogenesis. But to keep them strong, i.e. neuroplasticity – you need to create new patterns and ways of thinking.
This can be done by exercising your brain. Some exercises and activities can effectively work the brain in five main cognitive area functions. If you can perform these exercises on a daily basis you can train your mind to become fit and active and your memory recall will increase.
The brain contains the following areas of cognitive recognition:
- Language – This part of our brains is devoted to remembering, understanding and being able to identify words. You can challenge this area of your brain by practicing new languages, increasing your grammatical skills and increasing your vocabulary. Writing is a great way to embed your thoughts and experiences.
- Attention Span – It’s difficult to focus on something if you’re a multi-tasker. Noises and other distractions can also inhibit your ability to focus your attention. You can help your attention span part of your brain by changing the way you do things. Changing your route to work or any type of routine can awaken your brain and help it pay attention when needed. Mindfulness is a great way to place focus on the small details to calm the brain and refocus the way you do and see your situations.
- Memories – As we age, the memory area of your brain can deteriorate. Sometimes, that’s because of dementia or Alzheimer’s but, most often, we simply need to increase our cognitive activities. That includes mental calculations, reasoning powers and reading to remember. Games you play, such as crossword or jigsaw puzzles can boost a chemical in your brain called “acetylcholine” which boosts your brain memory skills. A great way to keep your neurons strong is to do a new activity, such as using your nondominant hand or doing the reverse of a task done repetitively.
- Executive Function – The part of your brain known as the executive function performs the tasks of helping your logic and reasoning powers. Executive functioning helps you develop strategies to reach goals and other major decisions in your life. Video games (in moderation) are great stimulation for this area of your brain and social interaction can also help. Another great way is to learn a new skill, such as a playing a musical instrument or learning chess.
- Visual-Spatial Skills – Since we live in a three-dimensional world, filled with color and visuals, we must be able to analyze them in order to function without our various environments. Visual-spatial skills are developed by observing what you see in front of your eyes and within your peripheral vision. To develop these skills, look at a picture, turn it over and then write down every object you saw in the picture. It’s a good exercise to help you focus on what’s around you. Another great way – which is fun – is to build Lego’s (which also helps with dexterity).
Just as you would exercise all your body muscle to gain overall fitness – so you need to stimulate these five areas of the brain to remain mentally sharp and active. Engage your team in these activities, as well, to keep their neuroplasticity sharp while building team rapport.
“The mind is just like a muscle – the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets and the more it can expand.” — Goodreads