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Amp Up Your BrainImage:brain amp.jpg

Ancient Greek bards recited 10,000-line poems by heart. Their secret? The Methodof Loci. Here s how it works: To remember, say, a shopping list, imagine walking

to the store. Use items on your list to construct incongruous visual images along the way a carton of milk perched atop a mailbox, bananas growing on a rosebush, and so on. Then, when you arrive at the store, mentally retrace your imaginedsteps to retrieve all the items on your list.

Contents [hide]1 Read better, faster2 Think out loud3 Brain age!4 Sleep well5 Eat well6 Exercise7 Downtime8 Socialization9 Fear is the mind killerRead better, faster

Speed-reading courses preach a form of skimming that doesn t help comprehension orretention. The best way to pump up the pace is to read a lot for pleasure. In a

2001 study, subjects who read assigned texts increased their speed an average of 18 percent and comprehension by 11 percent. Those who read texts of their ownchoosing improved speed by 87 percent and comprehension by 33 percent.

Think out loud

Ever notice how kids narrate what they're doing? ( Just one more Lego and my fortress is complete! ) In the book Mind Hacks, Tom Stafford and Matt Webb call this "self-instruction." According to a University of Maryland researcher, language helps us process multiple strands of information more efficiently. So go ahead, talk to yourself and ignore the funny looks you get. Your results will speak for themselves.

Brain age!

Drop $150 on a Nintendo DS and the Brain Age gamepak. It is universally fun andchallenging, and it works. There are several exercises that improve a range of cognitive functions. Some may argue that it only makes you better at the games themselves and not real-world brain function. However playing the game (and working to improve your age) is also a great IQ confidence booster. Confidence alone may be enough for some to perform at "amped" levels.

Sleep well

7 hours a day. Keep a regular schedule, even on weekends--this is important foryour body's natural rhythm.

Eat well

Balanced meals, veggies and protein and carbs, minimize the alcohol and sugar and artificial additives. Don't skip breakfast (but it can be light). Eat dinner no less than 3 hours before bed. Eat slowly and only as much as you need. Carbohydrates tend to increase the "calmness" neurotransmitter serotonin. Proteins tendto increase the "alertness" neurotransmitter dopamine. Different cultures have

their own models of how food affects our mental state,such as yin/yang foods(Chinese)or tamasic/rajasic/sattvic foods (Indian).

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Exercise

That word sounds like "hit the gym" to me, which I'm not into, so you can also think of it as "physical activity." Even just walking for 20 or 30 minutes a day,consistently, does wonder. Walking around your neighborhood helps keep you conn

ected to your neighbors and surroundings too. Doubt me? Try it. Yoga if you're adventurous, it's great for both mind and body. Just be careful when doing thingslike driving after exercising hard,many chemicals,particularly nerve growth fac

tors are released;and the body and mind are in a semi-resting state similar to the dozes young children have while their nervous systems are rewiring after exploration/play/learning.Downtime

Take breaks at work -- it's OK! Your brain needs breaks. Minimize the sensory distractions in your life. Don't watch TV for four hours; pick just one show and Tivo it or watch it online, or just watch a DVD movie. Cancel cable if you're brave. Fill up that time with reading, exercise, socializing instead. It's worth it.

Socialization

Be open and relaxed. Don't rush through your day so fast that you fail to recognize the other nice people you're interacting with, even the cashiers or the person you open a door for. Give a little of yourself. Smile. In turn, make somebody

else smile. Builds self confidence which in turn builds happiness which in turnbuilds productivity in all areas of your life.

Fear is the mind killer

See challenges, not problems. Recognize when you're emotionally blocking yourself from productive action and sidestep the block. Got a complaint? Don't whine, just take action; don't wait for someone else to take care of it. Your brain willget used to this way of thinking and people will recognize your initiative and

sense of ownership and reward you for it.