So often as we become adults, we behave as if we have learned everything there is to learn. But the most successful people in the world are always educating themselves and focusing on of self-improvement. I know if you’re like me, you don’t have a ton of spare time, and just the thought of one more thing to do is daunting and overwhelming, so here are five quick, simple ways to make yourself smarter in just an hour each day.
1. Read the news. Pick a series of topics or pick one different topic each day and read for just 15 minutes! You could choose to read about health topics on Monday, or finance and money on Tuesday – or you could just read whatever is educational from your favorite news source and read a little bit of everything. Just take a few minutes and read what’s new and noteworthy!
2. Talk to someone who’s smarter than you! You’ve likely heard that you become the most like the 5 people you hang out with every day! So, if you make an effort to sit and chat for 10 minutes with someone who is smarter or more accomplished than you are, you will often automatically be speaking about things that will improve your knowledge base or experience.
3. Set aside 10 minutes each day just to sit quietly and relax. Have you ever found that your your most creative and productive ideas come from your time of silence? Just getting 10 to 15 minutes quietly in the shower for me is a great opportunity for me to relax without my phone ringing or someone wanting something from me! So, step into the shower – turn on the hot water and enjoy the silence!
4. Turn off your TV and go for a 15 minute walk. Much like the quiet time of a shower, walking around will help you clear your mind, get your blood pumping, and increase your creativity and memory!
5. Make a To Do List and an I’ve Done list. We often get so busy that we waste a lot of our time each day trying to decide what to do next. If you spend 10 minutes each day making your to do list and prioritizing what needs to get done that day, you’ll waste less time get more done, and feel more productive. And if you spend just a few minutes at the end of the day celebrating the things you have accomplished, you will feel more motivated and excited to start the next day.
We want to move forward and feel like we are making progress. So with these five steps and a total of just one hour – you will find that you have learned new things, expanded your knowledge, and finished the day feeling more productive and accomplished!
