Our brains and the way they work are so fascinating, but often we know almost nothing about them. There are over 100 billion neurons in your head, and each of them controls a different part of your body.
While we can't always control what's going on, there are ways we can optimize our brains to make sure we're using them in the most effective way possible.
1. Hand-Write Your Notes
It's been scientifically proven that hand-writing your notes is a more effective way of learning than using your laptop. Students who write their notes out have a deeper understanding of the material. This is because writing is much slower than typing, so students have to listen more carefully to catch what is really important, whereas on a computer you can more likely jot down more information in a quicker time frame, not really listening to what's happening.
2. High Expectations, High Results
Known as the Rosenthal Effect, it's proven that students with higher chances of success were encouraged more by teachers than those with a lower chance of succeeding. It's almost a fake-it-till-you-make-it scenario. Tell yourself and others that you are going to succeed and they will push you harder to do so.
3. Think In Another Language
The University of Chicago conducted a study, looking at the effect of thinking in another language on a person's decision making skills. They found that thinking in another language leads us to more rational decisions, because we focus on the words and not the emotions we are associating with the situation. So if you know French, Spanish, or anything else, you should use it to make any big decisions!
4. Something Blue
If you're trying to lose some weight, try adding something blue to each of your meals. It's proved that we don't have any appetite response to blue, meaning it won't make you any more hungry and is considered an appetite suppressant.
5. Talk To Yourself
According to an experiment through Bangor University, talking to yourself is normal, healthy, and a great way to help yourself concentrate. It can also help improve importance of a certain task.
6. Accept the Negativity
We tend to hide our negative emotions deep down, assuming that accepting negative emotions like anger and resentment will be bad for our overall mental health. In fact, a study conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, shows that accepting negative emotions actually leads to positive effects on your mental health. It can help you become more emotionally resilient and maintain our peace of mind.
7. Improve Your Self-Control
Impulsive actions are part of every day life. Slouching, writing with our dominant hand, and swearing are all impulsive actions we don't really control. However, you can improve your overall self-control by altering it small ways every day. When you catch yourself slouching, sit up. When you reach to write with your dominant hand, try writing with your other one. The small changes will become habit and you will be able to improve your self-control.
8. Strict Parents Breed Liars
Though you may think that being strict with your kids is a way to raise them properly, studies show that kids who grow up in strict households are more likely to become compulsive liars. According to Victoria Talwar, a renowned expert on children's social-cognitive development, when children are subjected to inevitable punishment, they began learning how to lie to avoid it.
9. Help Me Help You
You may think that the best way to get someone to like you is by doing them a favor, but in fact it's the exact opposite. It's been proven that asking someone for a favor actually makes them like you more, because it indicates both trust and the desire to become friendly.
10. Don't Force Happiness
Feeling like you must be happy doesn't help your mood at all. Researchers at UC Berkeley proved that feeling bad about feeling bad, actually makes us feel worse. "We found that people who habitually accept their negative emotions experience fewer negative emotions, which adds up to better psychological health."
Did you know any of these facts? Let us know!