| Do you want a quick brain boost? And do you want a | | | | home is the HIIT or high intensity interval training model. |
| longer term brain boost? Probably both, and we now | | | | Don't let the acronym scare you. HIIT means that you |
| know a great deal about how to do both. | | | | do 30 second intervals of exercises you choose, like |
| I have resorted to milk chocolate over the decades of | | | | your grade school calisthenics for example, for 10 |
| my life to help my flagging attention in the afternoon, | | | | minutes. Or if you are walking around the block you |
| especially after those meat loaf and mashed potato | | | | speed it up so that you are breathing deeply enough to |
| lunches I used to have as a kid in grade school. | | | | make talking and breathing difficult. |
| But what we really need is simply a change in attention | | | | Evans and Burghardt call that increasing your physical |
| or attentional style, and there are many ways to do | | | | activity, and perhaps you move eventually to |
| that. | | | | something a little more formal like going to the YMCA |
| Daydreaming is a natural tool that we use to refresh | | | | and doing a physical workout. |
| our neurochemistry. | | | | If you want to take a look at a model of HIIT that can |
| However that tool may not always get affirmed in the | | | | be done at home, here is one that I recommend. After |
| class room or the board room, but heart rate variability | | | | you finish your chocolate and your workout, you will |
| biofeedback,for example, or a quick brain boost using a | | | | need to attend to nutrition, a very important aspect of |
| computerized brain fitness program will fill the bill quite | | | | brain boosting, including getting your omega 3 fatty |
| nicely, switching my attentional style and refreshing my | | | | acid. |
| neurons at the same time. A walk or a quick workout, | | | | Evans and Burghardt make some recommendations |
| even in my office, could accomplish the same thing. | | | | about sleep and stress management also, but the last |
| Your supervisor will not mind your having an exercise | | | | pillar of brain fitness is one that I think offers a |
| ball in the office if your productivity increases, right? | | | | wonderful range of brain boosting opportunity, and that |
| Nobody knew too long ago that we humans grew | | | | is the novel learning experience. |
| new neurons every day if we took care of the pillars | | | | That is where you get to try out some computerized |
| of brain fitness, and nobody knew how plastic the | | | | tools which are challenging, efficient, and have some |
| human brain was, which means how quickly and | | | | research behind them |
| efficiently the brain creates new connections between | | | | Some are computerized but not online. You buy them |
| neurons when something new is learned. | | | | and download them, and they complement your other |
| So the best way to boost your brain is to find ways to | | | | brain boosting activities perfectly. Others are online, and |
| attend to the pillars of brain fitness while you are | | | | you can keep them booted up and switch over to |
| involved in your daily routine. | | | | them for a few minutes of brain boosting between |
| The pillars, and if you want an excellent resource to | | | | clients or calls. |
| discover information about the pillars of brain fitness, | | | | As a result of attending to the pillars of brain fitness, |
| then please read Brainfit for Life by Simon Evans, Ph.D. | | | | you keep growing new brain cells and increasing |
| and Paul Burghardt, Ph.D. | | | | neuroplasticity. |
| The most important brain booster is exercise, and the | | | | Not sure about you, but I thing brain boosting, especially |
| good news is you do not need to join an expensive | | | | because it is so easy to include in your daily routine, |
| club or buy expensive outfits to provide your brain | | | | ought to be mandatory. |
| what it needs in this regard. | | | | I bet you even know some folks who you could gift |
| A wonderful model for exercise that you can do at | | | | the brain fitness tools to, because the need is so great. |