It is impossible to become smarter overnight. Being smart is a way of life, a constant search and overcoming oneself. This is a rather difficult, but at the same time pleasant path. And you can choose how to start it.
1. Exercise regularly
This improves blood flow and oxygenates the brain, and good physical condition contributes to good mental health. Choose a program that is comfortable for your age and physical abilities. The main thing here is regularity.
2. Make sure you get enough sleep
Numerous studies have shown that lack of sleep reduces concentration, short-term and long-term memory, problem-solving speed, visual and hearing acuity, and slows down reactions. Especially to maintain good mental health The right combination of deep and REM sleep is important. Here again, physical exercises from Lifehacker will help you.
3. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Your brain needs a certain amount of nutrients to function optimally. Diversify your usual menu to get enough vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates. You don't have to buy nutritional supplements for this! We wrote earlier.
4. If you smoke, stop!
5. Reduce your alcohol intake
Drinking alcohol in small quantities, especially when combined with socializing, may be beneficial for some brain functions. But excessive consumption can lead to acute and chronic impairment of its activity and cause irreversible cognitive impairment.
6. Learn new things regularly
Learn something new, for example foreign languages, playing musical instruments. Learn something you've been wanting to try for a long time! This promotes brain plasticity and flexibility. Studying math is an excellent exercise in logic and abstract thinking, and also improves concentration, mental stamina and is guaranteed to raise your IQ by several points. Use to learn something new.
7. Maintain friendships with smart and educated people
Make regular meetings with them and discuss a wide range of issues - complex intellectual discussions will give you new ideas and perspectives. You will understand how they think and express themselves smart people and what you might need to change about yourself.
If you are the most clever man in the room, then you are not in the room where you should be.
Alexander Zhurba, businessman and venture investor
8. Read at least one serious book a week and diversify your reading
This will improve your vocabulary and verbal intelligence, as well as enhance your knowledge and speaking repertoire. There must be reading!
9. Play challenging computer games
Shooters and racing in best case scenario develop reaction speed, but do not provide you with mental stimulation. Choose a game that involves complex rules, strategy, and requires certain mental skills. Such are, for example, the puzzle games Braid and Portal.
In multiplayer online games, perhaps Eve-online has the highest barrier to entry.
10. Let go of limiting beliefs about your own intelligence.
Many truly qualified people tend to underestimate their abilities and suffer from a lack of self-confidence. Often the opinions of parents, overly critical (or even incompetent) teachers matter more than the stubborn facts of your success. Believe in yourself and start living a full life!
Intellectually developed, smart individuals have always been at a high price. A person characterized by a good store of knowledge in various fields has an advantage over other people, which leads to success in professional activities. It is necessary to distinguish developed intelligence and erudition. After all, you can know a lot of fascinating information, but not be able to analyze, compare, or think logically. Today, there are many ways to develop intelligence that can be used from a very early age.
Child's intelligence
Knowing that the human psyche is the ability to perceive the world around us in a certain way and react to it, it is not difficult to understand what intelligence is. - quality of the psyche, covering all aspects of human activity: mental, emotional, and physical. It is the ability to adapt to a variety of situations based on one's level of development. In other words, a well-developed intellect is synonymous with a harmoniously developed personality, a combination of wealth inner world with physical development.
“Did you know that the development of a child’s intellectual abilities is an integral part of harmonious development, which includes spiritual and physical education?”
Many parents will ask the question: why develop a child’s intelligence? The answer is obvious: in order for the child to become able to learn quickly, easily and effectively, to successfully use acquired knowledge, to make discoveries in the future, or to learn to do something that others cannot. Therefore, attention should be paid to the development of intelligence from early childhood.
Stages of intelligence development
First of all, the level of intelligence (intelligence quotient, IQ) is manifested in the child’s thinking ability. Thinking is directly related to physical activity. By moving, crawling, running, stomping through puddles or playing in the sand, the baby learns about the reality around him, developing his brain. It is in this regard that one should not limit the baby’s motor activity, allowing him to independently explore the world. Prohibitions and restrictions inhibit the baby’s brain activity.
Younger schoolchildren will develop intellectually by playing board or computer games. logic games. Play is a great way to organize learning about anything. Agree, it is much better when the development of intellectual abilities takes place in an unobtrusive environment.
Even more interesting is how to intellectually develop teenagers. The school curriculum becomes more complex year after year, and therefore the first exams can become a real test for students with intellectual difficulties. Adolescence characterized by changes in the physical and mental spheres, as well as some decrease cognitive interest. This is where parents need to think carefully about how to stimulate the intellectual development of teenagers, not just by forcing them to read more.
Factors of intellectual development
"Did you know that breast-feeding activates the baby’s mental development?”
The mental development of a child depends on certain factors:
1. Genetic factors. This refers to the one that a child receives from his parents at birth. The level, quality and direction greatly depend on these factors. intellectual development child.
2. Factors that arise during the mother's pregnancy. The kind of lifestyle a pregnant woman had affects the mental development of the child. For example, mental retardation of the unborn child can be affected by:
- malnutrition
- lack of iodine in the mother's body
- illnesses during pregnancy
- taking medications
- consumption of alcohol, drugs, smoking.
3. Environmental factors. Impairments in the mental activity of children can arise due to:
- poor nutrition of children
- lack of communication
- restrictions on motor and cognitive activity
- single-parent family.
4. Large family factor. Studies have shown that firstborns are more mentally developed than other children in the family. However, in large families children develop better socially: they easily acquire communication skills and adapt more quickly to society.
5. Factor of the family's social status. Children from very poor families do not always please their parents with their school performance.
6. School influence factor. In most secondary schools, teachers still consider a good student to be a student who is calm, answers questions as required, and does nothing without asking. These characteristics do not correspond to children with high creative potential: those who take a non-standard approach to solving tasks. Only individual and student-oriented approaches to education will stimulate the mental development of children in school today.
7. Factor personal qualities child. The development of mental abilities is also influenced by what kind of character and temperament a child has. Thoughtful children are attentive to difficult tasks, but they lack self-confidence and are afraid of failure. Easily excitable children are somewhat superficial, but are capable of spontaneously expressing creative impulses.
8. Factor of personal qualities of parents. It’s good when parents are intellectually developed, successful, self-confident, and love their work: in such conditions, children develop faster. However, this is not the main condition for raising a smart child. The main thing in education is the care of parents and faith in the strength of children.
Intelligence of preschoolers
"This is interesting. A child’s brain is 80% formed before the age of three. Try not to miss this moment to shape your baby’s intelligence.”
Having seen the toy for the first time, the baby carefully examines it: examines it, twists it, shakes it, tastes it, listens to it. Knowing this "exploratory" nature of young children, we need to offer them toys that stimulate their thinking ability:
- block constructors
- toys that can be taken apart
- simple household items that you can play with.
How else can a baby explore the world while developing his brain?
- Try not to buy all the toys. You can make toys with your own hands, transform household objects into toys: this will make it more interesting to study them.
- Involve your child in joint creativity. Make a toy together with your child and play with him.
- Allow your child to use different objects that interest him as toys. Naturally, within reasonable limits: they must be safe.
- Many toys distract attention. Therefore, it is better to remove excess toys.
- Children love multifunctional toys.
- Children usually get bored with toys from the store quickly.
- The child will be more interested in complex toys that can be explored endlessly.
Along with playing with toys, engage in didactic (educational) games with your child, play sports games outside, read and teach your child to read, start learning the basics of a foreign language with your little one, do drawing and modeling, develop your child musically. There is no need to overload the child. It is ideal when classes are held in a playful way, are exciting and bring pleasure. Only then will the preschooler’s intellect develop naturally and harmoniously.
Watch a video about how you can develop the mental abilities of kids
Features of intellectual development of schoolchildren
The leading activity of junior schoolchildren becomes studying. Based on this type of activity, children actively develop thinking, related features (analysis, planning, etc.), the need for learning and motivation for it. The development of the student’s personality depends on how interesting the learning activity is and how successful it is. In the process of learning activities, children acquire the ability to learn and use theoretical knowledge. refers to the period of intensification of intellectual development. Mental development also stimulates other qualities of the student. Thanks to this, awareness of the need for educational activity comes, voluntary and intentional memorization occurs, attention and the ability to concentrate develop, etc. The success of intellectual development at this age depends on the personality and activities of the teacher, his ability to take a creative approach to teaching children, to use modern methods training aimed at stimulating all cognitive processes, take into account individual characteristics students.
It is interesting that school-age children develop a mentality. Some students have an analytical mindset, other students have a visual-figurative one, and others are characterized by the presence of both figurative and abstract elements. In order to harmoniously develop the minds of schoolchildren, the teacher needs to influence both the logical and figurative components of the mind, presenting educational material in a voluminous manner.
Successful learning is facilitated by the presence of the following components of schoolchildren’s thinking:
- be able to think: analyze, synthesize, summarize, classify information, formulate judgments and conclusions;
- be able to think critically, having several options for solving a problem;
- be able to highlight the main thing, see the goal.
To successfully develop thinking in school age, it is best to use developmental learning ideas. This pedagogical technology assumes that the tasks are of a problematic nature, which stimulates the active development of the student’s intelligence.
Diagnosis of intelligence
Knowing the level of mental development of a child, you can choose the right teaching methods for him. To determine the IQ level, special ones are used. For kids - bright pictures, by looking at which and answering questions, the child demonstrates a certain level of his intelligence. Preschoolers can undergo diagnostics using special tasks and questionnaires.
To test the IQ of schoolchildren they use psychological tests. They are built in the form of blocks aimed at studying intelligence in different areas. By focusing on the results, you can find out how he perceives information best.
Ways to develop intelligence
What can improve a child's mental qualities?
- Games that develop the brain. These can be chess or checkers, puzzles, logic, psychological and board games.
- Mathematics and exact sciences. Mathematics teaches you to structure concepts and treat everything with order.
- Reading. A good fiction book will always give you something to think about. Read to your child, teach yourself to read, discuss what you read.
- Education. The learning process is valuable in itself, as it activates the development of all human abilities.
- Studying of foreign language.
- Learning something new. Read encyclopedias and reference books with your child, watch educational films and programs, go to. Create conditions in which your child will be interested in discovering something new every day. This will expand your horizons and erudition. Let the child be inquisitive.
How to stimulate the intellect?
- constantly ask your child questions
- use the words “Think”, “Be more attentive”, “Remember”
- while walking, relaxing, give your child tasks (observe, count, solve a riddle)
- teach your child to finish what he starts
- Discuss with your child the results of his activities, identify shortcomings, and think about how to do better.
conclusions
Develop your child harmoniously. Books alone are not enough to make a child smart. Create a whole system for your baby’s intellectual development at home. Study together, paying attention to the comprehensive development of mental abilities. Let the classes be not boring and bring benefits.
Smart people have always been highly valued by society. Possessing knowledge in different areas of life automatically gives a person advantage and power. However, one should not confuse erudition and level of intelligence. You can know a lot interesting facts, but at the same time do not have a good speed of thinking and a high mentality. Fortunately, this deficiency can be corrected, and even children can master techniques for developing intelligence.
How to develop a child's intelligence?
Many parents often wonder how to develop a child's intelligence? The answer is obvious - you need to develop your IQ level from early childhood. IQ is a measure of a child's ability to think. And before you start developing thinking skills, it’s worth remembering that children’s intellectual activity is inextricably linked with their physical activity. Many parents commit fatal mistake, limiting the space where the baby is allowed to move freely. Many children's actions irritate parents. For example, it is rare that children are allowed to sprinkle sand around themselves, stomp in puddles, etc. However, this is precisely the way a child learns about the world around him, and any restriction can slow down brain activity. WITH two years of age It is necessary to introduce logic games, easy mathematical problems and exercises for working with words into the child’s life. The sooner you start reading with your child, the better his thinking and vocabulary will develop. For children primary school Board and computer logic games are well suited as a way to develop intelligence. Any acquisition of knowledge must be turned into a game, then the development of IQ level will take place in a relaxed atmosphere, which contributes to a better increase in the level of thinking.
For many parents, the question of how to develop intelligence in teenagers is much more pressing. After all, the time of growing up is characterized not only by physical and mental changes. Numerous exams can be a real challenge for teenagers with intellectual difficulties. Adolescence is characterized by a lack of interest in cognitive activity. This common problem for many parents and teenagers can be solved not only by forcing the child to read more.
Exercises to develop intelligence
There are interesting and exciting psychological games that help develop a teenager’s IQ level without making him fall asleep over his textbooks. Here is an example of a couple of such exercises that are suitable not only for teenagers, but also for adults:
- Exercise “Similarities and differences”. A fairly simple exercise, but its effectiveness is undeniable. Aimed at developing the ability of thinking to compare different objects, since the comparison operation is one of the main intellectual abilities of a person. Participants in the exercise are offered two objects or concepts for comparison. For example: photography and painting, stubbornness and perseverance. When analyzing the answers, it is important to note the number of errors in the participants’ thinking, the ratio of signs of similarity and difference. The winner is the one who named the sign of one of the objects last and no one else voiced a new answer.
- Method of focal objects. Consists in the combination of incompatible items and objects, which develops creative thinking and level of intelligence. Objects and adjectives denoting properties are written in two columns. For example:
The first word of the first column must be connected to each word of the second. We get original phrases like fragrant bus or liquid wheel. Thus, by connecting words you can develop a lot interesting ideas for implementation.
Games and books that develop intelligence
Among the ways to spend your leisure time interestingly and become smarter, games that develop intelligence come first. You don't need to come up with anything supernatural to improve your level of thinking. You can develop your IQ even while sitting in front of the TV. To do this, just watch a television game like “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” or 
"My own game". There are analogues of these shows in computer version. For those who do not like to be exposed to radiation near screens and monitors, crossword puzzles and Sudoku are quite suitable, which also have an impact positive influence on the brain.
As for books, this way to develop your thinking has already become a classic. True, there is a small caveat - you don’t need to read everything, but literature that will specifically contribute to the growth of intelligence. Such publications include: scientific literature (not necessarily with unclear terms), philosophy, serious fiction, history, poetry. You need to read books not for show, but for self-improvement. Make an effort and start reading useful literature to become wiser and find peace of mind. Very soon, not only you, but also those around you will notice what a wonderful intellectual you have become.
Intelligence is a special quality of the human psyche, which includes the ability to adapt to various life situations, learn and assimilate information based on experience, understand and apply abstract concepts and existing knowledge in order to manage the surrounding reality. Simply put, intelligence is a person’s general ability to cognize and overcome difficulties, combining such areas as thinking, imagination, representation, memory, perception and sensation.
It is easy to notice that intelligence covers the work of several parts of the human brain at once, from which it follows that an integrated approach should be applied to its development, consisting of different ways. The methods that you will become acquainted with further can be used as a special system for developing intelligence (and), and it can be used to train it in both children and adults.
Development of intelligence: simple and effective ways
The information you will become acquainted with may at first glance seem extremely unusual when it comes to the development of intelligence, but it is in its unusualness and simplicity that the greatest effectiveness lies. It is also interesting that it can be used without much effort in Everyday life by simply devoting a little of your time every day.
Method one - optimal time to rest
This method can be called basic, because in a state of fatigue and exhaustion, there can be no talk of any development of intelligence and memory, as well as other abilities. So first, start devoting appropriate time and attention to your sleep. Healthy sleep is not only an excellent prevention of absent-mindedness, forgetfulness and difficulty thinking, but also increases intelligence and everything mental capacity at all. I’m interested in an article on the topic of sleep, by the way, you can read.
Method two - keeping records
Here we're talking about about analyzing information through record keeping. Often, sensible thoughts come into each of our heads and good ideas, but instead of trying to memorize them, as most people do, we advise you to write them down. In addition, in writing you can also reflect, thinking through prospects and options for the development of events, making plans and lists. This way you will use several parts of the brain and, at the same time, improve your concentration. As for the analysis of information, its visual display will allow you to see the broader picture and make the right decisions based on this vision.
Method three - peace and quiet
Many people, at the end of the working day, and in any free time, are not engaged in the development of intelligence, but in some activities that do not contribute to this at all. These include being “stuck” on social networks, meaningless conversations on the phone or non-developmental computer games. This tendency is especially evident in children. All this, of course, may have a time and place in life, but if there is a goal to develop intelligence, it is better to be in peace and quiet as much as possible - this allows you to generate new ideas, think over plans, find the right and wise decisions complex problems and generally have a better and better quality of rest.
Method four - educational games
To develop intelligence and memory, attention and concentration, it is very useful to play, for example, logic games, chess and checkers, dominoes (Monopoly, Imaginarium, Millionaire, etc.). If you make such a pastime regular, you can create an effective system for developing not only intelligence, but also the ability to analyze, count in your head, find cause-and-effect relationships, make calculations and develop thinking in general. You can also devote time to completing various developmental trainings and courses, for example.
Method five – communication with people
Interaction and communication with different people brings a huge number of positive aspects - it broadens your horizons, helps you obtain new information, gets rid of complexes, develops communication skills, and self-esteem. To provide your intellect with the basis for constant development, communicate with others as much as possible, and try to communicate with people who are better than you in some ways, for example, smarter, more educated, stronger, more confident, wealthier, etc. The higher you set the bar for yourself, the stronger and more developed a person you can become.
Method six - reading books
Another excellent and simple way to develop intelligence in children and adults is reading. People always keep their brain in good shape and cognitively active. By filling it with new information, they simply force themselves to grow personally and intellectually. In addition, a well-read person experiences much fewer difficulties in communicating with others, because literature carries complete information. different plans, which can always be successfully applied in life. And another advantage of reading is that a well-read person with a developed outlook can be an excellent conversationalist in almost any situation.
Method seven - make familiar things unusual
It's about doing quite ordinary everyday things in extraordinary ways. We all brush our teeth every day, wash our faces, comb our hair, wash the dishes and tie our shoelaces - such things have long become habitual and are performed automatically, which means that the brain does not strain at all. But it’s really possible to make a cool system for developing intelligence out of them. Start taking new routes to work, fasten your seat belt backwards, always cross the road starting with your left foot, etc. This way you will activate your thought processes, you will begin to pay attention to little things, you will... Remember that even such trivial experiments contribute to the development of the mind and serve in a good way training intelligence and memory, attention and concentration, thinking and creativity.
Method eight – fine arts
To develop your intellect, you don’t have to become the next Pablo Picasso or Leonardo da Vinci - you can just do it from time to time. Set yourself the task of drawing a specific picture, and you will notice how your brain begins to work more actively. When a person draws, both hemispheres of the brain are activated, concentration increases and coordination improves. In addition, in the process of drawing, a person seems to disconnect from the outside world for some time, thanks to which the consciousness is cleared and rested.
Method nine - constant training
Learning is always progress and moving forward. Thus, by constantly absorbing new knowledge and mastering new skills, you will automatically force your intelligence to develop. Anything can be suitable: a detailed study of a world map, immersion in historical chronicles, reading autobiographies of famous people, etc. But you can go further and, for example, get a new specialty, take retraining and advanced training courses or even start teaching own business. This development system will be for you a great assistant, and will always keep your intellect in good shape.
Method ten - self-education
This method is a logical continuation of the previous one. Unfortunately, not every person is ready, but those who are thinking about training their intellect make self-education an indispensable part of their life. There are more than enough opportunities for this today. Read books and textbooks, learn new things and communicate with interesting people, get involved in unusual things and find a hobby for yourself, watch documentaries and educational programs. And if you want to engage in self-education in full, you can, for example, take some good online training. Here we would like to remind you that any new information, if it involves practical application, it must always be used in practice - only in this way will self-education become complete and effective.
Method eleven - positive thinking
Naturally, life never goes absolutely smoothly, and sometimes it brings surprises. Circumstances and situations that we did not even suspect can deprive us of strength and unsettle us, make us worry and sound the alarm. But they should be perceived precisely as another chance for self-development and intellectual development. By gathering our will, rising from our knees and directing energy in the right direction, we become stronger, more experienced, wiser and smarter. And a special role in all this is played by none other than positive thinking, because It is what allows us to remain calm, think creatively, be persistent and self-confident. And from here all the other benefits flow - training time management and planning skills, developing willpower and stress resistance. Remember that life, together with all its events, can itself be used by you as an ideal system for the development of intelligence. And such an attitude towards it should be formed in both children and adults.
Method twelve - vision of prospects
The ability to see perspectives is a defining link on the path to success and a fulfilling life. If you learn to always be determined to look for new steps to develop, your thinking will be entirely focused on analyzing the prospects that exist for you. In reality, fate constantly offers you something valuable and significant, and your task is to see, understand and appreciate. By thinking constructively, you contribute to the development of your intellect and artificially create for yourself the need to expand your horizons. And everyone who strives for self-improvement should act exactly this way, and not otherwise. Without this component, it will simply be impossible to achieve full success and happiness.
Method thirteen - physical activity
Despite the fact that this method of developing intelligence is considered more indirect than direct, it gives excellent results. Firstly, by exercising yourself physically, you help improve blood circulation, enrich your brain with oxygen, thanks to which it begins to function many times more efficiently, and promote the production of the protein responsible for the formation of neurons - a key element in the development of intellectual abilities. Secondly, physical work is a wonderful way to relax and gain strength for your mind, because... if he is constantly tired, the effectiveness of any work on himself will be greatly reduced. And thirdly, coupled with mental development, this is the most complete development that we should strive for. If you wish, you can sign up for a sports section or go to the gym, although jogging, exercise, breathing exercises and banal push-ups.
A lot depends on how well your intellect is developed. Of course, it cannot be called decisive in achieving success and improving your life, but if your intellectual abilities are well developed and you work on yourself, your chances of self-realization and realizing your dreams increase many times over. Train your intellect and memory, develop a desire for improvement in yourself and your children, and, of course, improve your thinking - then unprecedented opportunities will open up before you that can make your life bright, rich and happy.
Our work, opportunities, relationships... our whole life depends on how our mind works. At any age, you can develop your mind, which will be useful to you in any case.
Reading
There are many interesting and useful books in the world, by reading which you enrich your mind with new knowledge, thus developing your mind. At the same time, you need to be vigilant so as not to waste your time on empty books that will not give you anything.
Vocabulary expansion
Expand your vocabulary by learning new words from your profession, foreign words, or words you hear but don't know what they mean. This can help not only strengthen your memory, but also advance your career, as in modern world Knowledge of foreign languages and the ability to express one’s thoughts are important.
Puzzles
Logical tasks strengthen the connections of neurons in such a way that the brain begins to work better and serve you longer. There are many types of puzzles that develop memory, thinking, attentiveness, imagination and more. Start enjoying and benefiting from these games and challenges.
Mathematics
Mathematics teaches us to think critically and gives us access to analytical thinking, which contributes to the development of the mind.
Painting
Drawing is a great opportunity for self-expression. Try your hand at creativity, as this can not only give you a new hobby, but also provide an opportunity to develop your thinking.
Cooking
While cooking, you use your senses, sensations of different smells and tastes. Cooking is especially useful if you don't use recipes, in which case all your senses are involved.
Music
Listening to music develops sensitivity and also stimulates emotional intellect. If you listen to an opera in a language you don’t know, you may be pleasantly surprised that you will not only know what is happening on stage, but also feel the emotions of the performance.
Poetry
Poetry can stimulate your Creative skills when you try to create something beautiful out of words. It is also a great way to train your memory by having to remember suitable words and also memorize verses.
Meditation
Meditation is a great way to expand your consciousness, calm your mind and filter out unnecessary thoughts. But most importantly, meditation gives you the opportunity to control your mind, despite the fact that the mind usually controls us.
Foreign languages
Learning a new language can be challenging, challenging and fun. Not only will you strain your mind to remember new words and phrases, but you'll end up thinking in another language.
Think for yourself
In the modern world it is very easy to get an answer to almost any question. All you have to do is go online and use search engines. It is also easy to do simple and complex calculations using the calculator. And it is easy to receive prepared information from the media. But the less we use our minds ourselves to find answers, the weaker it becomes. So, try to rely not only on other people’s information, but also think for yourself. This will help you not only in developing your mind, but also in life.
