Boost Your Brain

 Boost Your Brain and Change Your Life

You are sitting at your computer compiling a report or analyzing marketing data. Perhaps you’re an author working on a chapter of your new book. Or maybe you are engaged in a hobby like painting or some other handcraft. You have been working for over an hour and are making good progress. Your mind is clear and focused, and your ideas and thoughts flow freely. You can boost your brain and change your life, and that is exactly what I’m going to share with you here.

Suddenly, your mind goes completely blank. Your train of thought is broken, and your mind becomes foggy. Try as you might, you just can’t pick up where you left off. You have been hit by a mental block.

Another scenario is when your mind starts to wander. You start thinking about what to have for dinner or a conversation you had earlier. Or, you suddenly become a distraction magnet. The sound of voices, footsteps, or traffic noises from the street becomes so amplified that you can hear nothing else. So much for trying to stay focused.
Your ability to stay mentally alert and focused in any situation is closely linked to your productivity and overall ability to function at your peak. This is referred to as mental sharpness, where you boost your brain regularly.

Your mental sharpness can be a game-changer. Here are some of its benefits:
• Mental blocks, memory lapses, and brain fog become a thing of the past
• You are able to make better decisions
• Your stress levels fall dramatically
• No matter what you do, the outcome is more successful
• You are able to finish what you start
• You are able to plan better
• You are able to deal with crises more efficiently
• You get more done in less time

There is no doubt that you can add many more benefits based on your own experiences.

This 7-day challenge will help you reap all of the benefits mentioned above and many more. The amazing thing is that the 7 practices of the challenge are simple and straightforward. They require no big changes to your life. What’s more, you will begin to see an improvement in your mental edge very quickly, which will motivate you to keep practicing.

The more you practice, the more quickly you will instill 7 lifelong habits that can change your life. Sharpening your mental edge will prove to you what you are capable of when your mind is at its best.

If all of this sounds exciting, read on to start the challenge!

Day 1: Learn to Boost Your Brain with the Right Foods

It’s a no-brainer (No pun intended) that good nutrition and a healthy diet are essential for mental sharpness and cognitive health. But superfoods can take this to another level altogether. Science has identified superfoods as those packed with particular nutrients that are extremely beneficial to health.

Superfoods are divided into several categories. Some strengthen immune health, some help boost heart health, and there are brain foods, which enhance cognitive health.
Your first challenge is to learn to love brain foods and make them a part of your daily diet. Thankfully, the list is long and varied, and there are foods for every preference. Here is a list of some top brain foods and their benefits:

Top Brain Foods
• Fatty fish
Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel are packed with omega-3 acids that are amazing brain nutrients. Eating fish at least 3 times a week dramatically improves mental focus, concentration, and memory.

• Berries
Berries are small and seemingly insignificant, but they pack a big punch when it comes to boosting your brain power. All kinds of berries are rich in antioxidants that help in the regeneration of brain cells and prevent oxidative stress.

• Cruciferous vegetables
Cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are not everyone’s all-time favorite, but you may learn to love them for their benefits. They are packed with vitamin C and flavonoids, both of which are known to improve brain health.

• Avocados
Packed with vitamin E and healthy fats, avocados are excellent for boosting brain health. They make a great addition to salads.

• Dark chocolate
Yes, it’s okay to eat chocolate without guilt, as long as it contains a 70% or higher amount of cacao. The flavonoids in cacao beans are proven to prevent cognitive decline and memory loss. But remember, everything in moderation! 1-2 squares will give you all the benefits as well as stimulate your brain.

• Leafy greens
The darker, the better! Spinach, collard greens, and kale are packed with nutrients, flavonoids, and folate. They play a vital role in promoting optimal brain function and producing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which help reduce stress.

• Green tea
Green tea has long been known for its health-promoting properties, and studies have proven that it has many brain health benefits.

• Beans
All kinds of beans are high in folate and vitamin B, known for their brain health boosting properties. Studies have suggested that eating beans can also lower your risk of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Action Step
Take an hour or so to research various brain foods and their benefits to brain health. Compile your own personal list and start incorporating these foods into your diet. Since brain foods are numerous and varied, you should have no trouble eating at least 2-3 of them every day.

Day 2: Get a Sleep App to Boost Your Brain While You Sleep

Sleep is the elixir of life. All living creatures, including plants, need to sleep. In short, if we don’t sleep, we die.

Sleep is also the best rejuvenator. As we sleep, some parts of our brain jump into action, sending signals to various parts of our body to begin this amazing process. Toxins are flushed out of the body, and damaged tissues and cells are healed or replaced. During sleep, your brain gets rid of random memories and thoughts that have accumulated. Blood and oxygen flow to the brain are also regulated.

This is why you feel refreshed and mentally sharp after a good night’s rest. But after a bad night… well, we’ve all experienced how fatigued and foggy we feel throughout the day. It’s important that you get the best sleep every night without fail. This entails creating a good sleep routine and ensuring that your sleep environment ensures that you enjoy quality sleep.
A sleep app can also be useful as part of a good bedtime routine. Your challenge for day 2 is to learn about sleep apps and invest in one or two.

What is a Sleep App?
A sleep app is a mobile or wearable application designed to help you track, improve, or manage your sleep. It uses sensors from your phone or wearable device to monitor and analyze your sleep patterns. Sleep apps contain different features and options that include:
• Sleep tracking
Records how long you sleep, tracks different sleep stages.
• Sleep sounds and music
These include nature sounds such as ocean waves, light rain, white noise, or soothing music. Some apps include guided meditations or calming sleep stories to help induce sleep.
• Smart alarms
This feature wakes you up during a light sleep phase to reduce grogginess.
• Sleep analysis
This feature gives you insight into your sleep patterns through reports or graphs. This includes tips to improve sleep quality.
• Relaxation tools
This includes mindfulness meditation, guided meditations, and even cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and restless sleep.
• Customizable Bedtime Routines
Some of the most popular sleep apps include: Headspace, Calm, Sleep Cycle, and Pillow. Thankfully, sleep apps are low-cost, and some are even free. They can be a very wise investment if you really want to skyrocket your sleep quality. In addition to a good sleep routine and healthy sleeping environment, a sleep app can be an amazing addition to your super sleep toolbox. I’ve been using the “Balance” sleep app at least once a day since 2020 and this continues to make a difference in my life experience.

Action Step
Check out different sleep apps online and compare their different features and options. You can use Chat GPT to help you narrow down the choices to find the app best suitable for your needs. You can consider investing in two apps with different features and alternating between them. You may find that the use of a sleep app can help you get the best sleep ever.

Day 3: Prioritize Your Peak Performance Times

It’s simply not possible to maintain the same level of mental sharpness throughout the day. While this challenge will greatly improve your mental edge, there will be times when your mental energy is lower. This is where peak performance time can change the way you navigate through your day. What are peak performance times?

These are specific hours during the day when you are at your most lucid, focused, and mentally sharp. For most people, these hours are usually in the morning. However, some people find that they perform with more mental energy and focus in the afternoon. Then, there are the night owls who are at their best during the evening hours. This challenge involves identifying your peak performance times and using them to your best advantage.

When you work on important tasks during your peak time, you get them done faster and with much better results. If you are wondering how you can best harness your peak hour for maximum productivity, here are some suggestions:

How to Leverage Your Peak Performance Times
• Work on priority tasks
These are tasks that have firm deadlines or upon which other tasks will be built. When you get these done and out of the way, you can move on to less important tasks when your mental energy is lower.

• Schedule optimally
After scheduling times for priority tasks, reflect on the time when your energy is lower. When your mental energy is medium to high, schedule tasks that are important but not high in priority. Schedule mundane tasks that you do regularly for times when your mental energy is lower.
By creating an optimal schedule in this way, you can continue to maintain your mental edge and efficiency at all times.

• Work on tasks that require deep thinking
These are tasks related to things like analysis, creative writing, or creating charts and graphs. It makes sense to do this task during peak times when you are at your most focused and sharp of mind. An added bonus is that the outcomes will almost always be spectacular.

• Develop habits to avoid distraction
Optimize your peak performance times by guarding yourself against distractions and interruptions. You can do this by developing habits such as:
• Turning off your phone or keeping it on silent
• Installing a social media blocking app on your phone or computer
• Keeping your office door closed and hanging a ‘Do not disturb’ sign
• Working in a quiet space, if possible
• Listening to music through headphones to block out other noises. Not everyone is able to focus with music, but if you can, it is a great option
• Let people know ahead of time that you are not to be disturbed between such and such an hour. This will avoid colleagues or kids barging in as you are working, as well as phone calls

Of course, there are times when interruptions are unavoidable. When this happens, do your best to deal with the situation as soon as possible to save every minute of your precious peak performance times.

Action Step
Identify your personal peak times and apply the suggestions provided above to ensure that you are taking full advantage of your best hours.

Day 4: Give Your Brain a Good Workout

Think of your brain as a muscle. Like any other muscle in your body, it needs regular exercise to stay fit and toned. Your brain requires exercise to stay stimulated and sharp. This challenge will help you adopt a regular program to give your brain a good workout and dramatically boost your mental edge.

Luckily, our brains love to be stimulated in all the right ways. First, let’s briefly note some wrong ways to stimulate the brain:
• Hours of frenzied gaming or internet surfing actually exhaust rather than stimulate the brain. You may find it enjoyable, but your brain doesn’t!
• Scrolling through social media is another activity that we enjoy, but it does nothing to stimulate the brain.
• Trivial conversation and gossiping are not something your brain enjoys. On the other hand, deep discussion and argument are activities that excite your brain.
In order to stimulate your brain the right way and give it a powerful workout, consider the following activities:

Brain-Boosting Activities
• Have a field day with puzzles
Crosswords, brain teasers, anagrams, cryptograms, logic puzzles… You name it! There are puzzles out there to suit every taste and preference. They are super fun and just the type of challenge that your brain loves.

Practice solving puzzles as often as you can and notice how your mental edge will gradually improve. They are a great way to relax as well.

• Learn a new word every day to boost your brain
This is another simple brain workout that requires only a few minutes of your time. Open the dictionary to a random page and pick a word that you don’t know. Learn the word by practicing how to spell it and memorize its meaning.
Another cool workout is to use Google Translate to learn a word in another language, such as French, Italian, or German.

• Play board games
All-time classics like Monopoly and Scrabble will never go out of fashion. Board games are another great way to excite your brain and boost your mental edge. In addition, they are an ideal opportunity for bonding with family or friends. While you thoroughly enjoy these games, your brain will be enjoying a good pump-up in the process!

• Read
There is certainly no shortage of interesting books out there that will broaden your horizons and give your brain a nice workout. You and your brain will both enjoy interesting topics on Ancient Egypt, world history, the theory of evolution, or outer space. Make it a point to read one book each month on the topic of your choice.

This can be a relaxing pre-bedtime activity or the perfect way to pass your free time. Just make sure the topic of your choice is interesting for you and easy to grasp. The point is not to choose topics that are too specialized or complex. The purpose is for you to grow your knowledge in a way that both you and your brain will enjoy.

• Embrace lifelong learning
This is an invaluable habit to develop. It will allow you to continue growing on a personal level and also maintain a sharp mental edge.

Make sure that you consistently learn new skills, new languages, or even new hobbies. Keep your curiosity ignited and be eager about exploring and experiencing new things. You can be sure that your brain will reward you by staying at its peak and serving you well throughout your life.

Action Step
Combine the activities provided above to create a comprehensive workout program for your brain. All of these activities are simple and fun and can easily be adopted into your lifestyle routine.

Day 5: Detox from Digital Overload

Today, technology is an integral part of our lives. It is part of almost everything that we do. We conduct financial transactions digitally, shop online, consult doctors and other specialists online, and stay in touch with friends halfway around the world.

But while technology has made our lives infinitely easier, too much of it takes a toll on our cognitive health and brainpower. It’s vital to consume technology in moderation and also to regularly detox from digital overload. This challenge will help you do that with the following steps:

Digital Detox Strategies to Boost Your Brain
• Do a weekly digital fast
Choose one day a week to unplug completely from technology. This means no mobile phones, computers, tablets, or TVs. Simply stay away from them for a period of 24 hours.
Ideally, weekends are the best time for doing a digital fast. That way, you can engage in healthy outdoor activities such as taking a short road trip to a scenic

A digital fast combined with outdoor activities will do wonders for a tired brain. You will feel amazingly energized and prepared to take on anything the next day.

• Avoid using technology in the evening
You may have noticed that you often feel tense and stressed after consuming technology for several hours. Even surfing the net or using social media overtaxes the brain as it processes the data, colors, and sounds before it.

Consuming technology in the evening can disrupt your sleep and keep you tossing and turning all night. Make it a habit not to use technology at least two hours before your bedtime. Sorry, but this includes TV, as any blue light from digital screens can over-tire the brain and disrupt your sleep. Rather, engage in a relaxing activity, like reading or listening to music.

• Seek help for a digital addiction
Digital addiction is no less harmful than any other kind of addiction, like drinking or gambling. It can have serious effects on your long-term mental health.

If you are obsessed with technology and spend most of your free time online, you may have a digital addiction. Seek professional help immediately, as it could spare you a lot of trouble in the future.

Action Step
Incorporate the previous steps into your routine and watch how your mental sharpness improves.

Day 6: Declutter Your Brain

The amount of data our brains process during a typical day is mind-boggling. This includes sounds, colors, voices, conversations, text, and even things like road signs. During sleep, the brain carries out a massive housecleaning, where it flushes out or erases what you don’t need to retain. However, you can make this process more powerful when you regularly declutter your brain.

Decluttering your brain sharpens your mental edge and expands your focus and clarity, but more importantly, it gets rid of negative thoughts and emotions.

Try the following steps to declutter and calm a tired brain:

Mental Decluttering Techniques
• Release your emotions by journaling
Sometimes we are not able to express our emotions openly because it’s not appropriate, especially if those emotions are negative. Instead, we keep them bottled up and allow them to consume us from the inside. This not only saps our mental sharpness but is very stressful as well.

If you are good at expressing yourself in writing, journaling is the ideal way to release your emotions. Try to be as descriptive as possible and give full vent to how a certain situation or person made you feel. This will release negative emotions and bring you closure so that you don’t continue to dwell on them.

You can also write about your positive and uplifting emotions. They will flood your mind with joy and optimism.

• Do a weekly brain dump
This is a super fun exercise that you will enjoy. It is also a very effective way to declutter and clear your mind. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pencil.

Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Pick up the pencil and don’t pause to think, just start writing whatever comes to your mind. Don’t worry if what you jot down doesn’t make sense, that’s the whole point!

When you are done, you will find that you may have written detached words or disconnected sentences. They don’t need to be analyzed because they don’t mean anything. They are just random thoughts that have been cluttering your mind.
If you do a brain dump the right way, you will find yourself writing feverishly for 2-3 minutes, after which you will start to slow down. When you find that you have to stop and think about what to write next, don’t continue. After a brain dump, you will almost immediately feel a surge of mental energy and clarity.

• Practice Meditation to Boost Your Brain
This is possibly the best way to help your brain wind down and relax. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, can help you overcome the negative thoughts crowding your brain.

Create a playlist of meditation that you can practice during breaks to quickly regain your mental edge and uplift your mood. Do try to meditate before bedtime and early in the morning as well to keep your mind calm and crystal clear.

Action Step
Declutter your brain regularly to stay on top of your mental edge. It’s not hard to see that when you have less clutter in your head, you have more room to think clearly and take more efficient action.

Day 7: Rejuvenate Your Mind with ‘Boost Your Brain’ Breaks

Studies have found that people who take a break every hour or so are more productive. Contrary to what many people think, frequent breaks are not a waste of time but rather may actually be a time-saver. Breaking for 5-10 minutes throughout the day can protect you from sudden mental blocks or memory lapses. They allow your brain to rejuvenate and continue to enjoy focus and clarity.

Insisting to plod on with a task until it’s finished is simply not a good idea. Understandably, you may not want to break your concentration and lose your train of thought. But if you are hit with a sudden mental block, it may be hours or even days before you can pick up where you left off.

Having said that, there are basics to taking an effective break. They are:
• You should break every hour or hour and a half before your brain becomes too tired.
• Breaks should be no longer than 10 minutes. Actually, 5 minutes can often be all you need to rejuvenate your brain.
• Take a break to boost your brain if your mind starts to wander.
• You should resume what you were doing immediately after a break.
• Always take the right kind of break to boost your brain.

Effective Break Ideas
Your final challenge involves taking frequent breaks the right way to rejuvenate your brain and maintain your mental edge. Consider the following examples:
• Take a brisk 5-minute walk.
• Practice a short meditation.
• Sit by an open window and do deep breathing exercises.
• Enjoy a refreshing herbal tea.
• Sit in silence with your eyes closed.
• Engage in vigorous exercise such as running in place or doing spot exercises.
• Listen to your favorite music.
• Do a quick brain dump.
• Get up and walk around, stretching your muscles.

You can also take advantage of longer breaks like lunch or coffee breaks, to help relax and rejuvenate your mind. Rather than gossiping around the water cooler, take a leisurely walk or have lunch at a nearby park. Try to choose quiet spots for your breaks to enhance the relaxation process.

Action Step
If you are not in the habit of taking frequent breaks, it’s high time you start doing so. Don’t worry about losing your train of thought or your motivation. On the contrary, when you return to your task, you will be amazingly refreshed and able to focus immediately. Just remember to take the right kind of break and use the suggestions provided above. But don’t stop there! Find your own creative ways to rejuvenate your mind and add them to the list.

Conclusion

Boosting and maintaining your mental edge can mean the difference between mediocre and outstanding success, and you deserve to be highly successful and to shine in all that you do. All you need to do is practice the 7-Day challenge to develop great lifelong habits that will hone your mental sharpness and keep your mind strong and present for the rest of your life. The 7 practices are designed to work together and complement each other to improve your cognitive health and mental well-being.

Just remember:
• Practice each day’s challenge consistently to start forming a new habit.
• You may struggle with some parts at the beginning, but don’t give up.
• When each practice starts becoming second nature to you, congratulations! You have developed an amazing lifelong tool that can change your life.
So, become a true winner and change your life forever by taking this amazing challenge today. You won’t regret it, and you’ll never look back when you take the time to boost your brain.

Ready To Experience The Power Of Peak Mental Performance? Perhaps my popular “Peak Productivity: Design a Seven-Figure Business and a Lifestyle You Love by Following Through with Everything” will make a difference for your life experience!

I’m bestselling USA Today and Wall Street Journal author Connie Ragen Green. My goal is to help at least a thousand people to reach six-figures and beyond with an online business for time freedom and passive income and to simplify your life. Come along with me, if you will and let us discover how we may further connect to achieve all of your dreams and goals. This is also why I want you to remember that taking time to boost your brain is crucial for success, and that cultivating a wealth mindset and an abundance paradigm as you are growing a profitable online business. Perhaps my “Monthly Mentoring Program” is right for you.