- My Favorites
- Search
- Subscribe via RSS
- Browse Articles
- All Articles
- Creativity Articles
- Vocabulary Articles
- Memory Articles
- Stress Articles
- Topics
- All Topics
- Creativity Topics
- Vocabulary Topics
- Memory Topics
- Stress Topics
- Special Topics
- Vocabulary
- Boost Memory
- Diet, Fitness & the Mind
- Most Popular Articles
Mentalrobics®
Mentalrobics®
- My Favorites
- Search
- Subscribe via RSS
- Browse Articles
- All Articles
- Creativity Articles
- Vocabulary Articles
- Memory Articles
- Stress Articles
- Topics
- All Topics
- Creativity Topics
- Vocabulary Topics
- Memory Topics
- Stress Topics
- Special Topics
- Vocabulary
- Boost Memory
- Diet, Fitness & the Mind
- Most Popular Articles
- My Favorites
- Search
- Subscribe via RSS
- Browse Articles
- All Articles
- Creativity Articles
- Vocabulary Articles
- Memory Articles
- Stress Articles
- Topics
- All Topics
- Creativity Topics
- Vocabulary Topics
- Memory Topics
- Stress Topics
- Special Topics
- Vocabulary
- Boost Memory
- Diet, Fitness & the Mind
- Most Popular Articles
You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn't you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? With these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. As with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. Try to do some mentalrobics every single day!
According to Freud, the mind is made up of the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is concerned with satisfying our needs, the ego is aware of the self and the world, and the superego is concerned with morality.
Creative ideas originate in the unconscious id and must be filtered through the ego and superego before they can be expressed to the world. The ego may reject an idea because it is unrealistic or impractical and the superego may reject an idea because it is against our ethics.
For example, an idea to genetically engineer a purple cat might be rejected by the ego for being impossible. The idea to throw a cat into a vat of purple paint would be rejected by the superego for being cruel.
Very few creative ideas will get past an overly restrictive ego and superego. At the same time, an excessively passive ego or superego will result in the expression of many impractical or immoral ideas. Through exercises such as brainstorming, we can train our ego and superego to be more or less selective depending upon our needs.
Creative ideas originate in the unconscious id and must be filtered through the ego and superego before they can be expressed to the world. The ego may reject an idea because it is unrealistic or impractical and the superego may reject an idea because it is against our ethics.
For example, an idea to genetically engineer a purple cat might be rejected by the ego for being impossible. The idea to throw a cat into a vat of purple paint would be rejected by the superego for being cruel.
Very few creative ideas will get past an overly restrictive ego and superego. At the same time, an excessively passive ego or superego will result in the expression of many impractical or immoral ideas. Through exercises such as brainstorming, we can train our ego and superego to be more or less selective depending upon our needs.
"Groupthink" is a term used to describe a process whereby a group can make bad decisions even though each individual in the group may realize that the result is going to be bad.
People have a strong need to feel accepted in a group. Whenever an individual participates in a group, it causes the other participants to react in some way. People want to be liked, so they tend to participate in a way that gains them acceptance. One way to gain acceptance is to be very agreeable and not rock the boat. When a bad or bland idea is introduced, very few people may challenge it. If nobody proposes a better idea, groupthink can result.
Proposing a creative idea that differs from the group exposes the person and puts them in a vulnerable position. Nobody wants to fail in front of their peers or superiors. As a result, wild ideas are frequently self-censored or toned down to a level that is easily assimilated by the group. Unless there is a process that encourages wild ideas, they will seldom be introduced and groupthink can result.
Groupthink can also occur if an idea comes from higher up in the corporate ladder. Nobody wants to disagree with their boss, even if they know that the boss's idea will fail.
Brainstorming is a process that encourages wild ideas. This is one way to avoid groupthink.
People have a strong need to feel accepted in a group. Whenever an individual participates in a group, it causes the other participants to react in some way. People want to be liked, so they tend to participate in a way that gains them acceptance. One way to gain acceptance is to be very agreeable and not rock the boat. When a bad or bland idea is introduced, very few people may challenge it. If nobody proposes a better idea, groupthink can result.
Proposing a creative idea that differs from the group exposes the person and puts them in a vulnerable position. Nobody wants to fail in front of their peers or superiors. As a result, wild ideas are frequently self-censored or toned down to a level that is easily assimilated by the group. Unless there is a process that encourages wild ideas, they will seldom be introduced and groupthink can result.
Groupthink can also occur if an idea comes from higher up in the corporate ladder. Nobody wants to disagree with their boss, even if they know that the boss's idea will fail.
Brainstorming is a process that encourages wild ideas. This is one way to avoid groupthink.
These number exercises will help improve your concentration and mental endurance.
1. Recite all the numbers between 1 and 100 that contain the digit 7. (7, 17, 27...)
2. Count down from 200 by 4s. (200, 196, 192...)
3. Recite the numbers counting up by 4s and by 5s (4-5, 8-10, 12-15...)
4. Start with 2 and start doubling it in your head. See how far you can get. (2, 4, 8, 16, 32...)
Feel free to modify these exercises and practice them to increase your ability.
1. Recite all the numbers between 1 and 100 that contain the digit 7. (7, 17, 27...)
2. Count down from 200 by 4s. (200, 196, 192...)
3. Recite the numbers counting up by 4s and by 5s (4-5, 8-10, 12-15...)
4. Start with 2 and start doubling it in your head. See how far you can get. (2, 4, 8, 16, 32...)
Feel free to modify these exercises and practice them to increase your ability.
Pick a poem or song from our list and recite it out loud. Now, recite it again but skip every other word. Then skip every third word, and so on, until you can't do it any more. This exercise helps with your concentration and mental endurance.
1. Row row row your boat
2. The itsy bitsy spider
3. Jack and Jill went up the hill
An example of skipping by two: Jack Jill up hill fetch pail...
1. Row row row your boat
2. The itsy bitsy spider
3. Jack and Jill went up the hill
An example of skipping by two: Jack Jill up hill fetch pail...
Previously we learned how keeping a bug list can be a great way to discover unmet needs that you may want to solve. This exercise will help you get started on your very own bug list.
Get a piece of paper and a pencil. Spend 10 minutes writing down bugs that you notice in your daily life. If you are having difficulty getting started, go through your typical day starting from when you wake up and write down all the bugs that come to mind. Here are a few to get you started...
1. Alarm clocks don't work when the power goes out
2. Coffee takes too long to brew
3. Toothpaste tube is messy
4. Can't find car keys
Get a piece of paper and a pencil. Spend 10 minutes writing down bugs that you notice in your daily life. If you are having difficulty getting started, go through your typical day starting from when you wake up and write down all the bugs that come to mind. Here are a few to get you started...
1. Alarm clocks don't work when the power goes out
2. Coffee takes too long to brew
3. Toothpaste tube is messy
4. Can't find car keys
Follow Braingle!