Post on 23-Feb-2018
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25 daily habits that will make you smarter
1. Come up with 10 ideas every day.
Corbis Think about how to reduce poverty, how to solve a daily problem you have, interesting
movie ideas, or anything. It doesn't matter what subject your ideas fall into, as long as you're
working your brain and your idea muscles. our list might even lead to a new startup idea or
writing subject. !Claudia "#ula "ltucher
2. Read the newspaper.
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$rent %ewin&$loomberg It will help you become more aware of the important things
happening around the word. ou'll learn to form your own opinions and connect the dots
between seemingly unrelated things. ou'll also have a lot more to talk about at parties or with
friends. !anas ( )aloi
3. Play devil's advocate.
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*+ -eatures Take something you recently learned and generate a uniue opinion on it that
wouldn't immediately come to mind. Try to support it with evidence, and be open to the idea that
new evidence will change your opinion. *epeat this every day, and you'll become much better at
thinking outside the bo/.
If you're feeling stuck, try reading and critically evaluating the editorial section of papers. They
will help you understand how other people form arguments and e/press their opinions. !0eter
1e0aulo
. Read a chapter in a !iction or non!iction book.
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$rendon Thorne&$loomberg "im to read a book a week. ou can always find pockets of time
to read, whether on your daily commute or while you're waiting in line. 2oodreads is a great way
to keep track of everything you read and to also find a community of other readers.
-iction books are great for understanding characters and getting absorbed into another
perspective, while non3fiction books are great for introducing you to new topics, from politics to
psychology. !Claudia "#ula "ltucher
5. "nstead o! watchin# $%& watch educational videos.
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1hiraj )ingh&$loomberg )ometimes, it's more fun to watch things about a subject you love
than to read about it, and you can learn a lot from other people's e/periences.
ou can find fun, educational videos on 4han "cademy or watch T+1 talks. ou can also findgood ones on outube's channel )marter+very1ay. In videos, the information is often presented
in a digestible, memorable way, so you can be assured they'll stick. !5endrik )leeck/
. (ubscribe to !eeds o! interestin# in!ormation.
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Chris *atcliffe&$loomberg -ollow interesting voices on -acebook and Twitter, so you'll
always learn something new when you look at your newsfeed or dashboard. -or e/ample, if youwant to keep up with the latest news in science and technology, subscribe to the 6I -333333 %ove
)cience6 page on -acebook. ou can also follow email newsletters, such as Cal 7ewport's )tudy
5acks and Today I -ound 8ut. !)aurabh )hah
). Check in with your !avorite knowled#e sources.
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Corbis +very day, scroll through 9uora, )tack 8verflow, specialty blogs, or any other sources
that satiate your hunger for knowledge. This is an e/tremely easy habit, because other users arecurating the content for you, so all you have to do is follow the ones who write about topics
interesting to you. Try using 0ocket to save articles for later reading, and then try to get through
them before going to sleep at night. !anas ( )aloi
*. (hare what you learn with other people.
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0rovided by $usiness Insider If you find someone to debate and analy#e ideas with, you can
add to each other's knowledge and gain new perspectives. "lso, when you can e/plain ideas to
someone else, it means you've definitely mastered the concept. ou can even share what you
learn without directly talking to someone. any people like to start blogs so they can engage
others in online dialogue. !ike ie
+. ,ake two -$o o- lists/ one o! workrelated skills you want to learn now& and another o!
thin#s you want to achieve in the !uture.
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)eong(oon Cho&$loomberg 2oogle 1ocs is a convenient way to keep track of your lists. -or
both, decide what you want to learn, compile sources that will teach you these skills, and then
work on them each day.
-or e/ample, if you work in a computer3science related field, your first list might suggest you
learn something new in 0ython one day or that you try using ongo1$ another day.
-or your second list, you can think about long3term goals, such as whether you want to go into
marketing or architecture. :rite down the small steps you need to take to reach that goal,
whether it's by reading the e/perts in those fields or taking classes at a local college. !anas (
)aloi
10. rite an -" id- list.
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*+ -eatures "t the end of each day, write down what you completed. This will help you feel
better about all the things you accomplished, especially if you're feeling discouraged. It will also
help you reflect on how productive you were and how you can re3structure your to3do lists for
the ne/t day. !Claudia "#ula "ltucher
11. (tart a -(top oin#- list.
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*+ -eatures To clear out the mental clutter, take note of the mindless ways you spend your
time. $reak old habits, and make time for new, better ones. "s :arren $uffett says, 6Thedifference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful say 'no'
to almost everything.6 !)hane 0arrish
12. rite down what you learn.
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*+ -eatures ou can start a blog or use an app like Inkpad to help you keep track of
everything you learn. 7ot only will this be a great way to keep a record of everything you're
doing, but it's also a good source of motivation to keep you accountable. ou will want to learn
more if you know that at the end of the day you'll have to write about it. !anas ( )aloi
13. (timulate your mind.
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Corbis 2oing on a daily run is a great way to get your brain flowing and to keep your mental
health in shape. It's also a great way to think through difficult decisions or process new
information. !*ick $runo
1. $ake online courses.
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0rovided by $usiness Insider Check out this list of the most popular online courses for
professionals. ake sure you don't overload yourself; commit to one to two and truly focus on
them. The syllabus will also keep you on track, so you know you will be doing something every
day, whether it's listening to a lecture or working on an assignment. !anas ( )aloi
15. $alk to someone you !ind interestin#.
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Corbis +ven if they're strangers, don't be afraid to approach them. "sk about their interests and
how they discovered them. 8ftentimes, you learn the most from people you barely know. !
anas ( )aloi
1. an# out with people who are smarter than you.
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Corbis )pend as much time as you can with smart people. +very day, you should strive to have
a coffee date or walk with someone who inspires you.
"lways be humble and willing to learn. "sk as many uestions as possible. If you are alwaysaround people who are more knowledgeable than you, you'll have no choice but to learn more.
!anas ( )aloi
1). ollow your 4uestions.
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Corbis If you see or hear about something cool, don't just let the moment pass. -ollow up !
pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your uestion. ! ike ie
1*. se a wordo!theday app.
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Chris (ackson&2etty Images ou will increase your vocabulary, which can help you incompetitive tests like the )"T or 2*+, or even just sound more elouent in daily interactions.
ou can also try to learn new vocabulary in a different language. +very day, try to add five to
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Corbis If you see or hear about something cool, don't just let the moment pass. -ollow up !
pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your uestion. ! ike ie
1*. se a wordo!theday app.
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Chris (ackson&2etty Images ou will increase your vocabulary, which can help you incompetitive tests like the )"T or 2*+, or even just sound more elouent in daily interactions.
ou can also try to learn new vocabulary in a different language. +very day, try to add five to
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0rovided by $usiness Insider )ome games, like chess and )crabble, e/pand your mind.
Challenge yourself when you play them. -or e/ample, play )crabble without a dictionary. ou
can also solve pu##les via games like )udoku, >=?@, and 1oors. !)aurabh )hah
22. (et aside some time to do nothin#.
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4iyoshi 8ta&$loomberg 8ftentimes, sitting in silence can help you get inspiration and reflect
on your day. !Claudia "#ula "ltucher
23. 6dopt a productive hobby.
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*+ -eatures If you have something you can work on every day, from knitting to fly fishing,
you can actively learn more just from doing. -or instance, you may try to play a new piece of
music every day, read a physics te/tbook, write a few more pages in your novel, or learn a newcomputer skill. !ayank *ajput
2. 6pply what you learn.
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Corbis If you recently learned a new coding skill or how to play an instrument, make sure you
are using that skill in your life as often as possible. %earning by doing is one of the most
effective ways to become smarter. ! 5imanshu 0al
25. 78ercise and eat a healthy diet.
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atthew ead&"0 0hoto 8pt for brain foods to fuel your thinking, and avoid alcohol and
heavy meals that will make you sluggish. :hen your energy dips, take a walk. 6The more blood
flowing into your brain, the better your performance. 2reat thinkers like ahatma 2andhi and
Charles 1arwin were famous for their long walks.6 !(anne 0iiroinen