4 (Fun & Wacky) Stuff to Train Your Brain

Posted September 24th, 2009 by VTHron
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Just the thought of "brain training" can already be tiresome, even intimidating, to some. Brain training -- isn't it like going back to those long lonely study hours at school? Why would one want to play Suduko, or crossword puzzles if he can go out and get a couple of drinks with friends? "I'd rather watch Lost, or American Idol or, heck, even re-runs of The Partridge Family than do any of those," you might say.

But you know you need to train your brain, right? Right?

If your answer is yes, but couldn't get yourself to doing it, here are six fun and wacky stuff that would give your brain the necessary exercise. Remember, your brain also needs some workout as much as you need to tone your body. "Use it, or lose it."

1. Ball of Whacks

 

ball of whacks

 

You say you are stumped?. You need inspiration? you need motivation to get your creative juices flowing? More often than not, you just need to kick-start your car-stalled brain.

Ball of Whacks wakes up your neurons with it 30 magnetic pyramids that you can re-shape into whatever shape you can imagine. (There! Your mind's working!)

Challenge yourself to form any shape you can (it comes with a book to help you with shapes). Or you can simply amaze yourself with whatever shape you're going to come up with.

2. X-Ball Magnetic Creativity Tool 

 

 

 

x-ball


Another invention of Roger Von Oech (he invented Ball of Whacks!), this is another cool thinking gadget for the creative mind that needs help. Running out of fantabulous ideas to impress your boss with? Simply spill these little red X's on your desk and start connecting them to form different shapes - and get your brain running in full gear.

3. Brain Training Glass of Beer

Forget Bud Light and grab this glass of beer to train your brain. Oh, no! You don't drink it. The challenge here is filling the glass with different plastic shapes (that look like beer). It claims to improve your spatial reasoning (right brain) and your left brain (non-verbal logic).

beer brain training


Who said beer can't improve IQ?

While at it, you can also try Brain Training Glass of Peanuts. It goes well with beer, they say. When you're with friends, you can serve up real beer and peanuts to rev up the fun. Word of caution, peanuts may upset your stomach. If this happens, make sure you have....

4. The Mind Trainer Toilet Roll 

toilet roll

 

The list gets crazier with this roll. The Mind Trainer Toilet Roll is really a roll of ... toilet paper. Each square is printed with different brain-challenging tests and games (in color!) to keep you occupied while doing your thing. Imagine your beer-filled friends' reactions when they go to your bathroom.
And oh, yes! There's a Suduko Toilet Roll too! Who knows, since you're going to be holding it everyday before going to the office, you might finally learn to appreciate this game.

 

 

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Games to increase your brain power

Posted September 7th, 2008 by VTHron
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puzzle pieces
 
Tune up your brain, you say?

 

Mind games that require lateral thinking are a fun way to exercise your brain.  You see, like your muscles, the brain also needs constant conditioning to keep those neuron sparks sparking.  When you read or study, you are uploading gigabytes of information to your brain. 

When you are solving a problem the usual way, your brain actually scans for stored information or formulas that can be used to process the problem.  On the other hand, when you solve a problem through lateral thinking, your thinking patterns shift away from entrenched or predictable thinking.  You venture into new and unexpected ideas through a different approach. 

Even parlor tricks or magic, or those matchstick puzzles, are a good way to "massage" your brain through lateral thinking.  Take for example this "thinking outside the box" game:  you connect nine dots (arranged 3X3) continuously without lifting your pen from the paper, and without writing over a connection twice.

 

dot puzzle

 

Your exercise at lateral thinking makes you shy away from the usual line of thought to solve this puzzle.  Just like your muscles, the more you exercise your brain, the more robust it gets and the more primed it becomes for optimal performance. 

No room for atrophy here.  You just make your brain get more conditioned and get used to using creative problem solving techniques as a normal part of approaching different scenarios. 

Check out these Mind-stretchers and see your score.  More importantly, you do not only take these tests to find out how "intelligent" you are, you actually make your brain healthier everytime you take creative problem solving tests or puzzles. 

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The Secret to Creativity: 10 Steps to Boost Your Creativity

Posted August 27th, 2008 by VTHron
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sign post
 
 
Jeffrey Baumgartner says the Secret to Creativity, or to generating creative ideas, is not in the idea generation, but in the problem.  It is easy to get lost in the problem if one immediately looks for solutions without thoroughly examining the problem and turning it into a creative challenge. 
 
To do this, write down the problem and then try to break it down into small pieces by asking what is causing it.  Continue by identifying other issues surrounding it and continually ask "why" until you run out of questions.  This way, you see the larger picture. 
 
Next, turn the problem into one or several short and simple challenges by asking questions like, "In what ways might I...?", or "How might I...?" or "What kinds of...might I...?"  These are actually challenges.  While at it, avoid criticizing any idea -- it blocks creativity.  Just keep challenges simple by breaking down complex ones into single challenges. 
 
Don't stop at the first idea that pops out to mind.  The first ones that come out are usually the most obvious ones.  Just generate more ideas without restrictive criteria and decide later.
 
Baumgartner's 10 Steps to Boost Your Creativity, written in 1996, is a simple but insightful list that remains a highly popular article reprinted many times over in books, magazines and elsewhere.  If you read it, we highly recommend adding iMusic to the recommended Bach listening on the first bullet.
 

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