5.Engage in Social Networking

4.Play Video Games

Several recent scientific studies have shown that playing a certain kind of video game can help you become smarter, because the video games often train your hand-eye coordination, while also forcing you to use your critical decision making skills to traverse the often now extremely complicated worlds in these video games. Researchers in the UK found that children who played a brain training video game daily for 10 weeks actually dramatically improved their math scores.

3.Seek Out Educational Content Online

The internet can be a great source of distraction, but it also has a wonderful amount of educational resources to choose from. Often, many universities upload videos of lectures from their courses and visiting speakers. There are also many sites that allow you to take free classes, such as MIT's OpenCourseWare programs. These resources can help you supplement your knowledge of certain topics, whether they are related to your career or your personal hobbies.

2.Watch Smart Television

Of course, I don't mean you should watch crazy reality television. No, instead, you should watch educational channels such as The Discovery Channel or the History Channel, as these will often present in-depth documentaries about all manner of interesting subjects. You can also get away with watching intense and complex dramas or other fictional shows, as the often complicated plot lines and relationships between characters will force you to exercise your brain as you track all of the drama. According to the author Steven Johnson, several television shows can increase the viewers “mental acuity.”

1.Solve Brain Puzzles

Finally, don't underestimate the importance of brain teasers and other puzzles, like crossword puzzles and numbers puzzles. While some scoff at these kinds of exercises, they really can help you, especially if you are looking for a way to pass the time on a plane flight. It's better to train your brain than to sit in the seat and watch the latest romantic comedy. The Mayo Clinic says that these puzzles will especially keep your brain going through into old age.

翻译：汤文博 来源：前十网