Most school and work activities require our left brain, which drives our objective, rational logic. The right brain, which fosters the creative, intuitive, synthesizing functions, should not be neglected. Exercising your right brain can be just as important as physical exercise in maintaining a high quality of life and preventing cognitive declines as you age. Give yourself permission to be creative and illogical with these exercises to build your whole-brain problem-solving skills, increase production and brainstorming and effectively connect with co-workers.
Sing Through Your Thoughts
Sing aloud whatever thoughts come into your brain. Follow whatever tune enters your head. Allow yourself to rhyme, but do not concentrate on rhyming. Just keep singing as your brain continues its stream of consciousness. When faced with a problem, sing through your thought process as you mentally solve it. This helps problem-solving in future situations when you can't sing aloud.
Meditate
Find a quiet, relaxing place to sit or lie down. Play soft music, light candles or use aromatherapy to help you relax. Breathe slowly and deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. This sends more oxygen to your brain, which instantly raises your IQ. Let your mind go blank; calmly push any thoughts out of your brain. Practice just feeling and being. The meditative state of mind is effective for creative problem solving.
Play the "What If?" Game
Each day, make your brain answer a wacky "What If?" question for different situations and locations. At work ask, "What if there was no gravity? How would I complete this task? How would I get down the hall to use the restroom? How would I eat lunch?" In a restaurant ask, "What if this restaurant only sold blue foods? Which foods could they serve? How would they be prepared? What would I like/not like to eat?" The next time a problem arises at work, your brain is primed for outside-the-box ideas.
Keep an Idea Journal
Carry a small notepad in your pocket or purse. As crazy ideas come, jot them down to think about later. The more your brain is allowed to have crazy ideas, the more it will explore. Even if the idea seems silly, writing it down sends your brain off to exploring another venue, which could pan out.
Make a Graphic Organizer
Visually brainstorming with a graphic organizer can stimulate ideas when you feel empty. Use colored paper if possible for more visual stimulation. Write your issue or problem in the center. Draw a line radiating from the center and write one detail. For example, your problem might be "Scheduling Conflicts" and the first detail could be, "Everyone wants off for Christmas." Continue adding lines as you think of details until your brain transitions into solution mode.
Listen to Bach or Mozart
Scientists at the University of California at Irvine discovered The Mozart Effect in 1993. Listening to classical compositions, specifically Mozart or Bach, temporarily increases your spatial and creative intelligences. The same scientists also discovered that children who studied keyboard and singing were more successful on a spatial-intelligence test.
Get a Hobby
The A.C. Nielsen Co. reports that Americans collectively watch 250 billion hours of television each year. Spend your free hours on a project that requires you to synthesize information and use your hands. Scrapbooking, building model cars, learning gourmet recipes and gardening all require your brain and body to work together, destress, and increase creative problem solving and spatial intelligence.
