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. Your list might even lead to a new startup idea or
writing subject. Claudia Azula Altucher
2. Read the newspaper.

 Brent Lewin/Bloomberg It will help you become more aware of the important things
happening around the word. You'll learn to form your own opinions and connect the dots
between seemingly unrelated things. You'll also have a lot more to talk about at parties or with
friends. Manas J Saloi
3. Play devil's advocate.

 REX Features Take something you recently learned and generate a unique 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. Repeat this every day, and you'll become much better at
thinking outside the box.
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 express their opinions. Peter
DePaulo
4. Read a chapter in a fiction or nonfiction book.

 Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg Aim to read a book a week. You can always find pockets of time
to read, whether on your daily commute or while you're waiting in line. Goodreads is a great way
to keep track of everything you read and to also find a community of other readers.
Fiction books are great for understanding characters and getting absorbed into another
perspective, while non-fiction books are great for introducing you to new topics, from politics to
psychology. Claudia Azula Altucher
5. Instead of watching TV, watch educational videos.

 Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg Sometimes, 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 experiences.
You can find fun, educational videos on Khan Academy or watch TED talks. You can also find
good ones on Youtube's channel SmarterEveryDay. In videos, the information is often presented
in a digestible, memorable way, so you can be assured they'll stick. Hendrik Sleeckx
6. Subscribe to feeds of interesting information.

 Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Follow interesting voices on Facebook and Twitter, so you'll

always learn something new when you look at your newsfeed or dashboard. For example, if you
want to keep up with the latest news in science and technology, subscribe to the "I F------ Love
Science" page on Facebook. You can also follow email newsletters, such as Cal Newport's Study
Hacks and Today I Found Out. Saurabh Shah
7. Check in with your favorite knowledge sources.

 Corbis Every day, scroll through Quora, Stack Overflow, specialty blogs, or any other sources
that satiate your hunger for knowledge. This is an extremely easy habit, because other users are
curating the content for you, so all you have to do is follow the ones who write about topics
interesting to you. Try using Pocket to save articles for later reading, and then try to get through
them before going to sleep at night. Manas J Saloi
8. Share what you learn with other people.

 Provided by Business Insider If you find someone to debate and analyze ideas with, you can
add to each other's knowledge and gain new perspectives. Also, when you can explain ideas to
someone else, it means you've definitely mastered the concept. You can even share what you
learn without directly talking to someone. Many people like to start blogs so they can engage
others in online dialogue. Mike Xie
9. Make two "To Do" lists: one of work-related skills you want to learn now, and another of
things you want to achieve in the future.

 SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg Google Docs is a convenient way to keep track of your lists. For
both, decide what you want to learn, compile sources that will teach you these skills, and then
work on them each day.
For example, if you work in a computer-science related field, your first list might suggest you
learn something new in Python one day or that you try using MongoDB another day.
For your second list, you can think about long-term goals, such as whether you want to go into
marketing or architecture. Write down the small steps you need to take to reach that goal,
whether it's by reading the experts in those fields or taking classes at a local college. Manas J
Saloi
10. Write an "I Did" list.

 REX Features At 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 re-structure your to-do lists for
the next day. Claudia Azula Altucher
11. Start a "Stop Doing" list.

 REX Features To clear out the mental clutter, take note of the mindless ways you spend your
time. Break old habits, and make time for new, better ones. As Warren Buffett says, "The
difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful say 'no'
to almost everything." Shane Parrish
12. Write down what you learn.

 REX Features You can start a blog or use an app like Inkpad to help you keep track of
everything you learn. Not 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. You will want to learn
more if you know that at the end of the day you'll have to write about it. Manas J Saloi
13. Stimulate your mind.

 Corbis Going 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. Rick Bruno
14. Take online courses.

 Provided by Business Insider Check out this list of the most popular online courses for
professionals. Make 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. Manas J Saloi
15. Talk to someone you find interesting.

 Corbis Even if they're strangers, don't be afraid to approach them. Ask about their interests and
how they discovered them. Oftentimes, you learn the most from people you barely know.
Manas J Saloi
16. Hang out with people who are smarter than you.

 Corbis Spend as much time as you can with smart people. Every day, you should strive to have
a coffee date or walk with someone who inspires you.
Always be humble and willing to learn. Ask as many questions as possible. If you are always
around people who are more knowledgeable than you, you'll have no choice but to learn more.
Manas J Saloi
17. Follow your questions.

 Corbis If you see or hear about something cool, don't just let the moment pass. Follow up
pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your question. Mike Xie
18. Use a word-of-the-day app.

 Chris Jackson/Getty Images You will increase your vocabulary, which can help you in
competitive tests like the SAT or GRE, or even just sound more eloquent in daily interactions.
You can also try to learn new vocabulary in a different language. Every day, try to add five to 10
more words to the foreign language you are trying to pursue. You can use LiveMocha, Basuu, or
DuoLingo. Manas J Saloi
17. Follow your questions.

 Corbis If you see or hear about something cool, don't just let the moment pass. Follow up
pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your question. Mike Xie
18. Use a word-of-the-day app.

 Chris Jackson/Getty Images You will increase your vocabulary, which can help you in
competitive tests like the SAT or GRE, or even just sound more eloquent in daily interactions.
You can also try to learn new vocabulary in a different language. Every day, try to add five to 10
more words to the foreign language you are trying to pursue. You can use LiveMocha, Basuu, or
DuoLingo. Manas J Saloi
21. Play "smart" games.

 Provided by Business Insider Some games, like chess and Scrabble, expand your mind.
Challenge yourself when you play them. For example, play Scrabble without a dictionary. You
can also solve puzzles via games like Sudoku, 2048, and Doors. Saurabh Shah
22. Set aside some time to do nothing.

 Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg Oftentimes, sitting in silence can help you get inspiration and reflect
on your day. Claudia Azula Altucher
23. Adopt a productive hobby.

 REX Features If you have something you can work on every day, from knitting to fly fishing,
you can actively learn more just from doing. For instance, you may try to play a new piece of
music every day, read a physics textbook, write a few more pages in your novel, or learn a new
computer skill. Mayank Rajput
24. Apply what you learn.

 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. Learning by doing is one of the most
effective ways to become smarter. Himanshu Pal
25. Exercise and eat a healthy diet.

 Matthew Mead/AP Photo Opt for brain foods to fuel your thinking, and avoid alcohol and
heavy meals that will make you sluggish. When your energy dips, take a walk. "The more blood
flowing into your brain, the better your performance. Great thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi and
Charles Darwin were famous for their long walks." Janne Piiroinen