1) Smart Snacking – Highly processed cheese foods and other salty and non-nutritious foods may play havoc with your system. It's much better to focus on things that will give you a boost without turning you into a sugar-craving, carb-loaded zombie. When the urge to snack hits, try some nuts (almonds and walnuts are great choices – the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts and almonds can calm inflammation that causes brain cell death and improves cognition), blueberries (rich in antioxidants) or any fruit instead of the candy bar or other sugary treats. The key is boosting your body and lowering your consumption of sugar.
2) Stop and Smell the Roses – If you have a pet, make a habit of going for long, reflective walks. Drink in the beauty of nature or the activity of the city, enjoying them while keeping your body moving and blood flowing. One trick is to attempt to look at things with peripheral vision – if you do it often enough, you will stimulate your eye muscles and brain to fire up those neurons.
3) Volunteer – Having a purpose in life and a larger connection to society beyond your immediate circle has been shown to help with motivation on all levels, thus improving your mental agility. The hospital, the library, the museum and certainly the public school systems all need people who are willing to pitch in on all sorts of tasks. You’ll learn new things, meet new people and enjoy the feeling of giving back that comes with being a volunteer. It’s also important to move outside your normal range of tasks and take on new challenges. Studies have shown that learning is an important part of mental growth, and being in a new environment and meeting new tasks head-on definitely can contribute to new paths.