Being smart is a skill we often admire in other people. This can be a gift they’re naturally born with.

However, being smart is a skill we can acquire when we take the necessary steps to becoming one.

Contemporary evidence shows that, even though unintelligent people could never become geniuses, they still have the ability to strengthen their mental capacity to some degree.

Becoming smarter, then, can be earned through hard work and more effort. But you don’t need to do it the hard way.

There are things you can do every day that when you turn them into habits can make you much smarter.

9 Little Things You Can Do Everyday To Increase Your Intellect To Another Level:

1. Drink 2 glasses of water right after waking up.

This offsets the fluid deficit in your body while you sleep and increases your ability to do mental tasks during the day.

2. Listen to podcasts while commuting or exercising.

Listen to stimulating podcasts or audio books while biking, taking your morning walk, commuting, or driving to work.

3. Take naps between noon and 4 PM to refresh your mind.

Napping has been found to increase the learning speed in your learning process.

4. Cut your sugar intake.

High levels of sugar followed by low levels can prevent your brain from functioning smartly. Opt for fatty acids.

5. Instead of watching TV series, switch it to playing games.

By actively engaging your brain, you’re increasing your brain’s plasticity. If you want to watch something watch educational shows like TED talks. You learn while being inspired.

6. Read a few pages of a book each day.

Reading helps your mind to construct mental images, which makes your brain active.

7. Spend time with people who are smarter than you.

The more you spend time with them, the bigger your chances of developing their thinking patterns.

8. Challenge your own beliefs.

Engage in a friendly argument with people who think differently from you. This way, you not only sharpen your arguments but learn the pitfalls in your thinking too.

9. Carry a notepad.

Here you can jot down ideas or questions that emerge in your mind during the day. Writing down interesting things trains your curiosity and logical thinking.