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14 Daily Habits that Will Make You Smarter

Getting smarter isn't something that happens overnight. Instead, you have to build your intelligence every day through intentional daily habits.

In a recent thread "What would you do to be a little smarter every single day?" readers shared their advice on good habits you can establish. Here are some simple actions that could help you.

1. Read the newspaper. It will help you become more aware of the important things happening around the world. 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

2. Play devil's advocate. 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 independently and 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

3. Read a chapter in a fiction or non-fiction book. 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

4. Instead of watching TV, watch educational videos. 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. 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 it'll stick. — Hendrik Sleeckx

5. Check in with your favorite knowledge sources. Every day, scroll through 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

6. Share what you learn with other people. 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

7. Stimulate your mind. Going on a daily run or vigorous walk 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

8. Take online courses. Make sure you don't overload yourself; commit to one or two and truly focus on them. The syllabi 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

9. Talk to someone you find interesting. Even if they're strangers, don't be afraid to approach them. Ask about their interests and how they discovered them. You will often learn the most from people you barely know. — Manas J Saloi

10. Hang out with people who are smarter than you. Spend as much time as you can with them. 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 often around people who are more knowledgeable than you, you'll have no choice but to learn more. — Manas J Saloi

11. Follow your questions. 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

12. Use a word-of-the-day app. 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. -- Manas J Saloi

13. Explore new areas. If you can't travel every day at least try to find something new in your hometown. You'll meet different people, learn new facts, and understand something new about the world. It's a lot more productive than staying at home and watching TV. — Manas J Saloi

14. Play "smart" games. 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

By: Maggie Zhang