Think I need to find a way of exercising my brain

[smulc]

I recently started a (self study) degree in physics and I'm enjoying it so far, but I feel like my brain has turned to mush. I've been out of education for a while but back when I was in school and college, I could pick new things up really easily, do big calculations in my head, etc. but I just feel stupid now. I'm enjoying the work as I find it really interesting, I'm also doing extra work to help my understanding and I seem to be getting through the material better than most other people. I feel like I'm going to struggle when I reach the later modules though as there are things cropping up that I'm slightly struggling to get my head around. I feel that to succeed in the long run, I should be whizzing through the current material without any trouble at all so I'm not totally happy with my progress.

What I'm wondering is, is there anything I can do to kick my brain into gear? When companies like Nintendo advertise that their Brain Training game increases your brain power, is that true or are things like that just a marketing con? I don't know if doing some kind of mentally challenging task every day like maths quizzes and that kind of thing is going to benefit me, or have I just got older and my brain works differently now. Might seem like a bit of a strange question, but hopefully someone will have a bit of advice. Thanks!

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Have you tried jogging your memory?

 

[wuliheron]

Jimmy's got the right idea. Physical exercise has been proven to grow brain cells. Omega 3 oils and lecithin are good too. Take care of the hardware and the software has a chance.

 

[lisab]

Have you tried jogging your memory?

Just don't try to run your mouth at the same time.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Just don't try to run your mouth at the same time.

I am so stealing that.

 

[Zarqon]

A common problem people have today is focus. Playing fast computer games + multi-using 15 internet tabs, people have gotten very good at multi-tasking, but at the expense of the ability to focus intently on a single task. This is however an important part of solving problems and learning, and as such, many are getting worse at this.

If you feel this might be the reason of your problems, you can try to counteract it by doing tasks that are slower/require more focus and concentration. You could for example start playing more traditional games, such as Go or chess.

 

[Alex_Sanders]

A common problem people have today is focus. Playing fast computer games + multi-using 15 internet tabs, people have gotten very good at multi-tasking...

Oh I can do just that, but failed miserably at an interview for business analysis.

And I'm also a master at Weichi.