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Are you ready to unleash your full intellectual potential? For students looking to excel in school or anyone eager to supercharge their intelligence, we’ve listed 18 simple yet powerful tips. Boosting your intelligence is a multifaceted journey that involves simple but effective changes in your daily routine. Incorporating these strategies into your life will help you tap into the full potential of your mind.
1) Get Adequate Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for enhancing intelligence, yet with the constant stimulation from the Internet and social media, many struggle to transition from busyness to tranquility. The quest for restful sleep has resulted in a plethora of books, articles, and movies on the topic, but one significant hurdle remains: snoring. Millions of people face this issue, unaware of their nocturnal snoring. Resolving snoring issues can lead to improved energy levels upon waking, as it ensures an adequate supply of nitric oxide in the body, a vital chemical responsible for healing. For more practical strategies on how to transition from restlessness to deep sleep, explore our guide to overcoming insomnia.
2) Eat Healthy Foods
When it comes to nutrition, consume energizing, antioxidant-rich foods. A healthy breakfast might be warm oatmeal with blueberries, organic honey, a glass of orange juice and/or milk, and a banana. A light lunch, followed by a heavy and nutrient-dense dinner will keep your metabolism working so that you have energy to expend throughout the day. Be mindful of how often you indulge in fast food. Healthier snack options include tea, dark chocolate, and nuts. And avoid added sugar, or gradually replace it with choices such as honey and maple syrup.
3) Supplement With Vitamins, Minerals and Nootropics
Consume a multivitamin along with your meal, ideally in the morning. A supplement will help fill those nutritional gaps and maximize your body’s ability to produce energy. Have you considered nootropics? Nootropics, or “smart drugs,” are a class of substances that can boost brain performance. Vitamin D is particularly important for producing melatonin, so make sure the foods you eat contain this important vitamin, or at least opt for it in supplement form.
4) Listen to Music
Music is like magic! It can do so many amazing things to make our lives better. When we listen to our favorite songs, it helps us feel calm and peaceful inside. Even if you like one type of music, trying out different kinds can still make you feel good. Did you know that certain types of music can help your brain focus better when you’re studying or reading? Light and gentle tunes are like a special key that unlocks your brain’s learning zone. On the other hand, really loud music might make it hard to concentrate. If you’re curious how the right music can sharpen your focus and help you get more done during the workday, don’t miss our article on using music to boost productivity at work. Listening to relaxing music gives your brain a chance to recharge, making it easier to absorb new information and spark creative ideas. It’s almost like giving your mind a secret boost! Calming tunes can also improve sleep—crucial for helping your brain retain what you’ve learned. And here’s a bonus: music can enhance your focus and productivity. So go ahead—enjoy your favorite tracks. They’re not just enjoyable; they’re powerful tools for feeling good, learning more, and sparking creativity.
5) Use Your Opposite Hand
When you use your opposite hand, you strengthen neural connections in your brain and even grow new ones if you want. It’s kind of how exercise improves your body. Try using your non-dominant hand to write and/or use the computer mouse or TV remote. Or you can brush your teeth with your opposite hand. At first you may find it quite difficult. After a while, though, it may become second nature. Your brain is firing neurons and you’re giving it a great workout.
6) Read
Reading has long been considered the quintessential activity for increasing one’s intelligence. You can travel the world and explore many sites by reading, and the best thing that I’ve ever done for my own intelligence is reading. It’s important to read in a genre that you love, so if you enjoy reading novels, then make sure that you give yourself as much time as possible to enjoy works in this area. Your mind will learn much better and faster when it is enjoying a subject that you’re truly enamored of. How about picking up a book on advanced mathematics? You’re pushing your mental limit, and that is great. It’s much like pushing a muscle when you exercise. For some inspiring thoughts on the power of reading, explore our collection of insightful quotes about books and reading.
7) Start a Hobby
Many of us enjoy hobbies, and while the type may differ from person to person, what matters most is including an activity in your daily routine that keeps your mind engaged. Hobbies help us step away from everyday worries and improve our ability to focus. Beyond the relaxation they bring, they also train the mind to concentrate—a valuable skill in any area of life.
8) Drink Tea
Tea has long been valued for its many benefits, including its calming effect that helps create a mindset ideal for learning. Beyond its soothing qualities, green tea also supports better sleep and helps keep you hydrated. When your body lacks water, your brain struggles to retain information, since hydration is essential for transporting vital vitamins and minerals. So make tea a regular part of your routine—it nourishes both body and mind.
9) Explore Personal Fantasies
For many people, one of their deepest and most private wishes is to experience a personal fantasy. A fantasy is an imagined scene or situation that involves someone or something that person normally wouldn’t encounter in reality, such as meeting your favorite movie star or living in a world with peace and understanding among the human family. There are countless ways for people to explore their personal fantasies—through books, movies, television shows and more. The possibilities are endless!
10) Daydream
Daydreaming can be a great way to aid relaxation and meditation by providing an escape from the reality of the present moment. When you daydream, you are free to wander where your thoughts take you. This allows your mind to explore new ideas and possibilities, as well as decompress from stressful situations. To maximize the benefits of daydreaming, try focusing on one specific idea or image for a period of time before letting yourself drift off into another imagined world.
11) Think Imaginatively About Life’s Big Questions
Deepen your thinking skills by using logic, reasoning, and puzzles. Pondering life’s big questions challenges your imagination to think in new ways. You’ll begin to see possibilities others may miss. The questions do not have to be deep, philosophical inquiries, but rather simple ones that will allow you to view beyond the fringes of your mind.
12) Practice Breathing Techniques
Deep breathing can also enhance visualization skills by increasing oxygen levels in the brain. Try to start a breathing regimen that you can adhere to every day, even if it’s five minutes per session. You are allowing your body to relax naturally, and when it is in an unpressured state, it can recall ideas more easily, as well as increase your capability for imagination.
13) Create Lists
Creating lists is an excellent way to organize your thoughts, become more efficient, and improve your productivity. It can also stimulate your creativity and improve your intelligence by identifying and categorizing different sources of inspiration. By creating a list of things that inspire your imagination, you can understand what types of things motivate you, explore different themes and concepts, develop critical thinking skills, and become more intellectually curious. This process can help you become more mindful of the world around you and more attuned to the things that stimulate your creativity, leading to greater happiness and fulfillment. Therefore, creating lists of things that inspire you can help you become more productive, creative, and intellectually curious while improving your overall well-being.
14) Keep a Journal
Keep a journal to reflect on your imagination and how it grows over time. Another benefit of journaling is that it strengthens your writing skills, which can be especially helpful when writer’s block strikes. Even on days when words don’t flow easily, write something—anything. A few spontaneous thoughts or a stream of consciousness entry can keep your creativity alive and help your imagination flourish.
15) Give Up on TV
Turning off the TV can do wonders for your imagination. Without constant exposure to negative news or unsettling images, your mind becomes free to create and explore its own ideas. Think about how many times you’ve watched something that left you upset and wished you hadn’t tuned in. We’ve all been there—but that feeling doesn’t have to keep repeating. Try giving yourself a break from television instead. Close your eyes, let your thoughts wander, and see what your imagination comes up with. A short TV fast can spark creativity in surprising ways.
16) Play With Found Objects
This one is fun and we encourage you to practice this activity, regardless of age. What you’ll do is every time you find an object, you will start examining the object. Turn it in your fingers, and feel the object in your hands. How does it feel? Then, you will ask yourself what sort of object it is and what the purpose of it is. It could be an item you found in the home, or something you located on the street. Lastly, it would help your imagination to think of ways that you could use the object for other purposes. Is it a toy car? Could it be used for instance as a toy for your cat? Or perhaps you found a plastic cup. In what ways could you use the cup that are different than how we’d normally use it? Ask all sorts of questions, and you’ll be surprised at the different ideas you could come up with.
17) Ask Yourself How You’re Feeling
Taking a moment to ask yourself how you’re feeling helps you understand whether your emotions are genuine or influenced by something else. Our thoughts can sometimes mislead us. For example, you might feel down when, in reality, you’re just hungry or tired. This simple act of self-questioning not only builds emotional awareness but also strengthens confidence. With regular practice, you’ll notice a real shift—not just in how you feel, but in how easily creative ideas come to you.
18) Exercise
A plan to improve your intelligence should incorporate regular aerobic exercise to stimulate cognitive abilities and promote physical well-being. Not everyone may have the opportunity to engage in such exercises. Even a daily morning walk can be an excellent alternative, offering comparable health benefits. Prior to starting any exercise routine, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional. While exercise plays a vital role in improving intelligence, moderation is key. Dedicate at least fifteen minutes each day to a walk, and you can experience positive changes in your creativity.
Looking to boost your memory and learn smarter? Check out our guide on how to memorize anything fast—an essential resource for entrepreneurs who never stop growing.
Last Updated on January 2, 2026
by Daniel Zohar
I’m an entrepreneur and digital marketing enthusiast who loves helping people grow—not just in affiliate marketing, but in all areas of online business. I enjoy showing others how to build a strong brand, create meaningful content, and use tools that make work easier. Over the years, I’ve learned what truly works in digital marketing, from creating websites that convert to building an engaged audience through email and social media. After more than ten years in the field, I’ve gathered plenty of lessons I enjoy sharing through my writing and talks. I use my own experiences to help others reach their goals and build something lasting. Besides running my business, I’m a fiction writer in the speculative genre, with dozens of short stories published in various magazines and anthologies. For eighteen years, I was a Top 10% Reviewer at Zoetrope, an online venue for creatives, where I helped members strengthen their writing. When I’m not working as a writer or marketer, you’ll probably find me cooking, reading, or watching a good baseball game. I live in New York City, where I was born and raised.