Chances are, you have a smartphone. You might have it tucked away in your pocket or you might be reading this right from it while waiting for a message, but it’s safe to say you have something to do to pass the time. Whether you’re on the loo, waiting for the kettle to boil or just pretending to look busy, it’s undeniably helpful to have a device in your pocket with applications for wasting time. Okay so most of the time you might be scrolling through Memebase or obsessively checking Facebook but all that time could be put to doing tiny things to increase your mental abilities. A simple switch is all you need, from time-wasting to simple exercises.
This was the theory behind Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training games for the DS which achieved considerable success among Nintendo’s wide target audience. The lightweight consoles are an easy design to sell, being both gender and age neutral and with a slew of games for the casual gamer it’s hardly surprising that they would branch into the information game market. A million miles away from Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing we get the swish-looking Brain Training, which allegedly improves blood flow to the frontal cortex, therefore improving “practical intelligence”. Of course, that’s not necessarily accurate – according to the trusted consumer magazine Which?, the game isn’t any more beneficial than talking to friends online or surfing the internet, and even Nintendo have admitted that you would get a similar effect from playing sudoku or a crossword puzzle. Of course the game has been built on since then and it’s undeniable that playing these simple games can improve your mental capabilities.
Of course, these cerebral exercises don’t necessarily require a console or even your phone. There are dozens of ways to use your laptop for small tests, whether you’re playing Words with Friends to test your vocabulary skills or playing a game of online slots at Intertops hoping to use your skills to supplement your pay check – just search for brain training and you’re bound to find something to waste a few minutes. And if worst comes to worst…your internet cuts out…I expect you’ll have at least Solitaire to spend your time in a productive way.
There are so many ways to flex your mental muscles that can prove to help your memory. Doing something new, unfamiliar in challenging is great for keeping your mind active but even social interaction is great for keeping you capable. And it turns out that even laughing regularly can help to engage regions all over your brain which make you think broadly and make more creative associations – just keep laughing, keep challenging yourself, and spend your spare moments well.
