Mix it up! Take a different route to or from a place you're going today.



Hide


How to do it


You probably have a set route to work, the grocery store, the babysitter's -- even to different rooms in your own home. Today, mix it up! Instead of going the way you usually go, find a new route. If you're at home and can't, or don't want to, go out for some reason, take a different path than you normally would to get from one room or part of your house or apartment to another.






Why it matters


Scientists now know that in order to keep our brains sharp, we need to do more than recall information we already know (as is the case when you play trivia question-and-answer games). We need to tackle new things that take us out of our comfort zones. Physical exercise is hugely important too because our brains, like our hearts, need oxygen and blood flow to keep them agile and to create new brain cells. Activities like taking a new route to work nourish new connections in our brains and keep them fit. Making new friends, learning to play a musical instrument, even engaging in a friendly debate are also constructive activities. Just don't try to do them all at once!