5 simple skills you need to learn to boost your intelligence

It's not hard to learn how to meditate – start with 10 minutes a day, preferably in the morning. There are a lot of meditation techniques, and one of them will definitely suit you. Remember that the main thing is to take a comfortable position and focus on your breath.

Some people believe that it's necessary not to think about anything while meditating, which is actually wrong. The purpose of this process is to feel and understand the way your body and mind feel, even if you are thinking about something.

Everyday meditation will bring you clarity of thoughts and improve your sleep, which is of prime importance for your intelligence.

Many people didn't love math at school, but mathematical thinking in adult life is something completely different. We really need it to be intelligent and successful, and it's not always about numbers. Math helps us think more structurally and make smarter decisions, as it improves our logical abilities.

You can improve your mathematical thinking by doing simple math problems – a couple of equations or math riddles a day will be enough, just do it regularly. If you become really interested, you can find a lot of exercise booklets and compilations for any level online.

Writing is one of the most powerful methods of communication, moreover, it deals with such part of our brain as frontal lobe. When we write and decode written words, we activate and train this area, which is also responsible for our movement, judgement, problem solving and planning. When you write something, you actually improve a lot of other skills. Writing helps us define our voice, tell more interesting and consistent stories, and always see the big picture.

How do we learn better writing? The first secret is to write publicly. Thanks to the Internet, anyone can do so today – enter discussions on forums, leave thoughtful comments and reviews or start a blog. When other people evaluate your writing, you can easily see what must be improved. Do you have an opportunity to publish something in a local newspaper? Go ahead.

The second important secret is to treat writing as a skill. It's not only about talent. If you are really serious about that, develop a habit of writing for 20 minutes a day. Very soon you'll see the progress and literally feel smarter. Practice makes perfect!

A confident person knows how to say "NO". If you know how to be assertive and courteous at the same time, it can also help you communicate effectively. Knowing how to negotiate, you will be able to get better jobs, handle any conflict, take part in the most interesting projects and discussions. All of this pays an important role in becoming smarter.

But how do you improve this skill? Practice is the best way, you won't learn it from books. Pay more attention to the way you talk to people. Do your interlocutor really hear you? Do they understand your feelings? Is your position clear to them? Do you regularly use any words or phrases that could be omitted? Perfect negotiation is about being able to end discussions or conflicts as a win situation for both parties. Think about that: how often do you feel like a winner?

Daily routine is very important for a smart person. Good habits are like small steps to success you take every day. 10 minutes of exercising is nothing, but of you do it every day you will see its amazing effects on you, which will motivate you to work out more. Read 15 minutes a day for a month, and you will see how much food for thought it will give you. Form a habit to develop every skill mentioned above every day, and it will change the quality of your life.

Don't be afraid to develop slowly – it's a surefire way to become a better version of yourself.