Brain Tip #4: Take a Breather

Remember that marathon training analogy for Brain Tip #1 about how our muscles become conditioned to working hard so that they actually work less? Well, the other part of any successful training program is to let those muscles rest at least one day a week. And that brings us to today's tip.

The brain needs to rest too. Normally this comes in the form of a good night's sleep. But in today's world of information overload, we need to embed moments of the day to just relax and unwind and let the mind free itself of constant stimulation.

Meditation is a wonder technique to quiet the mind. Yoga is even better since it targets both body and spirit through intentions during practice. Concentrating on one thing -- us -- can be difficult in this world of multitasking. (And, for the record, you might be able to do more than one thing at a time, but you can't do them both as well...I'm just sayin'.)

So be sure to spend time during the day to just take a deep breath, let your thoughts go and relax. It's great for your blood pressure. It's great for your relationships. And it's been known to spark creativity, which can do wonders for your life and your career.