How to excercise your brain while driving

By Nicky VanValkenburgh

I'd like to share with you a simple technique for exercising your brain. You can do it while you're driving the car or sitting in the passenger seat. It's easy, effortless, effective and fun.

Whenever you remember something, you rely on a mental picture. The ability to visualze a mental picture is a valuable skill. It makes it easier to concentrate, focus, remember and recall information. It also comes to play as you talk, write or read. All of these things involve thinking, mental processing and mental pictures.

Perhaps you haven't given much thought to "mental pictures." Optomotrists suggest that everyone has this ability, and we can actually strengthen it with excercise.

So let's get started with this technique.

While driving, take a moment to glance at restaurant logos, license plates or business signs. Focus on something that is one or two words.

Look away, but hold on to the mental picture of the logo. See it in your mind. See the color and shape of the letters. Mentally picture the word, and test yourself by reading it backwards.

Okay, let's try it again. For instance, glance at a Wendy's restaurant sign. Look away, or shift your focus back to the road in front of you. Repeat the word "Wendy's" silently to yourself. See the red letters. Notice the shape of the font or typeface. Develop a mental picture of the letters.

Test your mental picture by reading the letters backwards, "s-y-d-n-e-W."

This sounds crazy, but it's a powerful tool for strengthening your visual memory.

Try the "Backwards Technique" the next time you're behind the wheel or sitting in the passenger seat. By strengthening your ability to create mental pictures, you will find it easier to remember names, dates, addresses and numbers.

Funny how something backwards actually awakens your brainpower!

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