5 Hobbies That Make You Smarter

What you do in your free time makes a difference. Some hobbies are simply ways to relax and unwind, but other hobbies can actually make you a smarter, more well-rounded person. Here are five hobbies you can add to your routine to give your brain a boost:

1. Exercising
Regularly working out might not be your first thought when it comes to increasing your brain power, but it ought to be. Exercise has widespread effects on how your brain functions. To start, exercise gives you energy and improves your focus, making it easier for you to learn new things to begin with. It also improves memory, which means you're more likely to actually retain the things you learn. Exercise has other positive effects on your brain as well, like mood stabilization.

2. Learning a Foreign Language
Learning how to read and speak a new language trains your brain to pick up and retain new information. It's also a great exercise in commitment and studying: Languages take time to learn, so you can use the practice to build discipline you can take with you throughout life. In addition, being bilingual opens up new opportunities for you and your business. You can speak with people who might have been difficult or impossible to access before. If you're regularly working with businesses with employees that speak your second language, you can even make double-sided business cards with one language on each side.

3. Reading
It's hardly a stretch that reading will improve your overall level of knowledge. According to Entrepreneur, however, reading books doesn't just improve your factual knowledge, it also makes you more empathetic and a better problem solver. Reading also reduces stress, which clears your head and makes your mind sharper. The kind of reading you do makes a difference, however: Reading articles online doesn't give you the same benefits as sitting down with a good book.

4. Playing a Musical Instrument
Learning to play a musical instrument deepens your ability to perceive sensory information, as well as your ability to learn and retain new information. It's also the perfect emotional outlet, and a sure way to tap into your creativity. You don't have to be a virtuoso to gain benefits from learning how to read and play music, either: The practice of learning is what affects your brain, not how quickly you learn or how skilled you end up.

5. Traveling
Heading out to new places is a great way to expand your horizons. Not only will you get the experience of exploring an area you don't know much about, but you'll also expose yourself to new customs and cultures. To get the most out of your trip, try to spend some time learning about the place you're visiting. Checking out local museums, markets and historical sites will give a greater insight into what this new part of the world is like. Traveling is also a great chance to dip into your other brain-boosting hobbies: If you're learning a foreign language, travel to a part of the world where it's spoken. Practicing with native speakers will improve your speech by leaps and bounds.