AI is revolutionizing how we work and think, and a lot of that is good. AI can summarize a book, suggest a solution, and draft an email in seconds. It helps a ton with learning, filtering through and analyzing information, and productivity. At the same time, though, our phones offer an endless supply of things to watch, read, and listen to, and we’re constantly being pinged from all angles. There is always another answer available, and another distraction to get swept up in. This is tough on our brains.

Emerging technology is awesome, and I use it daily. I also want to keep practicing the skills that make my own brain useful: paying attention, remembering, writing, solving problems, and thinking critically.

So I build small opportunities to strengthen my brain into my day, alongside the nutrition, movement, and recovery that support brain function. Some take just a few minutes, and even if you choose just one of the tips I cover below, I think you’ll feel the impact. Here are ten habits I actually practice to support my brain now and as I age.

1. I Play Five Minutes of Word Games

Every day, I set a five-minute timer for the New York Times games. I can usually finish the Mini crossword, Wordle, and Connections, and sometimes fit in Strands, too.

These games ask me to retrieve words, recognize patterns, and reconsider an answer when it doesn’t fit. Yes, they’re on a device! The activity matters, not just the screen.

A randomized trial in older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that computerized crossword training outperformed computerized cognitive games on a measure of cognition. That doesn’t make my five-minute routine a proven dementia-prevention strategy, but it gives me another reason to enjoy a little mental challenge.

Try it: Pick a puzzle you enjoy, give yourself a time limit, and do the thinking yourself.

2. I Read for Ten Minutes Without Checking My Phone

Each morning, I set another timer: ten minutes to read a physical book. During that time, I try to stay present with what I’m reading and leave my phone alone.

Ten minutes sounds small until you notice how often you want to check something. Returning to the page is part of the practice. An eight-week randomized reading study in older adults found benefits in several aspects of cognition (although the reading commitment was much greater than mine! Goals for the future!)

My ten minutes is a realistic daily commitment to following an idea beyond a caption or headline.

Try it: Read a few pages with notifications out of reach. When your attention wanders, bring it back.

3. I Give My Brain Little Problems to Solve

Whenever I write the date, I try to make an equation out of the numbers. I also sometimes change my gym locker code to give myself something new to remember.

These are tiny opportunities to practice arithmetic and recall during things I’m already doing. I can’t point to a trial proving that date equations protect your brain, but I enjoy finding little moments to make it work.

Try it: Calculate a tip in your head, turn a date into an equation, or pause to recall something before immediately looking it up.

4. I Do Some Thinking Before Asking AI

AI is useful for brainstorming, organizing information, and challenging an idea. I also want to contribute my own reasoning: What do I think? What information matters? Where might this answer be wrong? I have a personal practice that if it’s not a simple look-up of a fact that I don’t know, I actually think before asking the question to AI, then use AI to check, challenge, and develop my original thought.

A 2025 survey of 319 knowledge workers found that greater confidence in AI was associated with less reported critical thinking. That doesn’t prove AI damages cognition per se, but it does give us a useful reason to be intentional about how we use it.

Try it: Form an initial answer, then ask AI to identify gaps, challenge your assumptions, or offer another perspective.

5. I Track Where My Attention Goes

Every week, I open Screen Time on my phone, calculate my average daily social media minutes, and enter that number in my personal goals spreadsheet.

It keeps me aware of how much time scrolling is taking. A vague sense that I’m “not on there very much” becomes an actual number I can respond to.

Research supports taking constant connectivity seriously: a randomized trial found that blocking mobile internet for two weeks improved sustained attention, mental health, and sense of well-being. My weekly check is a much smaller intervention, but it helps me decide whether I want to change my habits each week.

Try it: Check your actual usage once a week. Choose one adjustment if the number doesn’t reflect how you want to spend your time.

6. I Leave Some Drives and Runs Free of New Information

I love podcasts and learning, and I listen to a ton of podcasts each week. But sometimes I turn everything off (or choose classical music if I want just a tiny bit of stimulation) and let my brain unravel a little.

Research on quiet wakeful rest after learning suggests it can support memory consolidation. Driving and running aren’t the same as resting in a laboratory, but the broader idea resonates: learning deserves some room for processing, too.

Try it: Leave part of a walk or familiar commute free of podcasts and calls. Notice what comes to mind.

7. I Meditate Daily

Meditation gives me practice noticing where my attention has gone and choosing to return it. My mind doesn’t have to become perfectly quiet for that practice to count.

A meta-analysis of 111 randomized trials found benefits of mindfulness interventions across several cognitive measures, including aspects of attention and working memory. It’s one of the most studied interventions for a wide range of mental and physical health outcomes.

For me, meditation also creates a deliberate pause in a full day and helps me focus inward instead of being reactive.

Try it: Spend two minutes noticing your breath. Each time you realize you’re planning dinner or composing an email, gently return to breathing.

8. I Move My Body Every Day

Exercise is a major part of my life, and the brain benefits are another reason I value it.

Movement can influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a protein involved in supporting neurons and the brain’s ability to adapt and learn. A meta-analysis of randomized exercise trials found significant increases in circulating BDNF both acutely and in the long term.

You don’t need my training schedule to get started! Daily movement can include a brisk walk, strength training, cycling, or an easier recovery session.

Try it: Build a movement break into your day, especially when you’ve spent hours sitting and concentrating.

9. I Feed My Brain Consistently

As a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, I obviously care about the physiology behind focus. One of my most requested corporate presentations is called “Building Resilient Brains,” which offers nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support brain health. And of course, I practice what I preach! The brain needs energy, and the nutrients involved in its function have to come from somewhere.

I prioritize regular, nourishing meals with adequate protein, fiber-rich plants, and healthy fats. Foods such as leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil can help build that foundation. Eating enough matters, too, particularly when you’re physically active.

The gut–brain connection also makes digestion and dietary variety relevant to the bigger picture. Any of the above habits work best alongside a body that is well supported.

Try it: Look at your next meal: does it provide meaningful nourishment, or are you trying to get through another busy afternoon on coffee alone?

10. I Protect My Sleep

I take bedtime seriously because I want my brain to function well the next day. Sleep is involved in learning and memory, and cutting it short has consequences: a systematic review and meta-analysis found that sleep restriction significantly impaired memory formation.

I can’t control every night’s sleep, but I can protect the time available for it. That means recognizing when one more task is starting to borrow from tomorrow’s capacity.

Try it: Choose a realistic bedtime and give yourself a stopping point for work and scrolling before it arrives.

Start With One Small Habit

You don’t need to add ten assignments to an already full day. Pick one habit that feels useful and repeatable: five minutes of puzzles, ten minutes with a book, a quiet walk, or an honest look at Screen Time.

I want to enjoy what technology offers while continuing to challenge, nourish, and rest my own brain. These small habits help me make room for all three most days.

If brain fog or difficulty concentrating is getting in your way, our team at The Lyons’ Share Wellness can help you explore nutrition, gut health, sleep, stress, and other potential contributors, and identify appropriate next steps for your situation. Schedule a free initial consultation to discuss how we can help!