15 ways to think better

9. Expose yourself to multiple experiences
Creativity often boils down to the ability to adapt solutions from one aspect of life to another. Velcro for instance, was inspired by burrs that stick to your clothing. The 'ring-pull' top on cans was originally based on the way a banana is peeled.

10. Learn from Leonardo
In his book, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, author Michael Gelb offers several brain-enriching strategies that worked for the ultimate Renaissance man. Among them: learning to juggle and drawing with your non-writing hand.

11. Pay attention.
Do you sometimes find yourself 'forgetting' someone’s name seconds after meeting them? The problem isn't memory; it's concentration. As we get older, we must consciously remind ourselves to commit information to memory.

12. Listen to Mozart
An experimental psychologist has found evidence supporting the 'Mozart Effect' - that is, a brain exposed to Mozart's music grows more complex connections. This allows faster, integrated access to more information.

13. Exercise the body to improve the mind
An increasing amount of research now supports the idea that aerobic workouts can have a beneficial effect on a number of things, including educational performance. It is suspected that this works by increasing oxygen and nutrient supplied to the brain, plus a boost in natural compounds called neurotrophins, which promote brain cell growth. Some studies show mixed results. But exercise has so many other benefits that it definitely makes sense to do it regularly.

14. Try something new
Near the end of his life, Impressionist painter Henri Matisse revitalised his art by exchanging brushes for scissors, which he used to create a series of brilliant paper cut-outs. Such experimentation appears to be the hallmark of successful creativity, says psychologist Dean Keith Simonton. In a study that compared creative people who burn out with those who continue to create, he says the main difference was that the latter were constantly exposing themselves to new knowledge.

15. End distractions
If you're bombarded with irrelevant stimuli, it's hard to focus. When you absolutely must do something (complete a report, for instance) try unplugging the phone and putting a do not disturb sign on your door.

And don't forget to follow your passion. Recently, a Dutch psychologist tried to work out what separated chess masters from chess grandmasters. He subjected groups of each to a battery of tests - IQ, memory, spatial reasoning. He found no difference between them in any of the tests. The only difference was that grandmasters simply loved chess more. They had more passion and demonstrated more commitment to it. Passion may well be the key to creativity.