Despite the wisdom that has been circulating for centuries, too many of us fail to heed the call to be satisfied with the simple life. We don’t explore the depth of Ranier Maria Rilke’s observation: “I trust all joy.” With these four simple words, he gave us a formula for simple living. If you were to pass along three or four words of wisdom to the next generation, what words would you choose? Brain Exercises to Simplify Life

ZIPF-IFY THIS

George Kingsley Zipf was an American linguist who created an empirical formula related to the frequency of spoken words. In its simplest application, the law illustrates Zip’s belief that neither readers nor listeners want to expend more energy than necessary to reach an understanding of verbal import.
In this wired world of ours, the average person is exposed to 34 gigabytes of content and 100,000 words of information each day. Clearly, the need to find ways to streamline output and condense input is imperative. This is where Zipf comes in. Brain Exercises to Simplify Life

REMEMBER THIS

Einstein said, “Make things as simple as possible but not simpler.” Perhaps the best example of this can be found in the words of statistician and Quality guru, Dr. W. Edwards Deming. He made the study of work procedures his life work and has taught hundreds of thousands, including those in war-torn Japan, how to streamline work without sacrificing the quality of that work. He boiled down hisinsights into a significant statement about the nature of work itself: “All work is process and all processes can be improved.”
Again, if you were asked to pass along words of wisdom regarding how to make work simpler. And, if you are retired, what advice would you give about making life itself simpler? Translate your knowledge into simplicity, simplicity on the other side of complexity.

ABE WAS HONEST, AND CONCISE

Abraham Lincoln, in defining democracy, used 20 words, all of them but 4 of them monosyllables: “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”
The Gettysburg address, one of the most revered speeches in all of American history, has a mere 271 words—sufficient for healing a war-raved nation and espousing the values of equality. The Lord’s Prayer has 66 words. Contrast this with H.R. 3962, better known as the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which has 1990—pages, not words. To be sure, legal matters require detailed explanations. But pity the poor reader who has to read all of that. Health care may not be affordable, but not necessarily easy to comprehend.

EXECUTIVES VALUE SIMPLICITY, TOO

Facebook’s COO and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg takes a spiral-bound notebook with her into meetings. When every item on the meeting list-pagehas been handled, she will conclude the meeting—even if only ten minutes have elapsed in a meeting scheduled for an hour. Then there are the high- powered executives who will not meet if you cannot state your purpose on the back of your business card. Along these lines, the popularity of TED talks is directly related to the length of those talks—some only a few minutes long, but none more than 18 minutes in length.
Consider, too, the six-word memoir, prompted by Ernest Hemingway’s reputed response to a challenge to write a six-word short story. His poignant response was “For sale; baby shoes, never worn.” A decade ago, Smith magazine asked for six- word submissions that sum up a life or provide a life-learning. What six words would you choose to express what you have learned about life so far? Try the exercise with other words as well, words like “friendship” or “work” or “happiness.”

EXERCISE YOUR SIMPLE SKILLS

To develop the Zipfean approach to verbal economy, just think of the names of popular sports teams and ask yourself how different references to them would be if excessively verbose names were used.) Some of these current and former team names are more challenging than others. For them, you may wish to have a dictionary ready.

Can you name the team?

1- Metallic missiles from a paternal patriot
2- Dollars from the malt metropolis
3- Pathway pyromaniacs from a left-sided land
4- Hoosier equine leaders
5- Aqueous-mass types from a celestial city
6- New, soft-fabric, marine containers
7- Avian resurrection and heliacal essences
8- Scrapes and the focus of a Sinatran ode
9- Bovine creatures from the Hawk’s domicile
10- Battlers from an auriferous state
11- Equine goads for a canonized Anthony
12- Nonconformists from a cowboy’s city
3- Barber’s tool from a city of no deviltry
14- Mineral chunks from an altitudinous location
15- Angry apiarians from a sweet but hushed appellation
16- Birds of prey in a peachy-state city
17- Druids from a leguminous land
18- Gold Rush town and royalty figures
19- A number of trombones from a metropolis of “bro-mances”
20- Motor City cylinders
21- Grover’s courtly horsemen
22- Sound-breaking players from a place of precipitation
23- Marsalis music from a state known for its park city
24- Torridness from city known for its southerly beaches
25- A beverage belonging to Minnie plus sylvan, lupine creatures
26- Fireworks from an oily city
27- Sunshine state city using legerdemain
28- Prehistoric figures from “Hollywood North”
29- Ursi horribili from the Gateway to the Pacific
30-A long-beaked water bird in a place where easy is big

FIGHT DEMENTIA WHILE HAVING FUN

Brain challenges, such as those above, are not only worthwhile ways to spend time, they will also keep you mentally fit. Kailash Satyarthi, Novel Peace Prize recipient and Indian children’s rights activist, maintains that “childhood means simplicity.” If you wish to keep your youthful approach to life, find ways to simplify your life. You will have an endless opportunity to do so if you take samples from long-winded speakers and writers and apply Zipf’s Law.

Sports Teams Answers

Washington Bullets
Milwaukee Bucks
Portland Trailblazers
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
New Jersey Nets
Phoenix Suns
New York Knicks
Chicago Bulls
Golden State Warriors
San Antonio Spurs
Dallas Mavericks
LA Clippers
Denver Nuggets
Charlotte Hornets
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Sacramento Kings
Philadelphia 76ers
Detroit Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers
Seattle Supersonics
Utah Jazz
Miami Heat
Minnesota Timberwolves
Houston Rockets
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors
Vancouver Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans

– – – –
By Marlene Caroselli
This article is excerpted from Applying Mr. Einstein: 365+ Einstein-Inspired Brain Boosts. Her 62^ndbook, Applying Mr. Einsteinwill be released by HRD Press later this year. You can reach the author at msmccpd@gmail.com.

Brain Exercises to Simplify Life

Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life Brain Exercises to Simplify Life

When most of us think of exercise, we think of healthy heart rates, flexed muscles, and sweat. But one thing that rarely comes to mind… is the mind itself. Believe it or not, one of the biggest benefits to regular exercise is a stronger, healthier brain. That’s valuable news for seniors. And it’s especially valuable news for seniors at risk for dementia and cognitive decline. Keeping Aging Bodies Fit Helps Aging Brains
Larry Meigs, President and CEO of Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services, agrees: “As home care providers, we can’t say enough about the benefits of exercise. Even light exercise can make a major difference in your overall quality of life. And that counts just as much for your mental well-being as it does for your physical fitness.” Keeping Aging Bodies Fit Helps Aging Brains

Studies Show Exercise Positive for Seniors

Science is on your side when it comes to exercise, aging, and the mind. Study after study has shown that seniors who keep active show major mental benefits.
For instance, in 2012, a team of researchers at Canada’s University of British Columbia studied the effects of exercise on seniors’ brain health. The team focused on women who were showing signs of mental aging. The study found that light resistance training actually increased the brain performance of women who participated. Keeping Aging Bodies Fit Helps Aging Brains
Meanwhile, a study from 2006 by the University of Illinois shows that exercise literally grows your brain. The study took inactive seniors and put them through a six-month aerobic exercise regimen. The participants’ brains were measured before and after this period. Researchers found that both gray matter and white matter increased in seniors who exercised.
And just this past August, researchers at the University of Maryland showed how quickly exercise (or lack of exercise) can have an effect on the brain. In this study, the researchers had physically fit seniors stop exercising for a short period. After only ten days of inactivity, the researchers found that blood flow to key regions of the brain had fallen significantly.
While the science might be complex, the verdict is simple: a healthier body goes hand in hand with a healthier brain.

How Caregivers Can Keep Seniors Active

The benefits of physical activity in seniors is one thing. But motivating yourself or an aging loved one to exercise? That can be a challenge.
But it’s not as big of a challenge as you may think. At Visiting Angels, our living assistance providers work with seniors and their families on how best to get seniors active. We’ve found that there are a number of ways to get seniors moving and promote healthier lifestyles.

Train for Life, Not a Marathon. Seniors don’t need Olympic-level training to maintain healthy brains. In fact, light exercise is often enough to increase blood flow, boost brain function, and reduce stressors than contribute to cognitive decline. Think walking, not weights, and hit the garden, not the gym.
Work Your Way Up. Too much, too fast is the quickest, easiest way to turn seniors off of exercise. Start small and start manageable. For some seniors, a one-minute walk is a starting point — and that’s okay. Keep at it, and soon enough one minute turns into two, and you’re on your way.
Make Activity Fun. The more enjoyable physical activity is the more likely seniors are to continue with it. So find activities that you or your loved one can enjoy and think of ways to make them more fun. Brainstorm hobbies, like bird-watching, where you can include physical activity without making it seem like exercise with a capital “E.”

The care professionals at Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services have been helping seniors live healthier, happier lives for almost twenty years. To learn more about our services or to find care for a loved one, visit us at VisitingAngels.com.
Note: Caregivers from Visiting Angels do not provide medical care, lead exercise programs nor are they senior trainers. Before your loved one begins an exercise program they should check with their doctor. If you have questions about your loved one’s health, please consult their primary health care provider.

Aging brains