Who knew that waking up to a new scent could amp up your brain power? While freshly brewed coffee is the usual scent associated with the start of a new day, waking up to a smell that's not linked to your morning routine (like vanilla or citrus scents) will activate new neural pathways in the brain. Wake up and burn a lavender-scented candle, or sip some peppermint tea.

Keeping a journal or diary is not only one of the best ways to detach from digital distractions, but it can also improve concentration and memory skills. The physical action of scribbling down letters on a page (rather than just hitting the exact same keys on a keyboard) activates the part of the brain that develops the learning process, making it easier to comprehend new material.

While keeping a full, complete diary might be a bit time-consuming, using something like the Five Minute Journal, $23, is a great way to get yourself writing while also being superproductive (this particular journal helps you to prioritize tasks for the day while setting individual, short-term goals as well).

Not only is being bilingual an excellent, marketable skill to have, it's also an excellent way to keep your brain active. A Swedish MRI study found that learning a new language can actually make your brain grow (in this case, bigger is certainly better).

Strange, right? Well, the hippocampus and cerebral cortex are the parts of the brain that were specifically found to grow, both of which are involved in helping you to quickly and comprehensively learn new material. Luckily for us, learning a new language can be done without having to hire a tutor or enroll in classes. There are plenty of free phone apps like Duolingo available that can help you practice a new language during your train ride to work each morning. Talk about a productive distraction.

Humans are creatures of habit, so it makes sense that we'd get stuck in a rut of eating the same foods at the same time of day. However, Katz claims that by switching things up and eating an omelet or cereal for dinner instead of the usual evening meal options, your brain will handle the change as an unexpected challenge, forcing all your senses to become engaged and making the mind work harder to understand the new routine.

Sure, taking time out of your busy schedule to meditate may seem like a waste of time, but growing evidence proves that meditation has more benefits on the brain than just inducing a feeling of inner peace. According to a study conducted at UCLA, life-long meditators had more grey matter volume (this contains most of the brain's neuronal cells, meaning it conducts most of our memory, speech and decision-making abilities) within their brain. Consequently, the brains of meditators are significantly more well-preserved than those who don't take a moment to tap into their inner zen.