Research shows that it’s good for the brain to take a new route to and from work every day. Or school. Or the employment office, for that matter. If we keep taking the same route to work and also turn on the MP3-player as soon as we get out of the apartment the brain will get lazy. People become accustomed to be fed with the same impressions, in both sight and sound, every day. The organ that is supposed to make you smarter and more creative is instead making you a big sack of potatoes sitting on the couch watching reruns of Two and a Half Men.

You don’t have to make a big effort. Start by getting off one stop too early or too late. You can expand it later, but start small. It makes more of a difference than you think. Then maybe you’ll start to walk some distances before getting on the bus. If the distance is short enough, maybe you’ll start cycling to work. Maybe you’ll leave your MP3-player at home. Begin to think and reflect more. Realize that Two and a Half Men is pretty predictable.