Kickstart Afternoon Brainpower!

Do good ideas escape you by afternoon? More and more jobs are sedentary since work's computer driven. Consequently, most folks are starved for exercise that primes more oxygen flow to the brain.

Interestingly, a human brain takes up 2% of the body's total mass, yet the brain uses 20% of the body's oxygen supply and without exercise you realize your best thinking lags just when you need it.

Good news is workouts not only protect brains, but also improve thinking! And here's a tip from life coach, Beth Rothenberg, for a great speedy exercise to rejuvenate your noodle...

You've probably heard the old advice to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Well try also taking them when you don't really need to, advises Rothenberg, such as when you go for a coffee or restroom break. Head to the java pot or facilities several floors up or down from your office, and do the stairs a few times on the way back. Stairs are tough, especially if you take them two at a time or run them. If you need an incentive, keep track of how many stairs you do and then reward yourself with a little (low-fat) gift after you reach 1,000 or another goal.

Lifehacker shares tips for a mind-bending stroll in a cityscape:

1. Don't weigh yourself down. Leave the briefcase and the backpack at home. If you need to write something down, bring one piece of paper and a pen. If you fill that piece of paper, then you've had a productive walk.

2. Take a strange route around a familiar area. Focus on the idea that you'll never see these buildings and spaces in the same order again.

3. The best walks involve pauses. Don't be afraid to linger—on a park bench, in a bookstore, at a friend's house...

Ready to take on the stairs or the cityscape this afternoon? I'd like to hear what difference it makes for you... And, I'm on my way to the stairs as we speak...