You may be surprised to learn that smart people have a few quirks. In fact, many of the habits and routines that are considered signs of intelligence are actually just symptoms of an overactive brain. Here are ten things you might only notice in someone who is smart:
1. They take their time.
Smart people know that the best things in life are worth taking your time on.
They don’t rush to get things done, because they know that rushing will only lead to mistakes.
They take their time with relationships because they know that rushing into things won’t last and could even end up hurting them more than helping them.
They also take their time when making decisions, simply because they understand how important it is to make calculated choices rather than hasty ones.
Finally, smart people take their time with themselves — they don’t rush through life just to get somewhere else; instead, they appreciate where they are right now (even if it isn’t perfect).
2. They think about what isn’t there.
- You might think that a person with a lot of knowledge and experience would be able to fill in the blanks of their memory by recalling facts that have been long-forgotten. But actually, it’s more helpful if they can also imagine what is not there.
- Imagine you are looking at a number on the sidewalk; you don’t know what it is but someone asks you what’s next to it. What do they want? You might say “2” when really they meant “3”. The better answer here would be: “I don’t know.” It’s better not to guess because guessing wrong costs time and energy (both being precious resources) and may lead us down an incorrect path that could have been avoided had we thought about what wasn’t there instead of thinking about whatever was supposed to be there.
3. They don’t multi-task.
One of the hardest things to realize is that multitasking is a myth. It’s true that we can do multiple things at once, but our brains aren’t designed to handle two or more complex tasks simultaneously—and they certainly can’t do them both well. If you try to do so, your performance will suffer in both areas as your brain struggles to keep up with the demands of several tasks at once.
The best way to get things done? Focus on one task at a time and allow yourself ample time for each step in the process. This allows you to enter “flow”—a state where you’re fully immersed in what you’re doing and your productivity skyrockets because there are no distractions pulling away from your focus or attention span.
4. They procrastinate.
Procrastination is a bad habit. It’s a way of avoiding doing something that you should or shouldn’t be doing. If you’re a procrastinator, you might put off things like cleaning your room, studying for an exam or even going to bed at night.
Procrastination can be caused by several different things: laziness; fear of failure; and/or fear of success (which isn’t really procrastination but it kind of is).
5. They daydream.
Daydreaming is a sign of intelligence, creativity, focus, and problem-solving. Daydreaming helps you focus on what is important and allows your brain to solve problems without interruption. In fact, daydreamers tend to be more creative than non-daydreamers because they allow their brains to wander freely while they’re working on projects or tasks. If you’re able to look past the stigma associated with daydreaming (and yes, there’s a stigma), then you can see that it can actually help you succeed in life if used properly.
6. They space out.
Spacing out is a common behavior among intelligent people. It’s when you’re in the middle of doing something, like talking to someone or working on something, and then you stop for a second and look like you’re not there. This can be because you’re daydreaming about something that happened in the past or thinking about what you need to do next. While spacing out may seem like it would make it harder for people to do anything, research has shown that this isn’t actually true—in fact, spacing out is more likely than not to lead to better outcomes than if someone didn’t take any breaks at all! So try taking some time every day to sit back and think things through before returning back into action; it’ll help boost your productivity by giving you extra time to plan ahead rather than just reacting right away!
7. They like to work alone.
You might think that you have to be sociable and talkative to be smart, but the truth is that most of the smartest people in the world like to work alone. They are introverts who prefer their own company over other people’s.
When they do have to work with others, they don’t mind it because they know how to manage their time and space well enough so that their thoughts stay focused on what needs attention at any given moment.
They often don’t like being micromanaged or told what to do by anyone else, as this can distract them from what’s important.
8. They like to talk to themselves.
Smart people like to talk to themselves.
Why? Because they can say things out loud that they don’t want to say to other people. They can talk about anything: their day, the weather, their problems—whatever they want. And they can do it all silently (literally).
It’s a great way of getting some peace and quiet when you need it most.
9. They sleep a lot.
Sleep is important for brain function and mental clarity, so smart people make sure they get enough of it. They know that if they don’t recharge their batteries, then they won’t be able to focus on the task at hand or concentrate properly.
10. They’re messy.
- You have lots of stuff around the house, but it’s not just “stuff.” It’s tools, art supplies, writing tools and books.
- You’re very creative and you find that messes help you think better. Messy people are more creative because they can’t force themselves to clean up their work area when they’re trying to solve a problem or create something new in general. Simply put: messiness is creativity!
- Being messy helps you be more productive. Because most people associate clutter with laziness, they often don’t realize that clutter can actually increase productivity by allowing us break out of our routine more easily and think outside the box when facing an obstacle
Conclusion
These are just some of the habits that smart people have. They may seem counterintuitive at first, but if you give them a try for yourself and keep an open mind about them, you’ll start to see the benefits that come with breaking away from traditional thought patterns.