One of my daughters is in the middle of exam prep, and like most students she’s looking for ways to stay focused and remember more. I’ve shared a few simple tips with her – and they’re just as useful for the rest of us when we want to think more clearly at work.

Here are two science-backed ways to improve how your brain works – and how you think.

1. Move

As Annie Murphy Paul explains in The Extended Mind:

“Single bouts of physical activity can enhance our cognition in the short term. By moving our bodies in certain ways, we’re immediately able to think more intelligently.”

Even subtle movements help. One study found people solved maths problems more accurately when they were allowed to sway gently compared with sitting rigidly still. Staying stiff actually added to their cognitive load.

I’ve noticed the same. When I go for a walk, I come up with more creative ideas – and I remember them better. Just as Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, famously said:

“I have walked myself into my best thoughts.”

I used to recommend walking meetings mainly for the physical benefit. Now I suggest them just as much for the benefits to your brain. When I can, I’ll swap a video call for the phone so I can pace while talking. And if you’re stuck at your desk, even doodling during a meeting can help.

2. Look at nature

Why? It helps us feel good and improves our ability to think.

Our brains are wired to respond positively to fractals – the repeating patterns found in leaves, tree branches, waves, and clouds. Professor Richard Taylor at the University of Oregon found that simply looking at fractals reduces stress by up to 60%. EEG scans show we enter a state of “wakeful relaxation” – alert but at ease – the ideal state for recharging.

Even tiny doses count. A University of Melbourne study found that just 40 seconds looking at a flowering green roof improved people’s performance on a cognitive test, compared with looking at concrete.

I put this into practice by exercising outside when I can, looking out the window between tasks, and, if I get to choose the meeting spot, picking cafes with a view.

Small things make a difference. Just ask anyone who’s tried to concentrate with a fly buzzing in the room.