Get all the education you can.
College is expensive and time consuming, and not everyone has the time or the means to get a college education. However, you should still get all the education you can. Constant learning and studying can improve your mind and teach you many things in the process. Even if you already have a college degree, or if you don't, that doesn't mean you should stop learning. Take classes in things you are interested in from local libraries and colleges-most provide inexpensive courses for people who are not enrolled in school. This is a great way to learn a new skill and improve the sharpness of your mind.

Read.
Reading is another great way to improve your mind. Reading has a number of benefits-it improves your vocabulary as you come across words you are unfamiliar with, it helps you to become a better writer as you learn sentence structure and grammar rules, it helps you learn more (even if you are not reading a nonfiction book, you are still sure to pick up new things), it gives you a better grasp of the English language, and it exposes you to new ideas.

Reading a wide range of things is the best way to improve your mind through reading. So read as much as you can, from novels to how-to books to magazines to the classics to the newspaper and everything in between! You will notice a difference in your mind.

Do one thing at a time.
With our busy lives, most of us feel scatterbrained or like we have a million things and thoughts going through our minds at once. You can avoid being preoccupied with too many things and improve your focus and concentration by doing your best to do just one thing at a time. While this will definitely take practice, give yourself permission to only focus on one thing at a time. For example, if you need to sit down and pay your bills but you also have to decide what to make for dinner and what you're going to wear to a party tomorrow, decide that for the next 30 minutes, you will only focus on getting the bills paid. After that, you can tackle the other things one at a time.

Sleep.
It's no secret that you are not thinking your best when you're tired. Your decision making abilities are impaired, your reaction time is slower, and you are not as alert as you would be full-rested. Your mind and brain need rest too, so make sure you are getting enough sleep each night.

Expose yourself to new things.
By continually exposing yourself to new things, you will improve your mind. Whether it's trying to learn a new language, traveling to a site you've never been to, or picking up a new hobby, these things challenge your mind and improve it overall.

The saying "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" is true. These tips will help you improve your mind by keeping it alert and open to new things.