What are the practical solutions to harnessing our mental energy long term?
- Make lists! I love lists, sometimes I have so many things building up in my mind and its good to get them down on paper. Turn your mental clutter into mental clarity.
Tip: Write down how long you think the task will take you and then time yourself, we often anticipate a shorter or longer time for our to do lists and sometimes we can be pleasantly surprised!
- Put on some rose tinted glasses or give a call to your uber positive friend who can find a flame in the snow. Optimism can give you a boost of dopamine which promotes healthy brain functioning.
- Memory and word games or puzzles are all useful to focus and improve brain health. I can just about manage wordle a day but we all have to start somewhere!
- Sleep! If our bodies don’t have enough time to rest, we burn out. We have all heard it and know it but putting it into practice is more difficult. If I have a night out planned with my friends that I know will get late, I try to reduce my workload for the next day. It’s not always possible but you can try. Alternatively, if I know I have a packed day, I will get to bed early the night before. This will put you in a better place to face your busy days.
- Move your body. Even if it means deciding to walk to the store with a rucksack instead of driving or a 10 minute walk outside your house. Something is always better than nothing. You can find the time, you can make the change.
Stay away from negativity and toxic people. Think about the times when you have felt the happiest, the most fulfilled and remember the people who were around you. Alternatively, recognize the people that don’t make you feel so great and do yourself a solid, keep your distance.
Sleeping, exercising, expressing gratitude, staying away from gossip and drama, giving someone a hug or paying for a stranger’s coffee will all give you a boost. This will help you re-focus your energy on what you should be doing or focusing your time on.