Keeping yourself mentally fit is just as important as staying physically fit.

Your body and mind are connected. Your thoughts and feelings can either positively influence your body, or affect it negatively in a very serious way.

Here are a few of the benefits of mental fitness:

• • Being more mindful and in the present.
  • Being responsive instead of reactive.
  • Improved cognitive abilities (focus, processing speed, memory, concentration, time management and communication).
  • Increased positive emotions (optimism, satisfaction, joy and happiness).
  • Increased confidence, self-esteem and self-acceptance.
  • Increased ability to develop supporting, empowering habits.
  • Improved sleep.

What does it mean to exercise your mind? Can you take your brain to the gym?

Here are 10 easy and helpful ways to stay mentally fit:

1. Get Physical Exercise

Your body was made to move! Regular exercise floods you with endorphins, which can boost your mood and help improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. When it comes to exercise, make sure to pick an activity you enjoy (pilates, yoga, dancing, team sports, biking, hiking…) Even a 5 minutes of stretching or walking outside can help improve your mood!

2. Meditate

Create a routine that works for you, and commit to it. Only fifteen minutes a day is enough to notice significant changes over time. The key is consistency. If you’re new to it, start with a beginners program on an app such as Headspace or InsightTimer. Once you’ve learned the basics all you need is a timer.

3. Take a Daily “Mindfulness Break”

Take a couple of minutes break each day to decompress, check in with your body, and assess how you’re feeling. Some simple ways to practice mindfulness include: observing the present moment, connecting with your senses, observing your breathing… You will find many one or two-minute mindfulness meditations on our Mindfulness Place website.

4. Pursue a Hobby, or a New Activity

Participating in activities you enjoy helps you stay engaged and happy. Picking up a new skill challenges you, increases your concentration levels and makes you feel good about learning something new. It also increases your confidence in being able to face new situations, challenges and people.

5. Manage Your Stress

Pay attention to what makes you stressed, where do you feel it in your body, and how you react to it. This will help you manage your stress better. Learn to express anger when it’s “small” instead of allowing it to build. Relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation can help. Or use our most popular stress release mindfulness meditation. 

6. Challenge Yourself

Learn a new skill or set a difficult goal. Try something different, commit to fitness or a healthy eating goal, learn to cook something new, or learn a new computer skill. Learning improves your mental fitness.

7. Play Games

Games can be good for the brain. Jigsaw, crosswords, and number puzzles (e.g. Sudoku) help improve cognitive function. Board games, chess, checkers and analog games help enhance the brain’s processing speed and memory. Make time every day to play a little.

8. Practice Neurobics Exercises
Neurobics are mental exercises that stimulate different areas of the brain, prevent memory loss, and improve memory recall. Here are my all-time favorite top Neurobics exercises…