8 Practical Ways to Stay Mentally Sharp
In a modern age where intelligence is much more valued than physical strength, it is very important one stays mentally sharp and active. To stay dull and ignorant in a rapidly developing world like ours can be likened to going into a war zone without any weapons.
Here are 8 tips on how to keep your mind healthy:
1. Focus On Your Priorities And Goals
To stay mentally sharp, you must focus on your goals and aspirations. This is essential because it keeps you from being distracted and let’s you channel your mind to what really matters. You must utilise your time properly to prepare, plan and take action towards your goals.
When there is focus, mental alertness is improved and one’s productivity naturally improves. Resolve to always take some time periodically to define your priorities and the things you want to achieve, then focus on the step by step actions needed to make them come to pass.
2. Worry Less, Do More
Worrying does us more harm than good. It keeps us brooding over the past or future while stealing our alertness. Stop spending time worrying about things, instead you should always be asking yourself the question “What is the next step?” “What can I do to improve my situation?”
This attitude gets you thinking and coming up with new ideas on how to better yourself. Always remember that useful time is wasted when you worry, all you need to do is focus on making plans and taking action.
“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.” – John Lubbock
3. Exercise Your Mind And Body
Exercise is very important for our well being. Most of us are used to bodily exercise but few exercise their minds. Bodily exercise is important, but so is mental exercise. Make schedules to include exercise into your routine, this may include hitting the gym, joining a team for an outdoor sport, dancing, gymnastics etc
Don’t forget to exercise your mind as well. Games like Chess, Monopoly, Scrabble, Billiards, crossword and puzzles keep your mind thinking fast and sharp. There are lots of bodily and mental exercises, find out what suits you best.
4. Stay Around Smarter People
The power of association cannot be over emphasised. Little wonder why the popular maxim “Show me your friend and I’ll tell you who you are”, gained so much acceptance. If you associate with dumb people all the time, there is a tendency that you’ll start thinking and behaving like them even without your knowledge.
To stay mentally sharp and alert, ensure you stay around become who think fast and come up with brilliant ideas. They’d quickly stimulate you to also think the way they do.
5. Find Time To Entertain Yourself
Entertainment is also a wonderful part of life. We all need to find time to unwind after doing our daily work. Only doing your work all day can be boring and cause you mental stress. The brain doesn’t like it because it’s just like eating the same food all day.
Find time to relax, visit your friends, hang out with friends, see a new movie, play good music, go for a party or a date. Life is beautiful and we are meant to enjoy it. The only downside is just that some people over entertain themselves and I’m coming to that.
6. Eat A Healthy Diet
Your body and your mind are usually in sync. You can’t neglect one and expect the other to function well. Eating good food is important to your body and consequently your mind. That good feeling you get when you eat a balanced and satisfying meal actually improves your mental health. Have you ever thought clearly when you’re terrible hungry or when you’ve eaten junk all day? Probably not.
7. Keep Your Mind Open
Openness of mind is a quality you must possess if you value your state of mental health and activity. An open mind keeps you observant and aware of all possibilities that may emanate from an existing situation. When your mind is closed, you tend to think less and do the same things in the same way. A closed mind is not open to fresh knowledge, new discoveries and innovative ways of solving problems.
“Have an open mind – allow different ideas into your way of thinking.” – Peter Diamandis
8. Avoid Bad Habits
It is important you shun your bad habits if you want to stay sharp and smart. Bad habits range from over entertaining yourself with the media, smoking, drunkenness, watching TV all day, laziness to work etc. You know exactly what you’re doing wrong that is not adding any value to your life. You better make a firm decision to stop it now rather than let it control your life. Don’t let bad habits steal your time and your alertness.
What’s up Nigel?
Thanks for posting this article at A2S – I really like the prioritization methods and staying around smarter people. They say if you’re smarter than most people you’re around, you’re in the wrong room. If we can always improve our circle of influence, by placing smarter and more successful people around us, we will always improve.
This is uncomfortable, and makes you feel like you haven’t done as much, but it’s where the growth occurs: outside your comfort zone.
– Evan
Thanks to everyone who commended the post and gave useful feedbacks.
Very informative. I like tip# 2 and 3
We should not worry too much, sometimes the things we are worrying about does not really exist or will happen.
Mind and Body exercise is also important. learning new skills such as a new language or trying activities we are passionate about is a good way to destress
Nigel this is a great post and clearly other people have really loved it by sharing it on social media. The most important point you raised to stay sharp is to worry less and do more. Worry and anger wastes a lot of our mental capacity. When we release all of this negative energy it allows us to think clearly and stay mentally sharp.
Great post, Nigel. Appreciate the awesome reminder. Instead of focusing on avoiding bad habits I focus on creating and maintaining good habits. This helps me do your points 1-7. Keep up the great work brother! Inspired.
Another one of my favorites is to read voraciously, for books introduce you to new ideas, concepts, and ways of thinking and doing. One sign of intelligence and mental sharpness is our ability to simultaneously keep and argue two opposing thoughts. Books do this for us.
Nice one Wong, it’s important to read voraciously, but reading too much itself is a vice.