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The Mental Workout

Everyone (including us) has been reminding you to maintain (or attain) your fitness during this period of isolation. We have all worked hard to remain motivated to do our workouts at home or alone at the track. We have all found innovative ways to overcome lack of space and lack of equipment. Most everyone is actually finding they are more committed to their workout schedules now than they were before the advent of “social distancing” and the COVID-19 lock-down. People, you get it. 

You need to take care of your body, you need to stay fit.

That’s all good. But what about your brain? 

  • Is it getting exercise?  
  • Is it being challenged daily or is it stuck on cruise control? 
  • Are you taking it for a run regularly or has it been left on the couch to binge watch the entire Netflix catalogue? 
  • Does your mind stretch out to hit a new PR now and then, or does it just swirl around in the vortex of Facebook and social media?  

Like your cardiovascular system and muscles, your brain needs to be challenged. It needs to be stretched and strengthened. It needs to be a little sore after doing a workout! 

You need to take care of your mind, you need to stay mentally fit.

Here’s some ideas:

  • Learn a new game
  • Take an on-line course
  • Learn to play the guitar
  • Do a challenging crossword
  • Attempt to write a blog or a short story
  • Debate people with differing opinions, try to see both sides of the argument
  • Get the dust of your chess board or find someone on-line to play with
  • Sit down and figure out that computer program that has you stuck/ 
  • Try balancing exercises
  • Learn to juggle
  • Get on a slackline
  • Cook a recipe you’ve never attempted before
  • Learn a language
  • Practice tying knots
  • Anything …… except DO NOT attempt sudoku (that’s just crazy-talk!)

Do something mentally challenging and do it regularly. Turn off your phone,avoid the news and give your brain something positive to do for a few hours or even a whole day. 

Take a moment and some of the ways you are keeping your brain in shape and tag us in your post so we can give you a virtual high five!

Cheers,

Coach Mark