Mental discipline is important if we want to keep ourselves sharp. Will power can wax and wane at times, so taking time to give your mental skills a workout will help you retain focus, achieve goals and be more successful.
Start small
Change requires effort, but it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. Any time you want to alter a habit, or create a new one – start small. Take exercise for example – many people decide they need to start a new programme and go at it like a bull at a gate, only to collapse in an exhausted heap after a couple of weeks.
Instead of trying to find an extra hour every day, try adding an extra five or ten minutes of exercise to every day – over the course of a week, that will add up. Or, on the days you can’t find time, try and do five minutes worth of exercise at home (15 pushups, 15 squats, 15 sit-ups etc) – it will still add to your activity tally.
Similarly, spend five minutes doing jobs you don’t enjoy regularly, so they seem less like a mountain to overcome. If you stick to small, specific goals,you’ll be much more likely to stick to them and can celebrate daily successes.
Feed your good habits
Eat your fruit and veges. Have plenty of good quality protein and keep caffeine and alcohol consumption to healthy levels. Drink water and take your vitamins. A good mental state needs to be well fed and well rested. Nobody works well when they are hungry, thirsty or tired.
Exercise your brain as well as your body
Reading, puzzles, variations in routine and learning new skills all help keep you brain and memory working well. Too much routine can allow your brain to become a bit lazy – if you mix things up regularly, your brain will respond. Give it enough routines to feel safe, and enough variation to grow.
Learn to cope
Coping strategies are important. Life is always going to throw unusual challenges at you and mentally strong people recognise what they can’t control, and focusing on what they can.
You can practice this by making a list of things which worry you and then separate them into two categories: things you can do something about, and things you just have to accept. You can’t make problems magically disappear, but you can always do something to address them. No matter how overwhelming a problem may seem, there’s always some small thing you can do about it.
Use the sincerest form of flattery
Imitate people you admire. Rather than dwelling on why they seem more successful, think of them as an inspiration. Pay close attention to how they work, what their habits are, how they respond to challenges, and imitate them.
Have a purpose
The more you think about why you do what you do, the stronger your willpower to succeed in it will be. Find a reason to be healthier or more productive and set your mind to achieving it. Acknowledge your small successes on the way, rather than only focusing on the end goal – the process is important!