If you ever feel like your mind is constantly racing but you’re not making any progress, you’re in the right place. You’re not alone. In my experience, people over the age of 40 notice that their minds are less sharp than they used to be.
So what is the solution?
Similar to our body, our minds require exercise to stay focused and function well. Just like hitting the gym, the more frequently you go, the more you see the positive results of your hard work with a fit body and toned muscles, and this is true for our brain as well. Exercising our minds and flexing our mental muscles are doing magical things for our brains by increasing blood flow, decreasing stress, and creating chemical reactions that support the mind. Interestingly, recent research has been investigating the relationship between mental exercise and its effects on brain health. A growing number of studies have shown benefits to emotional resilience and mental function, regardless of your age.
Let’s talk about ways to improve your fitness through activities that easily fit into your daily routine. With my clients, I like to make mental fitness fun, with strategies to keep the challenges easy and enjoyable. For example, activities that enhance agility can sharpen skills or relax the mind to reduce overall stress. From boosting brain health with focused challenges to enhancing agility using innovative training techniques, you’ll see how simple it is to keep your mind sharp and boost your mood.
Let’s build resilience. It’s easier than you think. Mental training involves tasks that challenge your thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Here are 39 easy and fun ways to kickstart your mind and build mental fitness.
- Take on a new language. This challenging task can be fun and even humorous as you explore new words and phrases with a friend or family member. AND…you can also travel to that amazing location to show off your new, real-world skills.
- Take up meditation. Meditation can help you focus on an intention or equally release the stress in your day. Ever heard of Yoga Nidra? This meditative practice done for 30 minutes can be compared to two to three hours of restful sleep. And there is no physical movement involved. Sign me up!
- Take up chess. Chess and other strategy games are a great way to keep those competitive juices flowing and become a fulfilling way of relaxing and bonding with your competition. No one to play against? Online games are a great option and can be played nearly anywhere.
- Dive into a book—one of my favorite mind builders. You can find any topic you desire to thrill your soul, and you can take it on the go. Audio books work great for traveling, walking the dog, or flexing your mental muscles in the park.
- Sodoku for breakfast. Get your logical numbers game on! This is a great mental morning workout that is easy to fit into your morning routine.
- Test your knowledge with a crossword puzzle. You can find a crossword puzzle on nearly any topic and at any difficulty level you can imagine. This is a great way to build your knowledge and tone your brain.
- Documentary, anyone? Documentaries have become a cool and entertaining way to engage your mind and keep your mental fitness up to snuff. Plus, you can tell everyone about your new-found knowledge.
- Free is the way to be! Free online courses are a great way to continue your learning on a variety of courses that are offered for no cost. Even MIT has courses out there just waiting for you.
- Get strategic about your games. Strategy games are a brilliant way of keeping your mind sharp, and you can find them online or go to “Old School” and get the board out!
- Try brain-training apps. This may be a new one for you, but you can find some quick and challenging games to train your brain.
- Create your masterpiece with writing. Writing is a fun way to unleash your imagination and keep your mind busy. You could literally write about anything you can dream up, and you could create a masterpiece along the way.
- Learn to Cook. Talk about rewarding. You get to experiment and create an amazing meal to share with your favorite people. Your efforts will be rewarded with appetizers, desserts, and everything in between.
- A club for books. I know that we already have reading on this list, but being able to discuss that legendary book with others that have also read the book is an awesome way to be social and reflect on the intellectual stimulation.
- Practice Yoga. Yoga isn’t just great for your body and your flexibility; it also helps to calm your mind and improve your mindset. Deep breathing and focused attention are an amazing recipe for mental health.
- Jam out on a new instrument. You may not want to be Slash, but picking up a new instrument can be a creative way to keep your mind rocking. You may even re-visit some childhood dream that will have you putting on your old spandex jumpsuit.
- Museum (I’m not talking about your basement). Checking out a museum is a great way to connect with all sorts of old-time art and artifacts. The great news is that you can do it online or in person, which is great if you can’t make it to Rome for your mental workout.
- Trivia nights. Trivia nights at local restaurants are a fun and social way to keep your mind active and be social while doing it. Online trivia is always an option if you live in the Boonies!
- It’s puzzling. Puzzles used to be for snow days. But setting up the biggest table in your house to take on a giant puzzle is fun and fantastic for your spatial awareness. I always start with the corners!
- Ted in the house. Ted talks are a great way to see amazing speakers and thought leaders from around the world. Ted talks range from serious to hilarious and will fit whatever mood you happen to be in.
- Gotta hand it to you—ever tried writing with your non-dominante hand? This is a hilarious and awesome exercise for the brain and a great way to confuse everyone.
- It’s a colorful world. Coloring books are a great way to reduce stress and keep your mind active. There are now coloring books for adults that are beautiful and vibrant. Plus, you can hang them on your fridge!
- Stop arguing and start debating. Debating is an electric way of flexing your negotiation skills and honing your reasoning skills. No cussing, please.
- Keep your poker face. Card games can be great ways to stay sharp and socialize with your friends and family. These games range from the simple to the complex and have a ton of laughs.
- Watch out for paper cuts. Origami is a creative way to see what shapes you can create out of paper, cloth, or whatever. I find myself folding the cloth napkins at restaurants into different shapes. I like triangles for some reason.
- Take a walk. Walks in nature can soothe the soul and calm your nervous system. This is one of my absolute favorites, and I do it daily. Some people call it hiking, but it’s really just walking outside.
- Now that’s advanced, you may want to try your hand at calligraphy. It’s writing, it’s art, and it’s really good for your mind. Try it with your non-dominate hand if you are advanced (see Miber?).
- Just Lego. Sitting down with a Lego set was one of my favorite childhood pastimes, and it still rocks today. You can make houses, cars, and all sorts of stuff. Pro Tip: Don’t step on them because it hurts.
- Podcasting. Podcasts are so damn entertaining and informative these days. It is a great way to discover new ideas or explore new perspectives.
- The art of dance. I used to think that dancing wasn’t for me, but did you know that it’s a great exercise for the mind and the body? You can find all kinds of dancing in the oddest of places. There is a sandwich shop in Colorado that has salsa dancing at night. Who would’ve guessed?
- Keep your mind’s eye bright. Vision boards are awesome. The process of finding the items in your life that you can cut out, print out, or take a picture of and then put on a board is so relaxing and fun. It’s a great way to keep your eye on your goals and to remember what you’re working towards at a glance.
- Wax on, wax off. Martial arts are terrific ways to keep your body fit and train your mind to be calm, strategic, and focused. It’s like active meditation.
- It’s in the words. Daily affirmations add resilience to your mind and are a powerful tool that speaks to your subconscious mind. Being kind to yourself and giving yourself some love is refreshing in this nutty world, and writing them out makes them stick even better.
- Shopping. No, not that kind of shopping. I’m talking about workshops. Attending a workshop in person or online is a great way to engage with others and learn a new discipline. You could learn to cook, make soap, or juggle. There are truly endless possibilities that keep your mind racing.
- Just breathe. In the last 10 or so years, breathing exercises and classes have become very popular, and for good reason. Most of us don’t breathe as deeply as our lungs are capable, and this leads to nervous disorders and anxiety. Breath work can release traumas as well as make people laugh. All good stuff for the mind.
- DIY. Taking on a home project can be a rewarding experience that makes your space a nicer place to be. This is also a great way to be creative and troubleshoot problems, keeping the mind toned and flexable. Pro tip: Start small.
- Give a helping hand. Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community or fight for a cause you believe in. Having a purpose in life can change an individual’s perspective on the world while being social and finding like-minded people. All outstanding for the mind.
- Speak out in public. Public speaking isn’t for everyone, but it is tremendous for putting your mind in an uncomfortable state, which inspires confidence and teaches flexibility and memory. It also gets easier with practice, or so I’m told.
- It’s on the wall—well, not necessarily—but painting, sculpting, drawing, and other artistic ventures keep your mind creative and enhance your relaxation.
- It’s all magic. Now this one is just awesome. Learn magic to impress everyone. I honestly don’t know of anyone who isn’t interested in magic. Plus, it builds confidence and mental dexterity. You have to love the quarter-behind-the-ear trick!
Make your mental training a daily routine, and it will be a game changer for you. The current stresses of our personal and professional lives can take their toll on our mental functions, and brain researchers have found a dramatic increase in brain-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia. Science is showing that the initial damage from diseases of the brain starts years and even decades before a noticeable decline in brain function shows up in our day-to-day lives. This shines a spotlight on the importance of taking action. The results of daily brain exercises not only impact your mental wellbeing for the long term, but your current brain health can also be significantly improved today.
As a coach who has worked to build proactive mental fitness habits with clients for years, I want to stress how important it is to take an interest in exercising the mental spaces of your brain. From solving puzzles to learning skills and practicing mindfulness, these activities will boost your mental clarity and sharpness, keeping you on the path to mental health. And it’s simple to get started. Not only are the strategies listed above inexpensive and fun, but you can turn your brain health into a daily social activity with your friends, family, or even a complete stranger.
