You don’t have to jump straight into reading Ulysses if you want to improve your mental strength, and in fact, trying to read something too difficult might turn you off reading entirely. Instead, focus on reading things you enjoy. Westerns, romance novels, and long-form magazines are all good ways to read. Try replacing an hour of television each evening with reading, instead. Invest the time that you might normally spend idling, chatting with friends, or watching the tube in reading a good book. Get a library card and take advantage of the library in your town for free entertainment. Try to read one new book every two weeks. Try your best to read from physical books rather than on e-readers. [2] X Research source
Get out of your comfort zone so you can continue to challenge yourself. The more regularly you pick up a new skill, or study a new subject, the stronger your mind becomes. Try to pick up one new thing every week, then continue working on it as you learn new things. Build up your mental strength gradually. wikiHow is a great resource for learning new things. Learn how to play chess, change your oil, or play guitar.
Have complicated conversations instead of gossiping. Talk about things that are important to you or things that you’ve been learning. Try starting or joining a book club in your area. Try to meet lots of different kinds of people. If you’re in school, don’t stick to just one social group, but move around. If you’re an adult, try to meet people from socio-economic situations different from your own. Hang out with your plumber, and hang out with your doctor.
Video games are a mixed bag when it comes to mental strength. Some research shows that video games aid in problem-solving, fine motor skills, logistics, and analysis. [4] X Research source Other research points to the negative effects of violence and social isolation associated with video games, decreasing moral sensitivity and attention span. [5] X Research source Nourish yourself with complex entertainment, and avoid click-bait. If you’ve ever seen a long newsreel and thought, “Jeez, TLDR” then it’s probably time to unplug a little. Reading Buzzfeed or watching YouTube videos of epic fails is like eating three Skittles at lunch. Reading a book or watching a documentary is like eating a meal.
Start prioritizing the most important things you have to do each day and just focus your attention there. Write out a list to start the day, and work through it. Finish one thing before starting another. Even if you find something challenging, stick with it until you’re done. Switching between tasks is often more difficult than finishing something you’ve started.
Focusing more on what you’re doing will have the added benefit of letting you finish your work more quickly. If you’re trying to watch a show at the same time, it’ll take longer. Want to really eliminate distraction? Get off the Internet. When you’re trying to study and Facebook is only a click away, it’s awfully tempting to mess around. Use a web-blocker or a site-blocker if you can’t unplug yourself. Leave your phone in another room or on silent so you avoid frequently checking it.
Try using a keyword mantra, if you don’t like “Be here now. " Pick a password or a keyword from what you’re doing. If you’re doing math homework, make it “math” or another related vocab word. When you notice your attention waning, repeat the keyword until you can re-focus.
Practice visualization to help with positive thinking. Try actually closing your eyes and “watching” yourself succeed in the task before you. Whatever it is, try to picture yourself doing it correctly and finishing.
Stop comparing yourself to other people. It’s not good to do better than someone else, or to beat someone else, it’s just good to improve your own abilities. Focus on improving yourself, not winning. Avoid striving for perfectionism since it can create a lot of pressure on you.
Stay out of other people’s business as much as possible. Don’t spread gossip or be a collector of gossipy stories. Focus on yourself.
Sit comfortably and focus on your breathing. Feel your breath going in and nourishing your body. Feel it leaving your body and entering the world. Watch your thoughts come and go without identifying with them. Just let them happen. Stay unattached from them. Focus on your breath.
Select some good baroque music tracks and make a habit of listening to them regularly in your free times or while your working or studying.
