Our minds are our most valuable tools, yet we don't really take care of them. We overwork, don't sleep enough hours and overload them with information.
For this reason Dr. David Rock and Dr. Daniel Siegel created the Healthy Mind Platter, which includes seven essential mental activities. These need to be done on a daily basis, at lengths that fit your individual needs. The activities are:
Focus Time. When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, taking on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.
Play Time. When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, which helps make new connections in the brain.
Connecting Time. When we connect with other people, ideally in person, richly activating the brain's social circuitry.
Physical Time. When we move our bodies, aerobically if possible, which strengthens the brain in many ways.
Time In. When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, helping to better integrate the brain.
Down Time. When we are non-focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, which helps our brain recharge.
Sleep Time. When we give the brain the rest it needs to consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day.
I try to follow most of them each day. Being human I might miss a couple one day. The important thing is that this is not a must do checklist. If you don't do one of the activities, it doesn't mean that you have failed and you need to give up. Try and do all of them on a daily basis and your brain will thank you for it.
PS. Thanks to Sinead from Eightfold for posting this and making me aware of it.
