Feeling drained and tired in the middle of a busy working day? Do you often feel discharged and unenergetic, unable and unwilling to do work? Too much work, stress, unhealthy habits, sedentary lifestyle tends to affect productivity, making you feel exhausted. Don’t worry, there are a few mental health workouts, yes, mental health workouts that you can do for a quick boost or recharge. Giving your brain something new and challenging to do will stimulate it and keep it healthier. 

While there are other long term activities like walking, swimming, running or dancing that you can do to improve mental health and reduce anxiety, there is also some quick 2-minute mental health improving exercises that you can do at your desk itself. Pumping up energy, these workouts are fast and effective. Read ahead to know more.

Some simple 2-minute mind workouts are:

• The 10 things game: A quick game, this workout requires you to think of 10 different ways any product can be used. For example, if you have a water bottle in front of you, think of 10 different ways that it can be used. A water bottle can be a microphone, a dumbbell, a paperweight or a hockey stick.

Simple to play as you can use any object that is in front of you, this game will force your brain and mind to think, making it more productive.

• Meditation: Meditation stimulates you to focus and stay centred, keeping you in touch with your inner being and essence. Simply close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, try to become aware of your breathing and try to remind yourself that you are significant and that you have a purpose. At the end of two minutes, you are bound to feel fresher and more productive.

Try it, it really works!

• Personality reel: While this step sounds a little strange at first, it is quite amazing at boosting productivity, as it makes you realise your importance. With the accelerating rate of individuals suffering from imposter syndrome, running a personality reel through your mind becomes critical. A personality reel is nothing but a small movie that you play in your mind that is a visual representation of who you are and how you picture yourself in the next 5 years. 

Imagine who you are and what are your personal and professional attributes and strengths. Next, imagine how you want your day to go and the things that you want to achieve. Visualising success is one of the fastest ways to improve efficiency and mood. After all, seeing is believing.

• Mandala- Basically an artwork that keeps you indulged and focussed. This can be a great way to relax and improve your productivity.

Tips to improve mental health:

While the mentioned workouts are for quick bursts of productivity, there are some tips that you can follow for long term improvement. If you feel tired and unmotivated, there is only so much that a booster workout can do. 

• Therapy: Talking about your feelings is considered good for your mental health. Talk about everything and nothing, expressing yourself freely. You will come out feeling lighter and happier!

• Eat well: Another way to improve mental health, in the long run, is to eat healthily. Our body requires a blend of nutrients in order to function properly. Any diet that is good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.

• Take a break: One of the major causes of burnout and low productivity is our unwillingness to take a break. We are human and need to recharge and rejuvenate. Trudging through the day is not good – it makes you feel tired and you don’t get any fruitful work done either. Take a break, unwind, relax and come back feeling fresh. 

• Prioritise yourself: Listen to your mind and body, take rest when needed, eat and sleep on time and find time for some exercise. This will help to offload a lot of stress from your life and help you stay peaceful and happy.

Making simple changes and following quick 2-minute workouts is a good and effective way to improve mental health. You only have yourself, make sure your mind and body are a happy and healthy place. You have to spend the rest of your life in it!  

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Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.