Life tends to get overwhelming at times, especially when you add daily responsibilities like work, kids, home, and other commitments. Many of us continue to stack our mental decks on the regular, making life more stressful. An overworked mind is fatiguing and results in poor performance and/or poor decisions.
Fear not; Things are not as bad as they sound. You can optimize your mind, just like you optimize your car or kitchen drawer.
Take, for example, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who had to make some real-life adjustments due to a tragic change in his life. The music mogul lost his friend and Ex, Kim Porter, and now he’s a single father with six kids to care for.
Porter tragically passed away in November 2018 at 47-years-old. Her death altered Diddy’s life; he shared four children with Porter – Quincy, 28, who he adopted during their relationship, son Christian, 21, and 13-year-old twin daughters, D’Lila and Jessie. He’s also father to two other children from previous relationships.
Now with his kids being his main priority, Diddy is making sure his children endure the best future possible.
“We’re really focused on our plan after this. Taking time to really ask the girls and ask the kids really what they want to do… we’re trying to really just plan and see what we want to take to the next step as a family,” Diddy told Naomi Campbell on her YouTube show No Filter With Naomi. “Because losing Kim and now being a single father-of-six, my thinking had to change. I had to really get focused on their futures, ’cause I know how rough it is out there.”
Diddy added that he created a company called Combs Cartel, which is a family business that his children are excited about being a part of.
“It”s really about what are the goals we’re going to set for what we’re going to do to come out of this better and stronger,” he explained. “And have more of an impact and change the narrative of the black family and the black man and woman globally as being fearless, and being intelligent and also not taking no shorts. Getting what we deserve and doing positive things with our power.”
Now, most people do not have Diddy’s resources or extensive finances, but that shouldn’t be a determining factor in improving your mindset to become more productive. It took Diddy to endure a loss to get on track, but for most people, the motivation can be much simpler!
Optimize your mind and gain clarity:
- Start with your diet. A poor diet can result in a loss of clarity or mental limitations. Deep-rooted beliefs, bad routines, or stress can be hard to break, but once we understand the importance of our mindset and our inner strength, change is inevitable. Mental barriers can hold you back; sometimes we don’t even realize how much. Dieting is the type of mental disciple that helps us begin to move forward.
- Excercise. Working out is not only good for your body, sex life, and life expectancy, it also does wonders to your mind. People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them a sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. Exercise is also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more.
- Simplify your life. If you don’t know by now, sometimes life is complicated as f**k. Some of us got way too much going on like staying on top of work responsibilities, keeping up with kids, friends, family, and paying bills, all while making it seem like we’ve got your life together. If you’re nodding you’re head then you need to cut out activities that don’t add significance to your life or your enjoyment. It’s easy to get swamped by things that don’t matter. Simple doesn’t always mean easy. This will take some willpower and a whole lot of effort.
- Create habits. Habits eliminate the need for making decisions. It streamlines your thought process. Eating the same thing for breakfast each day is an example of a habit that avoids having to make a decision. Create daily and weekly habits that take care of your basic needs.
- Write things down. Creating mental notes to yourself to do something at a later day or time requires a lot of mental resources. It’s always in the back of your mind, taking up part of your attention. By writing it down, you’re free to eliminate it from your awareness. It’s right there on the paper instead.
- Ignore negativity. You can’t please or satisfy everybody. Whether you’re committing to a new diet, exercise routine, changing your lifestyle, or seeking out new ways to live your best life, there are always going to be people who put you down or ridicule you behind your back. Despite the negative comments, the simple trick is to ignore it (maybe add two middle fingers). You don’t need other people to tell you that you have achieved something great, nor do you need their approval. You are doing what you are doing because you believe in yourself, and you are doing what is best for you, so F the naysayers.
- Rest your mind each day. Reading, watching TV, or surfing the internet does not count as rest. Meditation or sitting alone can be considered rest. Sit outside and enjoy nature. Stay focused on your surroundings and avoid allowing your mind to think about anything other than your surroundings. In the words of Ayya Khema, a Buddhist teacher:
If we didn’t give the body a rest at night, it wouldn’t function very long. The only time the mind can have a real rest is when it stops thinking and only experiences. Once verbalization stops for a moment, not only is there quiet but there is a feeling of contentment. That quiet, peaceful space is the mind’s home. It can go home and relax just as we do after a day’s work when we relax the body in an easy chair. - Do something kind for someone else. Your mind is too focused on your own challenges. Give it a break by helping someone else. The result is a clearer mind and a refreshed perspective.
Clutter is everywhere. Simplifying your life as much as possible can help you to gain mental clarity. Give your mind regular breaks throughout the day. Use your time as advantageously as possible. Prioritize. You’ll enjoy the peace and clarity while increasing your productivity.
