8 Small Behavior Shifts That Will Give You An Unfair Mental Edge, According To Psychology
Good news: There is little to no effort to make these behavioral changes.
Getty Images | Unsplash Joan of Arc once said that ‘all battles are first won and lost in the mind.’ To maintain a clear, strong, and creative mind is to be granted the greatest power we have. The cool thing is that it only requires minor changes to experience significant gains at the level of mind.
Here are 8 small shifts in behavior that give you a mental advantage, according to psychology:
1. Walk 30 minutes each day
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A body in motion serves the mind well because our minds are our bodies. If we’re stuck at home all day growing chubby, we do our mental health a disservice. Walking daily for 30 minutes may not seem like a lot, but this foundational level of exercise will give you a significant advantage over the slovenly masses.
Studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine show that walking is the prescription we should all be seeking. Walking around 10,000 steps a day appears to be linked to less dementia and cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, heart failure, and fewer strokes.
2. Reduce time spend eating
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You’re familiar with drowsy brain fog that can follow an eating session. The body — when in digestion mode — tends to become less alert.
The brain has received signals that you are satiated and no longer require the focus necessary to acquire resources. No problem with this, but your mind will not be sharp.
To take advantage of this and maintain a lean body, spend less time eating. I am currently restricting all my eating to a one-hour window each day, meaning I spend 23 hours not eating. This keeps me sharp and opens up more time.
Research recently published suggests that reducing the amount of time spent eating can have several health benefits, including weight loss, metabolic health, heart health, brain health, and athletic performance.
According to the American Society for Nutrition,time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary strategy that focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat. It involves limiting all your daily food intake to a shorter period. However, TRE isn't for everyone.
3. Complain less
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It may seem fruitful to express your frustrations about your situation. An occasional complaint can be cathartic, but making it a habit will slowly poison your mind and soul.
When you get an urge to complain, take a breath and remind yourself that moaning puts you at a disadvantage. Why? Because we feel the thoughts we entertain.
If we think like a hard-done victim, we’re going to feel that weak sense of malaise, which will infect everything we do, including the people around us. Gain strength by distancing yourself from complaint at every turn — both in the mind and verbally.
4. Know your top 5 priorities each day
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Getting clear about the day’s top five priorities might not seem like a big deal, but this simple act will change your life. Most people run headlong into the day without a clue of what they’re doing. Because there’s no direction, they prioritize anything that seems important.
They are owned by the day and the people they work for. Decide what matters and put those things first. Make this a vital part of your system. What’s your daily five?
Results from a 2021 PLoS One study suggest that older adults show more performance-based prioritization than younger adults when faced with conflicting goals. This aligns with theoretical notions expecting a higher behavioral selectivity in older adults and empirical findings demonstrating this selectivity in ecologically valid studies.
5. Take radical responsibility for your life
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Most people have taken on a life strategy that absolves them of responsibility. People think that blaming others for their misfortunes, no matter how seemingly petty, puts them in a better position.
Nice try. Embodying this mentality puts you at a significant disadvantage. You’re essentially rejecting your empowerment and autonomy.
Take responsibility for your wins and losses, no matter how seemingly unfair things are or how it appear to be ‘someone else’s fault.’ When you think like this and expect nothing from anyone, you can’t fail.
Several studies and philosophical discussions explore the concept of radical responsibility, particularly within fields like ethics, leadership, and social psychology, focusing on taking ownership of one's actions and impact beyond the immediate situation, often including examining systemic issues and personal complicity within them.
Philosophical explorations around "radical responsibility" usually delve into the concept of "moral agency," where individuals are seen as having a greater responsibility to consider the broader implications of their actions and choices, even if they are seemingly minor, according to a 2021 analysis published by the Journal of Nursing Philosophy.
6. Let go of unhelpful thoughts
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I’ve often repeated the importance of being careful with our thoughts. Most people take their thoughts too seriously. An idea or vision floats up, and we take it at face value.
A thought is always an approximation of the truth, and more often — it is a flat-out lie. Thoughts are great tools for planning, but not much more.
Get into the habit of letting go of the need to grip tightly onto a thought. The looser you are, the stiller your mind, and the more of a mental advantage you will have.
A 2023 study by University of Cambridge researchers found that people with worse mental health symptoms at the start of the study improved more after suppression training. However, it's important to note that cognitive distortions, or unhelpful thinking habits, are common and can be associated with poor mental health. Recognizing and overcoming these thinking styles is often an essential part of treatment for anxiety and depression.
7. Silence your fear every so often
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It’s very tempting to fall into the trap of spending a lot of time planning but rarely actually doing anything. I know this intimately. But here’s the deal: most of us over-plan because we’re scared to act.
You’ll get far better information when you’re doing things and surveying what you’ve done. Act not only to gain the feedback you’re looking for, which leads to better-informed subsequent action, but also to diminish your fear. The part of the brain that silences fear is activated when you’re in action and movement — they know this scientifically.
Fear-related disorders affect around one in 14 people and place considerable pressure on mental health services. Currently, a common approach is for patients to undergo some form of aversion therapy, in which they confront their fear by being exposed to it in the hope they will learn that the thing they fear isn’t harmful after all, according to research by the University of Cambridge.
8. Limit overconsumption, in general
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You’re in a far more effective mental state when you’re biased toward creating things. We may need to consume for fuel, but most of us over-consume and settle too deeply into comfortable lives.
Comfort is slowly making your life more dangerous. You’re growing fat, weak, and scared, and you’re less able to manage the challenges of the real world.
Creating is the direct opposite of consuming. Creating is our birthright, and to do more of it is what it means to be human. So go be human, create with relentless ferocity, and win.
2010 research indicates that the act of creating, whether through art, writing, crafting, or other forms of expression, can offer a range of benefits, including improved mental well-being, increased self-esteem, stress reduction, cognitive enhancement, and even potential physical health improvements. Studies highlight the positive impacts on mood, anxiety levels, and overall quality of life when engaging in creative activities.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.