How do you stay mentally sharp

So I have noticed I have been feeling exhausted at times and begin to stumble on my words and also look visually tired. I drink a lot of water and have managed to maintain a decent workout schedule, but the job is starting to weigh on me a little bit. Any tactics or habits that you all use to keep engaged and healthy?

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Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some tactics and habits to maintain mental sharpness and stay engaged and healthy:

  1. Physical Activity:

    • Incorporate physical activity into your routine. This could be a morning stretching routine, a 10-minute walk to pick up lunch, or a late-night Peloton sprint. Regular exercise helps clear the mind and keeps you energized.
  2. Structured Work-Life Separation:

    • Be intentional and structured in separating work and life. Develop a mindset that most things can wait 10 minutes. This helps in managing the constant pressure of being "on" all the time.
  3. Healthy Respect for Your Time:

    • Understand that senior managers have multiple tasks and won't notice a 10 vs. 20-minute turnaround time. Prioritize your tasks and manage your time effectively.
  4. Energy Boosters:

    • Know what gives you energy during the day and use those boosters to stay accomplished. For example, a 1pm workout for 25 minutes (pushups, planks, burpees) can energize the latter half of the day.
  5. Healthy Eating:

    • Eat clean, whole food plant-based meals with no sugar, no oil, no animal products, and minimal salt. This can help maintain energy levels and mental clarity.
  6. Gamify Productivity:

    • Use a checklist and cross off even mundane tasks. This can gamify productivity and keep you motivated.
  7. Accountability:

    • Tell others what you plan to do and ask them to hold you accountable. This can help in maintaining discipline and achieving your goals.
  8. Social Interaction:

    • Have close friends over on weekends. This can provide a break from work and help you relax and recharge.

By incorporating these habits and strategies, you can maintain mental sharpness and stay engaged and healthy in your job.

Sources: Life Hacks during WFH | How do you avoid burnout?, Life Hacks during WFH | How do you avoid burnout?, WFH Grind & Productivity Hacks, Best Methods for Maintaining Mental Sharpness?, A McKinsey grads eight tips for success at work

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

The diet changes throughout the year, but overall:

- no junk food (pizza, burgers, fries, fried food, chocolate, donuts, ..)
- no overeating (tracking macros and cals through apps, weighing food, meal-planning, learning how to cook,. .)
- the right timing for meals and lowering meal sizes, more frequent meals (may not work for everyone, works well to reduce insulin resistance)
- matching nutrition with vitamins, minerals and other essentials
- enough water intake

 

If I make a grammatical error in emails or even WSO, I stay mentally sharp as I play this knife game with my fingers to not make a mistake again.

Chris Spears performing the hand knife game on a stranger ...

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

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