by Aleksander Mardinian (Guest Writer)
There is a saying: “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. It cannot be more true than when it comes to studying for exams or getting through pressurised events.
A study published in the American Journal of Health Studies has shown that people practicing a hobby are more likely to overcome difficulties related to stress and pressure.
In the first place, performing an activity helps clear the mind. Clearing your mind helps you refocus your attention on yourself and your wellbeing and give your mind a chance to relax and reset. This is why yoga and other mindfulness exercises have become such a trend in recent years.
By focusing on a particular task, we allow the subconscious to work away in the background at other more troublesome thoughts. When returning to these thoughts or problems, the solution can suddenly appear much quicker than during hours of deliberation.
When one clears their mind, it simultaneously gives them the potential to focus their ideas. The ability to focus on a particular activity often results in more productive work and better creativity. This is both relevant during the activity and afterwards.
For example, practicing a sport releases endorphins which allow the mind to focus, enabling logical reasoning and therefore resulting in more 'deterministic' thinking. In addition, sport is known to regulate your mood releasing other hormones such as dopamine and serotonin which will make you ready to tackle problems with more energy.
Finally, allowing the mind to roam free, often unlocks new channels of thinking that weren’t previously thought of. The creative processes of the brain are free to work while the mind is focused on attention-intensive tasks.
Freeing your mind of the burden of stress and anxiety will help you and your loved ones achieve positive goals and provide you with a strong wellbeing.
When stuck on an exercise or a problem, both children and parents can benefit by letting the task mellow a while before coming back to it with new-found clarity.
