5 Mental Health Exercises to Keep You Focused

Like any other organ, your brain needs taking care of too and these mental health exercises can help you stay focused and alleviate anxiety.

Meditation has been shown to offer many benefits. It helps decrease stress and improve focus.

How to do it: Breathe in and breathe out, close your eyes, relax your shoulders and arms. Keep your feet flat on the floor. Do it for about five to 10 minutes every day.

1. Meditation

2. Gratitude journaling

Showing gratitude and writing it down encourages you to focus on the positive side of life, rather than what you are missing. This results in a release of dopamine and serotonin.

How to do it: Try to keep a journal or a small notebook and every night before you sleep, jot down the things or events in your life that you are thankful for.

3. Breathing exercises

Deep breathing exercises can help lower stress and bring relationships--which can play a positive role in the management of anxiety.

How to do it: Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, expanding your rib cage, and let your abdomen move forward. Hold for a count of three to five. Try to do this every hour.

4. Connect with nature

Hug a tree! Find nature wherever you are.

How to do it: Make plans to meet up with your friends or family in a nature park at least once a week. You may also opt to do a 15-minute walk in a park or try some gardening.

5. Sleep

A good night's sleep can significantly improve your mood and memory.

How to do it: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night and try to stick to a consistent sleeping schedule, even on weekends. Go to bed and turn off your phone!