Resetting your mind for life and work

By R. Esi ASANTE (PhD)

The political slogan ‘Resetting Ghana’ caught the attention of many Ghanaians during the December 2024 elections and appears to have influenced voters, whose decision at the polls handed power to the ruling political party.

It was a battle for the mindset of voters. This write-up is not about politics, but rather it delves into resetting the mind for life and work, why it is necessary, and a few tips on how to reset the mind.

The mind:
The mind has been a battlefield from creation. It has accommodated many ideas, thoughts, and emotions. The battle to influence and persuade man began subtly in the Garden of Eden and has continued until now.

Many voices of opinion appeal to the human mind, and the tendency for the mind to become stressed is not far-fetched. There are choices to be made, alternatives to choose, and decisions to make, and when these become overwhelming, the mind needs to reset to become productive.

According to Wikipedia, the mind is the sum of psychological phenomena and capacities, around both conscious and unconscious conditions. The mind is occasionally used barely to refer only to reasoning functions related to awareness, intellect, mindfulness, and recall.

To understand the mind, it is important to know what the brain is and how it functions. The brain, according to research, weighs three pounds and is wrinkled like a walnut, the size of a grapefruit with the texture of tofu. Each of the billions of nerve cells in the brain is linked to thousands of others, which allows us to process large amounts of information.

Scientists have used the power of the brain to study the brain and are still trying to fully understand it. Meanwhile, answers about the mind, consciousness, and knowledge are still buried within the brain, hence the need for mental well-being.

Mental health and well-being
The World Health Organisation (WHO) contends that decent mental health consists of being happy and connected to others and having a meaningful life. It has been broken down further into three major components: cognitive health, emotional health, and behavioural health. Each health interacts with and influences the others and is imperative to overall well-being.

Therefore, good mental health exceeds the absence of mental illness. It comprises the condition of our well-being and good feelings and purpose at work. According to the WHO, good mental health is the ability to handle the regular pressures of life, study and work efficiently, apply adequate talents and abilities, and give back to the community. When you are unable to do these things, you need to seek help.

The key facts about mental health, according to Healthdirect (www.healthdirect.gov.au), are feelings of happiness, linking with others, and meaningfulness. Resilience permits you to manage trials by adapting your internal abilities and backing systems.

People have challenges in life, but with good mental health, we can cope and build resilience. Some ways to ensure good mental health have been linked with healthy and positive thinking, healthy routines and eating habits, having good social connections, rest, and other meaningful activities, including resetting the mind.

Resetting the mind:
Researchers have contended that resetting the mind involves clearing your thoughts and letting go of negative or stressful thinking patterns that may affect mental well-being. This gets me thinking: clearing our minds of negative and stressful thinking, is that even possible?

Yes, it is possible. There is much negativity around us, on social media, in the news, and on various platforms. We are faced with the pessimism of life, and if care is not taken, it can lead to unnecessary stress, thus affecting our mental health and well-being. We can also face negative conditions at work, such as toxic workplaces and intolerant leaders.

Penny Zenker, an international speaker and business strategy coach, explained that the Reset Mindset can be seen as the next generation of the Growth Mindset. The growth mindset focuses on learning and persistence, while the Reset Mindset underscores value creation and adaptability to real-time feedback, she says.

This is what we need in a fast-paced generation where success depends on how swiftly and effectively one can adjust because, according to Zenker, it helps you to learn faster and to implement changes quickly (Zenker, 2024).

Why is it important to reset the mind?
Zenker (2024), in her book, “The Reset Mindset: Get Unstuck, Focus on What Matters Most, and Reach Your Goals Faster,” noted that a reset mindset prepares workers to quickly reconsider circumstances, recognise new prospects, and adjust speedily by forgoing obsolete methods.

Zenker says. “This mindset focuses on creating value, providing the opportunity for faster decision-making, and producing innovative solutions, necessary for any business to stay ahead of the competition. “By continually resetting, you stay aligned with the ever-changing demands of your industry and can proactively address challenges before they become major issues.”.

How to reset the mind for work:
Generally, resetting the mind involves clearing out thoughts and letting go of negative thinking. Researchers have recommended physical activities and motor skills such as exercising, taking long brisk walks, and working puzzles to stimulate the mind. Mind relaxation exercises can be administered to you by qualified medical experts. You will need to seek help if the situation is overwhelming.

They have also recommended meditation to reduce stress. This is true, especially when you consider the Christian religion, where prayer and meditation have been proven to help people reset their minds from negative thoughts. Coupled with practicing and showing gratitude, being grateful to God and others, and being thankful can clear the mind.

Our physical surroundings impact our mental state and what we feed on; we become. Researchers recommend cleaning our mess and surroundings, especially our minds. The more you feed on negativity, the more negative you become. Feed on positive things and become positive. The Bible admonishes us to think about things that are good and of good report. Additionally, eating healthy, seeking therapy, and spending time in nature are recommended.

For the workplace, know what causes you stress and how to refocus and reset your mind to give your best. The mantra, Man, know thyself, comes in handy here. Socrates, the Greek philosopher, indicated that to know thyself is the beginning of all wisdom. He was asked to sum up what all philosophical commandments could be reduced to, and his reply was to know yourself. This is in contrast with biblical sayings in the book of Proverbs 9:10, which states that ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’.

Self-awareness, which is a component of emotional intelligence, is critical in taking action to reduce stress in the mind. It is important to know the situations that make you feel overwhelmed and out of control of your behaviour and to deal with them by resetting your mind. The things that sap your energy are negative, and it is important to let them go and switch on to think about the positives.

You must have a reset strategy. For some, it could be meditating on the positives, taking a break, experiencing nature, and reducing mental fatigue. You may want to consider taking a retreat or a short vacation, just to unwind and refresh your brain before you get back to work. It works a great deal on mental well-being.

It is also suggested to take a digital detox, which is to disconnect yourself from technology, especially social media, televisions, phones, and other digital distractions for some time. The stress of the digital environment can sometimes be harmful to the mind, and a detox for a few days can help reset the mind. Researchers have also suggested the need to try out new hobbies or to create a challenge outside work and engage your mind in that or to learn a new skill. All these can help reset the mind.

Conclusion:
Do well to take time off to reset your mind and unlearn all the negative things that cause you stress, making you hate life and hate your work. Mental health and well-being are unnegotiable in the uncertain world we find ourselves in, and if you do not have a sound mind, peace of mind, and the resilience to go through life, you will be overwhelmed, and this can greatly affect your work and your life. Know yourself and what triggers and stresses your brain. Deal with them and reset your mind.

The writer is a social psychologist, facilitator in business administration, marketing, and communication and a lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

Email: [email protected]

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