While some people love working out and can let exercise take over their entire consciousness, most of us need a distraction to keep us entertained and avoid ennui.
If you are looking for fresh ways to keep your mind occupied during your next workout, here are some suggestions to put into practice.
Play a game
If you are exercising at home or at the gym, it is not unreasonable to assume that you will both have access to a smartphone and also have a place to put it so that it is within easy reach while you are working out. With a suitable setup, you can easily play a host of mobile games, many of which are designed for simple touch-screen interactions and do not require you to do anything too complex with your fingers while the rest of your body is occupied.
For example, you could pick up a turn-based title like Blizzard’s popular card game-battler Hearthstone, which will give you plenty of time to get in a few reps while your enemy is planning their next move. You could also play slots on sites like Casumo, giving you access to thousands of options for reel-spinning action.
Basically the only rule about gaming while working out is that you should avoid anything which requires too much concentration or is reliant on split-second responses, as this will only get in the way of your exercise.
Listen to a podcast
Podcasts can be better than music as a workout accompaniment, because if they are engaging enough then you will be entirely focused on what the hosts and guests are saying, rather than worrying about how tired you are getting or how much further you have to go.
In terms of the podcasts you pick, the world is very much your oyster, with over a million shows available to download and stream today. Big-hitters that are specifically themed around exercise and healthy living include Run, Selfie, Repeat, The Rambling Runner and TED Talks Health. Comedy phenomenons that will leave you in stitches rather than giving you a stitch include My Dad Wrote A Porno and Comedy Bang Bang. If you want a podcast to expand your mind, then try out NPR’s Hidden Brain or Waking Up with Sam Harris.
If you want to be really smart about it, picking a podcast that suits the intended length of your workout can be a good move, as it will give you an endpoint to strive towards.
Change your routine
One of the things which is most likely to cause boredom during a workout is if you are repeating the same old sets of exercises and generally falling into the usual rut that you have established for yourself.
A sensible way to overcome this is to always try to do something different whenever you are getting your heart rate up, while also remembering to track your progress over time so that you can actually see how far you have come for all the effort that you have put in.
There are tons of workout apps that can not only monitor your performance and reveal improvements that you have made, but also provide you with the suggestions you need to spice up your exercising and help you to take a break from a routine that has become boring.
Of course you can also get advice and guidance from a personal trainer if you are out of ideas, or choose to take up a team sport as your preferred form of exercise, as this can be more mentally engaging than training solo. Whatever you do, do not neglect your brain while your muscles are getting all the attention.
