Keeping the mind active

Keeping the mind active 

People who regularly play board games have been shown to be able to stay focused during everyday tasks and respond better to situations that require agility or quick thinking. This is seen as a result of keeping the mind active by playing different games on a regular basis.

Play has also been shown to help us all maintain those all-important cognitive functions that support the ongoing release of endorphins that can help relax our muscles, allow blood to flow more easily around the body and ultimately help us reduce feelings of stress.

Some questions to consider before introducing play into your coaching session:

• Do they naturally take risks or chances?
• Do they follow rules or try to bend them to help them succeed?
• Are they strategic thinkers or do they think creatively?
• Do they take the lead or are they happy to follow?
• Do they support others or undermine them?
• How do they react if they win or lose?

So by incorporating play into your coaching sessions, you can help your clients practice a range of essential cognitive skills like problem-solving and memory development. And because you will be introducing the games in a relaxed and supportive way, your clients will quickly start to feel less stressed and able to learn or practice key life skills in a more relaxed way.

Try incorporating a simple coaching tool like a card game or role-play as it can really help open up a dialogue with your clients, especially if they seem distracted or when you have a small group of people and would like to get them working together quickly. And the regular use of play has been seen to help us maintain and strengthen essential cognitive functions within the brain. It has also been seen as one of the long-term defenses against the ageing process that helps us all support our well-being.