The Healthy Mind Platter

[Ivy]

This article (actually not this one- the long, scholarly PDF version of it with references) was sent out in an email blast by the CEO of the company I work for. While I went in a bit skeptical, I ended up reading the whole thing and found it pretty compelling. The idea, basically, is that like the "My Plate" healthy eating system recommended by the USDA (fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with starch/carb) for bodily health, there is a "Healthy Mind Platter" that promotes optimal brain functioning.

Sleep Time-Sufficient high-quality sleep, both at night and during naps if that's how you roll.
Physical Time- Moving the body, aerobically and otherwise, on a daily basis. Sports, exercise, etc.
Focus Time- Closely focusing on a task- not necessarily work-related. Could be model-building, gardening, any kind of non-sport hobby that requires sustained focus.
Time In- This is mindfulness, meditation, what-have-you. Any kind of quiet internal reflection or unplugged time where you just notice your own mind.
Down Time- Goofing off, being lazy, lounging, having no purpose. Could be reading unless it's serious reading that requires sustained focus which is probably more of a "Focus Time" activity.
Play Time- Just having fun and laughing, being creative and spontaneous.
Connecting Time- Being with the people we like or love, forming and strengthening our connections to them.​

So, what do you think of this idea? Are you getting all of these? Do you find them helpful, or the lack of them harmful? Are there certain ones you have a hard time fitting into your life? If anyone is interested in reading the scholarly article it can be found here.

 

[á´…eparted]

Based on your post it seems fair and makes sense. I also do like zero Time In. I hate doing that stuff so I never do lol. Must always be on.

 

[Frosty]

I definitely need more physical time. It is hard to tell though, I feel like the majority of my time is spent just existing in a well mixed soupy blend of all these states, where it is hard to distinguish what from what.

 

[Ivy]

Until recently I got very little "Time In" as well. Lately I've been feeling like it's important for me to slow down and turn off the hamster wheel for a few minutes here and there. I'm not doing it regularly or very sustained because it's really difficult for me. But I'm feeling the rewards of making myself do a little bit of it.

 

[Yama]

I always end up sacrificing sleep time so that I have time to do everything else. And then I end up catching up on sleep on the weekend and sleeping half the day and feeling awful. I really should try to be on a more regular sleep schedule, I think

Makes sense though. Down time and play time seem kind of like the same thing to me though. What's the difference exactly?

 

[cascadeco]

I think historically I had Waaaaay too much 'Time In', in a negative way. That combined with very low 'connecting time' is not a healthy combo, haha.

Physical time and Sleep have always been super important to me (I think I'm very sensitive to sleep and mentally/emotionally notice how negatively I'm impacted if I don't get an average of 7 or 8 hrs of sleep a night), and I think generally my other areas are well balanced -- though I'm always needing to work on 'connecting time'. My current job helps with that.

 

[Chrysanthe]

Down Time and Sleep Time are the only ones I relate to.. Time In I used to do frequently when I was healthy.

 

[Ghost]

Down Time is my life.

 

[fetus]

Well during the week, you can forget about Sleep Time.

I skimp on Physical Time. I need to make running a priority again. Focus Time is also something I don't really do. Otherwise, I'm very good at keeping up on those things.

Down Time, Play Time, and Connecting Time are my favorites!

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

Until recently I got very little "Time In" as well. Lately I've been feeling like it's important for me to slow down and turn off the hamster wheel for a few minutes here and there. I'm not doing it regularly or very sustained because it's really difficult for me. But I'm feeling the rewards of making myself do a little bit of it.

That is known as smoke time for me. I am a low recreational user. Maybe biweekly? Sometimes once a month, sometimes couple times a week but it is essentially 'time in' for me and it is a recharge.

 

[ceecee]

I like this. I admit I probably combine Time In and Focus Time. I might even throw it into Physical Time. Stuff like kayaking in the morning when the lake is calm isn't physically heavy and it feels like unplugged time to me. Sleep Time - Oh yeah, I take about a 1 hr. nap almost every day, when I'm done working.

 

[KitchenFly]

Looking at the platter reminds me of the seven deadly sins, witch had two missing, this platter may have two missing. Work time and spiritual time.

Just saying. May not be relevant. But for some reason often the influencing factor of the multiplicity's factor role gets over looked.

In the enneagram it was Deceit at point three and Fear at point six. Maybe the manifestation of synergetic business and industry building clouded the view. And a need to build a system to attain those symbiotic goals regardless of ideal boundaries like sheared equity and sheared equality with in the totality of a synergetic system.

And in this platter list maybe what clouds the view is the focus upon the personal ideal and its symbiotic needs.