Mental flexibility: what it is, what it is for and how to train it

Some of the skills that allow human beings to adapt to the changing environment in which they live are cognitive processes, learning, socialization with other people, among others.

In this sense, there is an aptitude of the human brain that should be highlighted, by influencing multiple processes of great importance for the adaptation of the human being to the environment, and it is none other than mental flexibility.

Below we will see in greater detail what mental flexibility consists of and what is its importance in the adaptation of the human being to different contexts and situations.

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What is mental flexibility?

Mental flexibility is a capacity possessed by the brain which enables efficiently adjust cognitive processes and behavior to contexts and situations that are novel, unexpected and / or unstable, in order to adapt to the environment and the demands that have arisen.

It should be noted that mental flexibility is a fairly complex psychological construct, since it encompasses numerous mental and behavioral processes of the human being and is continually finds itself in a dynamic of change and adaptation depending on the environment, the situation, the culture, the stage of the life cycle in which the person is, etc.

It also offers the ability to restructure our previous knowledge, while assimilating new learning, in order to be able to adapt to the demands that are constantly changing and / or solve various problems or unknowns.

On the other hand, mental or cognitive flexibility also allows people to work on various tasks in parallel or throughout a process successive, all this without overloading the brain and there is no interference between some tasks and others, so it allows to complete all tasks with success.

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Main characteristics of mental flexibility

Mental flexibility is closely related to fluid intelligence and, therefore, influences the fluid reasoning and the capacities of the human being at the time of solving diverse novel problems that could arise in a flexible and effective way.

In this sense, mental flexibility is one of the superior cognitive aptitudes of the metacognition, and, as such, influences various cognitive processes such as behavior control, knowledge, awareness and learning, among others. The knowledge of a person of his own capacity within these cognitive processes allows you to more efficiently control your skills and knowledge to be able to act voluntarily and controlled in order to promote their own learning, and with it their own advancement and improvement in different scopes.

Another characteristic is that mental flexibility influences executive functions, so it is very relevant in learning and, therefore, affects development throughout life, as well as academic and work success. This is so because mental flexibility allows people to make plans, set goals and objectives, get going with the plans previously established, assessing one's actions throughout the entire process, as well as learning from mistakes, correcting them and preventing them from returning to commit.

Mental flexibility also allows people take into account other values, beliefs and ideas, that is, other ways of thinking that others have and at the same time understand other points of view, respecting each other if they are different from oneself, being able to assess other perspectives and options in addition to the one one had previously. That is why mental flexibility is closely associated with empathy, which facilitates and at the same time improves the ability of human beings in their social interactions with others.

When it comes to practicing Mindfulness, mental flexibility offers the possibility to activate all the mental skills necessary to pay full attention in the present moment, in a that the person is focused on all the nuances of the here and now, which can facilitate a better adaptation to certain contexts and circumstances. For it it is necessary to have an attitude of openness to the experience and act without judging anything.

As previously mentioned, mental flexibility is that it offers the human being the possibility of adapting quickly to changes or to the novelties that arise in the environment, making it possible to change behavior in the moment based on the demands of the context and also anticipate possible mistakes or negative consequences in order to avoid them or, at least, learn from them to avoid their repetition.

On the other hand, this mental flexibility helps people to tolerate the changes that may arise during a task and thus generate more effective alternatives.

A correct mental flexibility, which has been sufficiently trained through practice in tasks that demand enough cognitive work so that the brain is exercised in it, It will make it easier for the person to efficiently make the transition from one task to another sequentially without one interfering with the other, as well as allowing the possibility of performing two tasks simultaneously without losing concentration and completing both successfully.

• Related article: "Empathy, much more than putting yourself in someone else's shoes"

Its importance in crisis situations

In difficult times, such as those experienced by the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus, a properly developed mental flexibility is a fundamental tool to get out go ahead and coping as best as possible with suffering and emotional distress.

On the contrary, a mental inflexibility can worsen the problems that were dragging from before a period crisis, so this situation of uncertainty to which it is difficult to adapt gives rise to problems of many types.

Mental flexibility is closely related to resilience, a concept that in Psychology refers to the ability of the human being to face adversity through thoughts and behaviors that enable adaptation. To do this, perspective must be taken, considering all the alternatives to the possibilities that are within reach and launching a series of behaviors that are They lead to the objectives that allow us to get ahead in these difficult situations and even emerge stronger in the face of a future in which situations could arise Similar.

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Tips to train and promote mental flexibility

Some of the tips that may be helpful to train mental flexibility are as follows:

• Do not be too rigid and open up to new learning, possible changes and other points of view.
• Actively listen to other people in order to value and learn about other ways of seeing things.
• Try to see things from multiple perspectives or points of view.
• Be proactive, so that we are prepared for any unexpected events and act.
• Train creativity through various artistic activities.
• Find tasks that help to work the mind such as learning a new language, reading, taking courses, etc.
• Maintain the curiosity to learn throughout life and in different fields (p. eg, science, art, etc).
• Play sports, as exercise has been shown to help the brain to oxygenate.
• Faced with a specific challenge or circumstance, assess the multiple options available to us.
• You can also perform exercises that allow you to train the different executive functions.