If you're like me, you may be unfocused and sluggish at times, unable to concentrate on anything. Later on maybe your mind is whirling with so many thoughts and plans (usually when trying to get to sleep) that it's hard to settle it. It's sometimes called the "monkey mind" because of the constant internal chattering that can happen. If you don't have these issues, count your blessings, and skip to the end - congratulations!
What's the solution? For me it's meditation. I know, just mentioning meditation may conjure up images of a guru sitting cross-legged up on a hill for hours. I'm a doer, and asking someone who's sometimes restless in body or mind is like telling an untrained puppy to "stay." So for me meditation has to be much simpler, and more accessible.
Meditation is really just about bringing awareness to your body and thoughts, not necessarily trying to control anything. It can be as simple as taking a walk and noticing everything around you in detail, without judgement or planning any action.
Each morning I like to set aside some time - a few minutes at least - to sit in a comfortable position and close my eyes. At first I just notice my breath: the air entering my nostrils, observing what parts of the body change with that inhale, then feeling the breath exiting back out with the exhale. I don't try to change the breath; it often changes just by noticing it. Then I draw attention to all 5 senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, feeling. Each of these senses give information to absorb (again, without judgement or planning) about what's happening around the body, then ultimately IN the body.
Once/if I reach a sense of stillness (it doesn't always happen), I let those thoughts go and just try to sit with that quiet. If the mind wanders, I bring it back to the breath. "Rinse and repeat" as often as needed.
It's not about achieving a perfect state, but instead sitting with what IS. With repetition and training becomes a habit. When I do this regularly, I find my day off to a much better start. Here's to a healthy brain for us all!