COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY & How it Supports our Mental Health.

katiemills669
Aug 25
3 min read

1) What is Cognitive Flexibility?

Cognitive flexibility is increasingly recognised as a core skill for managing the increasing demands and expectations that we face in today’s fast paced and complex world.

Studies show that the complexities of everyday life reinforce the need to be cognitively flexible, describing it as a ‘person's awareness of communication alternatives, a willingness to adapt to the situation, and self‐efficacy in being flexible (1)

At its core, it’s the ability to adapt our thinking and behaviour in response to new, unexpected, or shifting situations.

Cognitive flexibility allows us, when needed, to switch between different tasks, rules or perspectives, applying knowledge and experience from one set of circumstances to another.

The Benefits of Cognitive flexibility:

Supports Emotional Regulation

Cognitive flexibility helps us reframe negative thoughts and see situations from a different perspective. This helps to prevent becoming stuck in a cycle of negative thinking which is a common precursor to feeling overwhelmed, depressed, anxious and /or having a lack of interpersonal connection.

Being able to think flexibly won’t necessarily stop unhelpful thoughts occurring, but it allows us to question our thinking and/or reconsider our interpretation and find alternative meanings.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

When we can shift our thinking and adjust to unexpected changes or challenges, we’re less likely to feel overwhelmed by stress.

Flexible thinkers can better explore multiple solutions rather than being fixated on one approach. They are more likely to find creative and effective solutions that reduce frustration and increase self-confidence

Enhances Adaptability

Being adaptable to different solutions, interpretations or new environments lessens the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed when things don’t go as planned.

Improves Social Relationships

Adapting to different perspectives makes us more understanding and empathetic towards others. It helps us navigate conflicts and communicate more effectively.

Builds Resilience

Life is full of unexpected changes, and cognitive flexibility can often help us bounce back from disappointments. Instead of seeing failure as the end, we can view it as an opportunity to try other responses, learn and grow.

Such benefits are supported by studies that show greater cognitive flexibility to be associated with favourable outcomes throughout the lifespan, including:

Better reading abilities in childhood
Higher resilience to negative life events
Better coping mechanisms for stress in adulthood
Higher levels of creativity in adulthood.
Better quality of life in older individuals (2)

How can we develop our ability to think flexibly?

Expose Yourself to Novelty and New routines, such as:

Take a different route to work or school.

Use your non-dominant hand for simple tasks.

Change the time of when you have dinner or take your shower.

Practice Task-Switching and alternate between creative and analytical tasks.

Read about different viewpoints and engage in discussions with people who think differently, whilst also expressing your own views.

Start to keep a journal:

This is a great way to increase awareness of thought patterns and personal triggers. It also acts a way to externalise what has been on your mind and reduce automatic responses.

Mindfulness and meditation

These practices help to identify and observe thoughts without attachment.

Challenge Your Brain with New Activities

Such as learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument.

Play Strategy and/or Word Games such as:

Chess, Code Names, crosswords, Bananagrams or word search.

Consider a time when someone had upset you or made you angry -

Are you able to view the situation now from a different perspective? It’s not about ‘letting someone of the hook, but more about looking at the options and understanding why you responded in the way you did and whether you would do the same again?

As with most techniques and tools for improving and caring for our mental health, it’s important to find those that match your needs and work for you. Some of the above options might be right for you, others may not. Try a few out and see how you go.

I leave you with a quote to keep in mind when you may feel stuck in your thinking patterns and behaviours and need to make change:

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Charles Darwin