How to Train Your Brain Like a Muscle: The 12-Minute Habit That Keeps You Sharp

If you’ve ever felt like your mind is being hijacked by distractions, you’re not alone. I just listened to a Mel Robbins podcast featuring cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Amishi Jha, and it was fascinating.

Dr. Jha explained that our attention is like a muscle. Every scroll, ping, and notification is essentially a rep, but not the kind you want to build. The good news? You can train your mind to focus again, and it only takes 12 minutes a day.

Her research found that the biggest impact on attention and cognitive performance happens when people practice mindfulness 12 minutes a day, four days a week, for four weeks. Think of it like strength training for your mind; consistency beats intensity every time. As Dr. Jha said, we can train our attention to be stronger and function better because we want not only a peak mind but a fulfilling life.

I love this because it’s exactly how I’ve always seen meditation. It’s exercise for your mind. If you do it randomly, it feels nice in the moment, but it won’t change much long term. But if you make it part of your routine the way you brush your teeth, that’s when you notice shifts in how you think, respond, and recover from stress.

This episode hit me deeply because today marks the anniversary of my dad’s passing in 2008. That loss was what led me to meditation in the first place, a way to calm my mind when everything felt heavy. I had no idea it would become such a lifelong practice and passion that I’d later study it formally at the Chopra Center.

Dr. Jha also shared that there’s something we can do to exercise our mind so that our well-being and mental health can be optimal with as little as 12 minutes a day. So if you’ve been wanting to start meditating (or get back to it), this is your nudge. Start small. Anchor it to something you already do daily. And as she reminded listeners, the best time to meditate is anytime you actually do it.

Twelve minutes. Four times a week. Four weeks. That’s all it takes to start strengthening your mind and aging well from the inside out.

Listen to the full episode here