New Delhi, October 9, 2026: The MindGym Initiative, a volunteer-led nonprofit founded in the USA, has called for making mental fitness a daily habit, highlighting that regular mental exercises can help manage anxiety and improve concentration, particularly among children and young adults. The announcement comes as the organisation marks World Mental Health Day.
Prithvi Raj Banerjee, founder of the MindGym Initiative and author of ‘Mindful Thinking,’ emphasised the growing need for preventive mental well-being as digital distractions and information overload increasingly affect young people. He noted that the pressures of modern life, including constant overstimulation, can lead to stress, anxiety, and difficulties in sustaining attention, ultimately impacting emotional well-being and productivity.
Techniques to train attention
Banerjee explained that the MindGym approach is based on the idea that attention is a skill that can be developed through deliberate practice, similar to physical exercise for the body. The programme includes 12 MindGym techniques structured into an eight-week programme, such as Belly Breathing, Bumblebee Hum, Balanced Breath, Body Radar, Word Anchor, Catch and Drop, and Play and Pause. These techniques are designed to help participants regulate attention, recognise emotional responses, and disengage from repetitive thought patterns.
MindGym workshops also incorporate interactive games and biofeedback-based activities, including Mindball, to make attention training more engaging. The initiative has conducted hundreds of workshops since 2017, reaching thousands of children and young adults from diverse backgrounds. Many participants sought to improve their concentration and focus, and according to the initiative, observations before and after sessions indicated improvements in attention, though these are not presented as clinical evidence.
Workshops and outreach
The MindGym Initiative primarily offers workshops for children and adults through online sessions, aiming to make mental fitness practices accessible and easy to integrate into daily routines. Banerjee, an IIT (BHU) and MIT-trained technologist and mindfulness coach, has developed the programme by combining technology with yogic and mindfulness practices.
Proceeds from Banerjee’s book, ‘Mindful Thinking: Simple Ways to Let Go of Your Anxiety, Boost Your Productivity and Rewire Your Thoughts,’ help fund free MindGym workshops. The initiative continues to advocate for the importance of consciously directing attention and managing responses to external stimulation as essential life skills in a technology-driven world.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
