Poker is a game that requires a lot of mental energy and by the end of a long game or tournament many players will feel exhausted. This is not a bad thing as it shows that the brain has been working hard. In fact, playing poker regularly will actually improve your mental skills, particularly your critical thinking skills. You will learn to assess risks properly so that you can suffer fewer detrimental events. This is a useful skill in life in general but it can be particularly helpful when you are in business as it will help you to make sound decisions.
Poker will also teach you to limit your emotions, a skill that is important in any area of life. While there are certainly moments when an unfiltered expression of emotion is justified, most of the time it is best to keep your emotions in check. If you do not control your emotions then they may well get the better of you and lead to negative consequences.
You will also learn to calculate odds in poker, not in the traditional 1+1=2 way but by determining the probability of a particular outcome. This is a very useful skill and one that you will use when evaluating your opponents and their betting strategies.
Another key skill in poker is knowing when to bluff. This is a very useful tool and you will find that if you use it correctly then it can be extremely profitable. You need to be careful how you use it though and you must always have a plan B in case your opponent picks up on your bluff.