6 Ways to Motivate Yourself While Home From College
Being home from college can be an unmotivating time for any athlete. This year is particularly hard because many students are home for extended periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every athlete has his/her own obstacles to overcome at home, but many are suffering from the same lack of motivation. Below is a list of six ways to increase your motivation while at home this winter!
Write down your goals
Staying accountable can be really difficult when you do not have your teammates or coaches around to push you. Writing down your goals will cause you to be more attached and accountable toward them. It can help to put them in a place where you will see them every day. The more reminders, the better. Hang them on your bedroom door, your bathroom mirror or even write them on your kickboard. Whatever will remind you the most is the best option.
Stay in touch with your teammates
Being away from school can really bring down your motivation to do anything. Home is an environment that you are not used to anymore and the people that you depended on at school are no longer part of your day to day life. It is so important to stay in touch with your teammates. We have so many forms of communication to interact with one another from afar. Team Zoom calls, team dryland challenges or even Facetime calls with your favorite training partner can make a world of difference. When you are reminded of the teammates who inspire you at school, your motivation at home may spike as well.
Focus on little goals
I talked before about setting goals for yourself, but it is important to set the right kind of goals. Setting goals for a season with no concrete championship season can be exceptionally frustrating. It is important right now to set quantifiable goals to help keep motivated. Some good examples could be hitting a new max lift in the gym, or speeding up your flip turns. Setting small goals can help distract you from the unknown of the big picture.
Find new activities that you enjoy
You may find yourself with more free time than you are used to. Many college athletes have much longer breaks this year then they normally would. It is a great time to find a new activity that you enjoy, whether a new hobby or a new exercise activity that you have never done before. The littlest things can bring you joy or spike your motivation in swimming. The most important things right now are staying happy and physically fit.
Remind yourself why you swim
Swimming is a hard sport. Break time can either be really motivating or really difficult. It is important to slow down and remember why you swim. Whether you swim for a general love of the sport, a love for racing or to get a sense of peace in the water, reminding yourself can provide the extra inspiration you need.
Remember that this is not going to last forever
I know it seems like this has been going on for forever, but life will find a new normal at some point. We will not be stuck in pandemic life for the rest of our lives, and it is not worth wishing years of our swimming careers away. As college athletes, our days are numbered. Take this time to cherish swimming and remember that one day you will look back and realize that all the weird sacrifices you made were worth it.
This year has been hard. As the year comes to a close, try to find the extra motivation you need both in and out of the pool. Good luck with your break, and remember that you can do anything that you set your mind to.