Working from The Pro Player Timeline: Weekly, this individual day post focuses on what a professional player overseas should be outlining each specific day of the week like.
SEE ALSO:
Navigating Sports Abroad blog post.
Play Abroad 101 for the most accurate preparation in print.
The Pro Player Timeline: Daily
& The Pro Player Timeline: Overview.
Obviously, every player's schedule will vary based on practices, matches, and other planned activities; however, it's important for athletes to go into each week with an organized view of how the days within the week will play themselves out.
WEDNESDAY - Calm Day
Take at least ten minutes (thirty is better!) to be silent, whether through breathing exercises, meditation, or prayer.
In addition to your normal mobility and flexibility routine, take time to incorporate yoga and other deep stretches to refresh your body for the rest of the week.
Remember/Adjust Your Focus...
Have you stayed true to your focus from Monday? Are there any distractions in your way? Do you need to pivot and change your focus to better fit what's happening this week? It's okay to reflect and keep on the same path or adjust as needed in your situation.Create Your Space...
You need at least two favorite spots; one in your home, and one outside. I would even go further and say you need to find a favorite spot in your gym. These are places you can retreat to and re-center yourself on a regular basis. Best to locate areas where you can be alone and able to breathe, think, and clear your mind. You can create this kind of space in your home at your dining table, next to a window, or a cozy book nook on your couch. Outside, if you're fortunate enough to have a yard, that is ideal; otherwise, you can find a park bench, a large tree to sit under, or a quaint table at a coffee shop. For ideas in your gym, you can find quiet spaces in an empty locker room, in an upstairs corner of the bleachers, or even taking a quick break in the equipment room can provide the space needed to refocus.Remain Stable...
Some people count to ten before responding, do breathing exercises, or simply think things through before giving an answer or reaction. When you feel yourself running on low energy, it's probably already too late. Best to maintain your energy and sanity by keeping up with your routines and supplementing with extra rest time for yourself during stressful days or weeks.Something Familiar (8 ideas)...
Video call with family/friends, make your favorite dessert/meal/snack, do your favorite workout on your own, mix your cultures by finding or making some local language greeting cards to send to your family/friends back home, send a voice message to someone far away letting you know how much you appreciate them, watch your favorite movie, get 2-3 of your favorite scented candles, find your favorite fruit from a local fresh market.Finish...
Whatever amount of time you dedicate to resting and rejuvenating, make sure you stick to it. Going over the time is not a problem, but cutting into it with phone distractions or getting bored will not help you and will probably end up dissolving this precious time completely. Do your full stretching or yoga sequence, being careful not to skip over steps and give yourself the extra count or breath in each phase. Be intentional and guard your calm time - this time is an investment in your mental and emotional power for when you are on and off the court.
As your day-to-day schedule become more routine, you can add more social media presence (i.e., sharing other pro player's match times/highlights, linking to your blog, etc.). The most important baselines for every day are getting enough of the right kind of sleep and eating properly. These actions take intentional planning and purpose. Too many times we have heard stories of athletes finishing practice after 9:00 PM and not having any food left to eat - and all the grocery stores and decent restaurants are closed!
"The day she let go of the things that were weighing her down, was the day she began to shine the brightest."
For the rest of the days of the week, see The Pro Player Timeline: Weekly.
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