The tough get going when the going gets tough…but wise men do not beat their heads against brick walls!
You've probably heard this saying before—at least the first half in reference to mental toughness and coping with stressful situations and circumstances. But when does the stress and the impact of the load you carry on your shoulders become unbearable? Consider how some healthy coping strategies might allow you the mental freedom to perform at a higher level. Using them might help you find more clarity as you pay attention to the information in front of you and focus on the task at hand. And then you might be able to make more effective and timely decisions and create more space to get out of your body's way to perform and do what you've trained yourself to do.
High-level performance results come and go, but your daily practice and approach with a high-level mindset should not. In all pressure-packed life situations, many stressors must be addressed to free yourself up to perform. So if you're constantly running into walls while seeking to improve and perform at your best level, you might want to try these coping skills to manage the stressors in your academic and athletic life.
Take a pause
- The next time you start to feel that surge of emotion bubble up in your body, take a step back and recognize your daily sources of stress. The first step to working with the stress is recognizing what it is.
Learn to Breathe for Performance
- If you have a difficult time gaining clarity when you pause to identify where the stress is coming from, then perhaps you need to take back control of your brain. When we become too caught up in the circumstances that sweep us off our feet, we can lose control of ourselves. But practicing breathing techniques such as circle diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, ratio or rhythmic breathing can help you learn how to aim your attention at the things that matter now. That will definitely help you in the pool, too!
Put Some Structure Around To-Dos
- If you have a lot of schoolwork and a busy schedule (as most student athletes do these days), set aside chunks of time to tackle your work. This requires a little bit of planning and administrative work but will pay dividends regarding your ability to manage stress at the end of the day. You can decide to work in chunks of time—which also includes class time, school time, and water polo time. This will help you shape your focus and dive deep into whatever it is you're doing. Coaches often say to leave behind all your non-water polo "stuff" when you enter the pool, and this is a great way to do that because you've already devoted the time to focus on the other things.
Compartmentalize by Putting a Period After That Thought
- A great way to manage stressful overthinking is using a technique that allows you to stop a line of thinking. In other words, you can put a period after a thought to stop it; and then start a new sentence in your thought stream related to the task at hand. It could sound like, "I have so much to do. Erica has been acting weird with me, and I don't know what her deal is. What's going to happen later today with our team…PERIOD." Then you move your focus to whatever you're supposed to be doing in that moment. Your thoughts probably won't stream exactly like the latter example, but the idea is the same for whatever your thought stream might be.
Mindful Practices
- I know you've probably heard it a thousand times by now, but setting aside 5 to 10 minutes a day to practice a mindful, present act (such as breathing) can give you the mental space to feel rejuvenated and refreshed. A lot of audio guides are available to lead you through the mental practice formally, or you can choose to go for a mindful walk or do a chore. Whatever it is, practice presence with non-judgment for your wandering mind. Find ways to bring your attention to wherever your feet are in the moment.
After committing to starting with one of two of these ideas over a couple weeks, you'll find they fall into place with your daily routine. It's also important to manage different aspects of your self-care such as sleep, nutrition, and hydration. Each day can bring unexpected challenges, but when you have things under control that you
can control, then you can manage the uncontrollables much more effectively.
If you would like to train your resilience, you can follow training programs by downloading the WellU Mental Training App on Apple and Google Play devices. WellU provides engaging mental training opportunities to help athletes develop peak performance. Visit www.wellumentaltraining.com to download the app.
Brian Alexander, MA, CMPC, is a certified mental performance consultant with the association for applied sport psychology and the official athlete mental skills coach of USA Water Polo ODP. He also is the mental coach for the USA Men's national team. His private practice is based in San Diego, CA, and he works remotely with athletes at all levels and in all sports. Visit www.athletementalskillscoach.comto learn more.
