5 Tips for Balancing School and Sports
The scale this pandemic has taken brings continuous stress that affects every sphere of our lives, including our studies.
HERE ARE 5 TIPS EVERY STUDENT SHOULD KEEP IN MIND:
1. TRAIN IN THE MORNING
2. STAY ORGANIZED
Balancing school, sports and personal life requires a lot of organization. As students, we all have a social life, daily activities, schoolwork and possibly, a physical activity we are passionate about. Our thoughts can easily become overwhelmed with the many tasks to accomplish, the relationships to maintain and our desire to exercise. A planner is the perfect tool to stay rigorous and organized. It will help you structure your thoughts and decrease the chances of forgetting something important. Take the time to organize your schedule and you will give you the time to practise the sport you love.
3. REDUCE YOUR TRAINING TIME
Full-time studies require a lot of time, both physically and mentally, no matter your field of study. When exam week is fast approaching and all our essays are due within the same period, we tend to neglect physical activity. In order to continue to keep up with our healthy habits, reducing training time during these busy periods is a great option to consider. Being a mountain bike elite athlete myself, during my most demanding weeks of study, I trade some of my bike trainings for running sessions that allow me to reach peak intensities in a short time. Since my bike trainings last at least an hour and half, running is the perfect alternative when I face time constraints. My training remains effective even if it is shorter.
4. ESTABLISH PRIORITIES
Balancing high performance sport and full-time studies can sometimes become very laborious and that is why it is essential to have well-established priorities. Even if your studies are an important part of your career path, the pursuit of your sporting dreams should not be neglected. Having clear and specific goals will allow you to put more time, discipline and rigour into reaching those goals. In order to concentrate on your studies during exam periods, it is sometimes necessary to refuse invitations to large-scale competitions. It is important to understand that a season is made up of several competitions, so other opportunities can easily be targeted in order to prove yourself on the circuit. Balancing sport and school has its share of sacrifices, but these sacrifices will allow you to make your future dreams come true.
5. HAVE FUN!
Finally, in order to successfully maintain your passion for physical activity while continuing your studies, having fun while training is essential. If you are able to do so, training will no longer be a requirement to check off your list, but rather a reward during your busy study weeks. When your brain will become overloaded with school, your training is going to be the perfect break so you can come back to your readings fresh as a daisy. Cycling has allowed me to grow as an individual, but mainly to thrive in school. During the most difficult times, cycling allowed me to come back stronger and ready to face long study hours. Without a doubt, sport is something to be cherished.
On that note, taking one hour out of your studying schedule and dedicating it to training can only be beneficial for you! Don’t hesitate to balance school and sports, if you put your mind to it, anything is possible ☺
Sophianne Samson, proud ambassador of the PEPPERMINT Collective ♡
