If anyone knows the best way to get through lockdown in a positive frame of mind then it’s Professor Greg Whyte OBE, who I have worked with on behalf of Bridgestone for the company’s incredible Everyday Battlers Olympic campaign.
Greg is a former Olympian and the performance expert behind many Sports Relief and Comic Relief challenges. As a Professor of Sports Science, he has unrivalled professional experience in assessing, treating and improving the performance of patients, sporting enthusiasts and athletes alike.
Greg took a ‘Sports Sphere’ webinar when lockdown was first coming into effect earlier in the year to discuss his career to date and the best ways to stay productive during lockdown. Some of his tips, as taken from the online conference, are below (paraphrased in an attempt to help anyone out in need of a bit of structure right now!):
- Work to a plan. A plan will be unique for each individual but try to create one with bullet points of actions applicable to you.
- Put the plan in a prominent place in your house, so you can see it (e.g. the front of your fridge). Visualising it makes it more achievable. When you have completed various tasks, cross them off.
- Ticking off the action points as you go helps focus the mind to keep working towards your goals!
- Also, by creating a plan, you’re better prepared to be productive when the time comes for restrictions to be eased and more familiar working patterns re-established.
- Celebrate! When it gets to a Friday evening or Saturday, then celebrate the fact! The worst thing you can do is to treat them like any other days because they all feel the same under lockdown. By treating weekends like you usually do, you add a sense of structure to the week.
- This structure is what many of us are lacking right now! By creating a sense of it, you will find you are more motivated to stick to your plan and work through the days ahead.
- It’s good to talk! Another way of lifting the spirits is to talk to people. Talking is essential and it’s important to keep up the dialogue.
- We are all missing that daily interaction so if it can’t via an online video call or meeting, then just pick up the phone!
- And finally, exercise does so much for the body and mind. Add some exercise to your plan. Healthy bodies stimulate healthy minds.
