The best elite athletes take their rest and recovery seriously. Competitive marathoners sleep 10 hours a night. Roger Federer sleeps 11-12 hours per night. Yet, a study from the Australian Institute of Sport found that most elite athletes only get 6.5 to 7 hours of sleep a night.

And their performance suffers because of it.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, lack of sleep increases the chances of fatigue, low energy, and poor focus during competition.

Mental fatigue is just as real as physical fatigue.

Combining deep focus with intentional breaks produces the best outcomes. And yet most high performers spend long days of fractured time with little to no recovery.

Consider if one or several of these practices might serve you in restoring your mental focus and your physical strength.

1. Conduct an audit of the number of hours you have deep focus each week.

   Most of us deal with the distraction of e-mail or incoming messages to our phones, and we don’t ever achieve deep, uninterrupted focus. Consider implementing a time blocking method to guard your focus and isolate disruptions to planned breaks.

2. Be present

   Being present is harder to achieve as technology becomes more engrained in our lives, and yet if we can intentionally put our phones down and be present, you just might notice your body trying to send you a signal that you had been missing, or you may have a moment of connection with another human being, or you may appreciate the beauty of the world around you. Notice how often you are present for yourself and present for others. And try to increase it.

3. Plan your evenings and plan your mornings.

   Creating a routine to bookend your day will be life giving and increase your energy.

4. Create a life that sustains you.

   Author Brianna Wiest said “true self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.” Well said.

5. Nourish your body, soul, and spirit.

   Do things that energize you. Start a favorite exercise routine. Eat nutritious meals. Sleep 8 hours a night. Be aware of your emotional state throughout the day. Acknowledge your emotions and ask yourself what you need. Be true to yourself. Tune into your inner knowing and listen.

6. Plan active and passive recovery, but more active recovery.

   Passive recovery is laying around on the couch. It serves a purpose. However, active recovery is better for improving performance. Some structure for your time off can help revitalize you more than laying around watching Netflix. Start with the end in mind: how do you want to feel at the end of your recovery? Then design the time that will help you reach your objective.

I’d love to know what rest and recovery rituals you use in your life.

Love,

Audrey