Make the Most of Your Offseason

If you’re an athlete, the offseason can feel a little conflicting. You have a lot more time and flexibility - but you still need to keep up with your workouts, nutrition and overall wellness to report back next season ready to go. It can feel freeing but also strange to lose that schedule and routine. So how do you navigate this offseason or summer time and make the most of it? 

Take the pressure off. 

Don’t put pressure on yourself to use the summer or offseason to make up for everything you didn’t get a chance to do in season. It’s ok to simply take a break. You don’t need to get an internship, learn a new skill or give all your time away to those friends and loved ones you missed during the season. Choose one or two things you want to use your time for and then give yourself space and time to relax! 

You may also feel pressure to start on self-improvement projects or new projects that you didn't have time for during the season. If you want to do this and feel you can prioritize yourself along with it, go for it! It’s a great way to make the most of your offseason. But again, don’t be down on yourself if you spend this time just relaxing. Take time to enjoy the things you love and skills you want to continue to grow on, but if you don’t spend this time maximizing your productivity, it’s ok! 

Create your own routine. 

When you’re in the middle of the season, your schedule is pretty tight. Workouts, practice, meetings, classes for student-athletes, and social time. Oh yeah, and getting a good night of sleep and eating right. So when you enter the offseason, be sure to create a schedule that works for you. 

Maybe you’ll workout a little bit later to enjoy sleeping in, or maybe you’ll put a couple of extra rest days into your break so you can enjoy some vacations. Having a schedule of when you’ll do what can help you stick with the big things you need to stay on top of, while giving you flexibility to enjoy the extra time you have.

Take time to look ahead. 

Do you know there will be times in the upcoming season or school year where you know you’ll have a ton going on? Is there anything you can do to get ahead or prepare for those time frames? Student athletes - can you get ahead on a few books you know you’ll need to read for a class coming up, for example? 

Or maybe you know you’ll be moving in the fall, so you can make time this summer to organize and donate things you don’t want to worry about packing up. It can be big or small, but take the extra time you have to work for Future You. 

Making the most of your summer/offseason is going to look different for you than it does for your teammates. It is OK if you decide to get ahead this summer and get a lot done, or if you decide to relax and refresh, or anywhere in between. This is your offseason - make the most of what YOU need and come back to the season refreshed and ready to go in whatever ways matter for you.

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