by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
I get it—fall season is in full swing, and you’re grinding from dawn till dusk. But here’s a truth I had to learn the hard way: when you neglect your recovery, everything suffers. I used to be stuck in the hustle mindset, believing more hours meant more success. The reality? My performance dipped, my energy tanked, and I wasn’t the coach my players needed.
Think about how you train your athletes—we push them hard in practice, but we also make sure they get the recovery they need so they can perform on game day. The same approach applies to us as coaches. If we don’t push hard when we’re working and then allow ourselves time to recover, we’ll never perform at our best.
It’s like Abraham Lincoln’s famous analogy: “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Your body and mind are the axe. When you take time to recover, you’re sharpening your tools to perform at your highest level.
Here are 6 simple recovery tips you can use starting today:
- Prioritize Sleep – Aim for at least 7 hours a night. Quality sleep is your best recovery tool. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier tonight.
- Take Short Breaks – Step away from the grind for 5-10 minutes every couple of hours. A quick walk or deep breathing will reset your focus.
- Unplug Regularly – Set a boundary to stop checking your phone at night. Give yourself at least an hour of tech-free time before bed.
- Hydration and Nutrition – Keep yourself fueled with water and healthy snacks throughout the day. This helps your body recover from stress.
- Stretching and Mobility – Spend 5-10 minutes stretching each day. It’ll release physical tension and keep you feeling limber.
- Mindfulness – Take a few minutes each morning to meditate or practice deep breathing. This simple habit can significantly reduce stress and improve your mental clarity.
Coach, you know these strategies because you probably stress this with your athletes.
How intentional are you actually being in your own recovery practices?
Don’t be the do as I say, not as I do coach.
Remember, the best coaches aren’t the ones who work the longest—they’re the ones who recover the best.
Mandy Green works with college coaches all around the country helping them be more productive in their lives as college coaches. If you want to set up a strategy call with Mandy, email her at mandy@busy.coach.