Introduction:
I'm sure you've heard about this thing called mindfulness. It is becoming trendy worldwide and mindfulness-based interventions are making their way into sport. Mindfulness can be described simply as focusing on what is happening in the present moment, with intention, and without judgement. It also emphasises that you should be aware of your internal and external thoughts, feelings and sensations without judgement.
I want you to try something quickly. Sit comfortably, your back straight and close your eyes. Now just spend one minute focusing on your breath. You might focus on how your belly expands and contracts. You might focus on the feeling of air going through your nose. Whenever a thought crops up, just notice it. Don't judge if a thought is good, bad, annoying or however else you might judge one. Just notice it and then bring your attention back to the breath.
What did you notice after doing that for one minute?
If you are like the rest of us, you probably realise your attention is wandering from your breath constantly. You became distracted and didn't focus on your breath. This happens all the time to athletes and when the pressure is turned up a few notches, the more the mind begins to wander.
Mindfulness is about becoming aware of what is going on inside and outside of you. It is about not being lost or dragged around by the thoughts our brain throws at us. In sports, it is about putting our attention and focus where it is needed the most, on the task at hand.
What does it do for athletes?
An athlete's mind can be full of worry, self-doubt, negative thoughts or expectations. We have a constant narrative or commentary running in our heads when we perform. These things can yank our attention away from doing what is needed. For example, a footballer might miss a perfect chance for an assist. A boxer might not notice a perfect opportunity to counter or that the opponent is about to release an uppercut on them. Our focus needs to be on the task at hand. The task at hand will vary depending on the sport you play, but you will know what you need to do in a competition or match. Mindfulness can help us refocus on the task at hand, restoring control of our attention.
While also helpful for performance, mindfulness can support our well-being. It helps us to understand our brains, become more accepting of how our brain works and engage with what matters most to us. We also start to realise that the thoughts, images, beliefs and expectations (cognitions) that come up in our brains are not the truth, they are just what they are. Nothing more, nothing less.
How can you practice mindfulness?
Just like any other skill, mindfulness requires practice. We can train and practice our ability to bring our attention back to the present moment. It is often referred to as lifting weights with the mind. Mental resistance training.
We can set a time during the day to train for this. Like you would for your technical and physical training. Meditation is the main form of this training, in which you focus on the breath. Just like the exercise you did at the start, focus on the breath and the feelings associated with breathing. If anything pops up, notice it without judgment. If you get lost in thought or have become distracted, bring your attention back to the breath. This is the most important part, the act of bringing your attention back to the breath. Don't worry about being terrible at it. There is no good or bad in mindfulness. You are simply training the ability to bring yourself back to the present moment. Start by doing this for 5 minutes a day, every day. Once you get comfortable with it and it becomes a regular practice, up the time. Start small and build it up from there.
We can also try and become mindful when performing everyday tasks, for example when driving to work or cooking dinner. Try focusing on cooking alone. Any time your mind wanders to something else or becomes distracted by internal events, bring your attention back to the task of cooking. You can practice mindfulness for anything in life.
Conclusion
Losing focus, becoming distracted and not paying attention to what needs doing happens to all athletes. Learning and practising how to be fully present in the moment and maintaining their focus and attention on the task at hand can be extremely beneficial for performance if practised and trained.
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, or comments, or would like to explore how sports psychology can enhance your performance, feel free to reach out to me at drodgerssportpsych@gmail.com or give me a call at 07475 925 292. You can also check out my website by clicking this link https://www.thesportingbrain.com/. I'm here to help you unlock your full potential.
