Most people think about sports as a purely physical activity, but the truth is that to perform at higher levels you have to have a strong mental game as well. Most athletes will seek ways to improve their focus, energy and decision making so they can make the right micro-judgments in split seconds during their big games or events. If you want to know some of the tips that top athletes use to improve their mental focus during their performances.
#1) Create Routines
One of the easiest ways to improve focus is to block out anything that can distract you from your game. This is vital for both your pre-game preparation and the game itself. This is where having an established game-day routine can help. It imposes strict structures to your sleep, eating, and stretching schedules as you prepare for your game. Some professional athletes go to seemingly insane levels of routines, but they do it because it reduces sources of anxiety by giving you a comfortable routine, enhances your confidence, and eliminates distractions that can come from new and unfamiliar things.
#2) CBD Supplement
There are plenty of supplements that can help you improve your mental focus. Caffeine is one of the best known, but is not necessarily the best to use for athletes. You can also use omega-3 fatty acids, which also improves learning and memory. It may even be worth taking some time to check out the best nootropic supplements, as these can help brain function in all sorts of ways. However, the best supplement to use for an athlete may be CBD. It has been shown to improve blood flow in your brain, specifically areas of your brain that regulate decision making and focus. If you want more info, try looking into the benefits of CBD energy drinks for improved focus.
#3) Meditation
Mindfulness meditation has taken the world by storm over the past two to three decades. It has been shown to have tons of benefits to your mental health and brain’s cognitive function. It has also been shown to improve your ability to focus and ignore distractions. An increasing number of athletes have used some form of meditation to improve their ability to focus, including Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Russell Wilson.
#4) Visualization
Visualization is another high-level mental focus tool that professional athletes use. It involves focusing on possible situations and scenarios they may face in a game, and mentally mapping what they should do. You will often see shots of athletes sitting or standing in an arena, staring into space or with their eyes closed. This is visualization, a combination of a pre-game routine as well as a type of specific meditation that can help them focus going into a game, and help them react better when those situations happen.
These four tips are by no means the only ways that athletes can improve their mental focus, but they are some of the best known. They are easy to start and can have great results if you commit to them and execute them properly. You can always consult with a sports psychologist to get proper training on how to set routines, meditate, visualize, and more.
