I bring this up primarily as we are approaching championship season, but in reality, turning everything off should be a daily practice - not an occasional happening. Turn what off? Everything. Find a quiet space, somewhere you can lay down. (But not in bed, because most of the time you will fall asleep!) Close your eyes and meditate. Before you focus on any single thing to visualize, focus first on yourself. Start at your toes and work on letting yourself sink into the ground. Move up your body slowly, inch by inch, and finish with your eyes. Relax them. We spend so much time looking at our phones, tablets, laptops, and television screens (you are looking at one right now). No, if you are still awake, look ahead. Swimmers who are anticipating their championship meets I want you to visualize. Pick a race and visualize through your swim from the starter telling you to take your mark to you touching the wall. Imagine everything going to plan, an explosive start, a resistance free breakout, easy speed and impeccable turns. Do this several times a week, daily would be fantastic, but plan out in advance and try to make sure you visualize through each race at least once pre-competition. To my everyday pool warriors just working on your fitness, you can still visualize swimming even if you aren’t competing. Pick a stroke and a distance and visualize yourself doing it, visualize your goals. Perhaps you struggle with flip turns, imagine yourself executing once flawlessly. Or a spectacularly smooth entry off the starting blocks. If you fall asleep during your visualization that’s ok! More than once I would find myself completely passed out on the floor surrounded by 30 of my teammates. Take the hint and get more sleep, go to bed half an hour earlier, take a nap, and treat yourself. That rest becomes more and more crucial as your body gears up for the culmination of your season’s work. Let your mind rest and find yourself.