New Zealand\u2019s three-time World Championship canoe sprint medallist Aimee Fisher offers her five-point guide to keeping a positive and upbeat attitude during lockdown.<\/p>\n
1 – Set Goals<\/b><\/p>\n
As an Olympian and New Zealand international paddler, goal-setting is a way of life for Aimee Fisher. However, she believes the philosophy should not be the exclusive reserve of elite athletes and can be a useful approach for all of those experiencing lockdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to set daily goals,\u201d explains Aimee. \u201cIt is not easy in lockdown but to achieve a goal each day, can make you feel like you have accomplished something. This could be anything from attempting to cooking a new dish to walking 10,000 steps a day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aimee, who lives in a self-contained unit on the property of family with two kids in Takapuna, has opted to take one-month of rest from the demands of training but has wisely used the time to work on re-hab exercises.<\/p>\n
Working on up to 20 exercises to achieve greater symmetry across her body and to improve her shoulder mobility \u2013 the goal has proved productive for the 25-year-old paddler.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been eye-opening to see the improvements I\u2019ve made by<\/p>\n
dedicating time and effort into more pre-hab exercises,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt has given me a sense of purpose and achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n
2 \u2013 Be Creative<\/b><\/p>\n
Every day during lockdown Aimee has devoted some time to unlocking her creative side by either working on a new recipe in the kitchen or spending time pursuing her new passion for crocheting.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of us have finally had the time to stop and take stock during lockdown and it has been refreshing to have learned more about myself through creative tasks.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy nana, Joy, who passed away after the Rio Olympics, used to do crocheting,\u201d explains Aimee. \u201cAnd, for me, doing the crocheting has been a nice project while watching YouTube videos on anything from cooking to philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring my time in lockdown I\u2019ve made a crochet blanket. For me, this is a nice way to reflect on my memories of nana.\u201d<\/p>\n
3 \u2013 Set a daily routine<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
Aimee insists that having some sort of daily routine during lockdown is a vital way of giving more meaning and structure to each day.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoutine plays a big part in managing lockdown,\u201d she explains. \u201cFrom day one I\u2019ve put in place a routine and tried to be disciplined about it. This has given me a clear sense of purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides devoting time to her re-hab exercises and her creative pursuits, continuing to study a Bachelor of Arts in Educational Psychology has played a core part of her every day in lockdown for Aimee.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find study quite challenging, but I try to work through it,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve had the time to work through complex papers and I\u2019ve made sure I\u2019ve stuck to the plan. I\u2019m kind to myself and give myself the odd day off, but I always made sure I don\u2019t skip two days in a row!\u201d<\/p>\n
4 \u2013 Exercise every day<\/b><\/p>\n
Even after opting to take a month off training during lockdown, Aimee has maintained a daily exercise routine of walking or working on re-hab exercises.<\/p>\n
And the Hawkes-Bay raised paddler believes the same fundamental rule should apply to all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exercise doesn\u2019t need to be an intense gym or body workout but to move in some form every day is really important, even if it is something as simple as for a walk,\u201d explains Aimee. \u201cChasing endorphins during these times of uncertainly are really important. The endorphins will make you feel better and improve your overall sense of well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n
5 \u2013 Enjoy your downtime<\/b><\/p>\n
While personally making a conscious decision from day one of lockdown not to rely on Netflix for her kicks, Aimee insists making the most of your downtime is important.<\/p>\n
She has spent time working on \u201cdaily handstand challenges\u201d with the two children in her bubble and has also enjoyed listening to podcasts by the Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson during her daily walks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a really interesting guy and I enjoy a lot of his key messages around the meaning of life,\u201d she adds. \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot by both listening to him and reading his work.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New Zealand\u2019s three-time World Championship canoe sprint medallist Aimee Fisher offers her five-point guide to keeping a positive and upbeat attitude during lockdown.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n