Elite performance for all, and investing in your health
Train, eat, sleep and recover like an athlete. Whatever your profession.
Elite performance; it’s no longer reserved for the elite. In the new era of wellness empowerment, employees are educated and intentional with the choices they make and the resources they want access too. So we owe it to ourselves, our teams and our recruitment and retention strategies to level up our knowledge. And who better to learn from than an Olympian.
Meet Hana Basic, Australian sprinter, representative in the 100m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Secondary Education Teacher. As a collaborator for The Equilibrium Program and advocate for investing in your health, she shares her tips for high performance through accessible wellbeing practices that aren’t only for athletes.
Take a holistic approach to wellbeing
“If I have set a broader goal such as qualifying for the Olympics, I need to ask myself each day: how will the decisions I make and actions I take today get me there?”
Hana’s holistic approach towards her goals means caring for her physical, emotional, mental and social wellness. Though she trains for elite athleticism, her considered approach to each of these aspects in her daily schedule is a method that would and could empower every person.
Though intentional with her choices, Hana always keeps an element of flexibility in order to stay in tune with her needs, and maintain levels of high performance in her work.
“As a sprinter I push my body to the maximum multiple times a week; so I need to be adaptable to factor in variations to my training schedule depending on recovery, energy, illness and any external factors. For me, it might be as minor as missing the last repetition in a session, or it could be making the judgement call to miss a competition entirely. More often than not, these modifications (not sacrifices) do far more good than harm.”
Hana is always focused on her long-term goals, but adapts her approach when needed to prioritise her performance and wellbeing day to day. She also makes use of both physical and mental resources she knows help her feel her best. Her non-negotiables include:
“Physiotherapy - an appointment every week. Investing in your health is so important.
A massage, flush or needling every week. As above. Recovery is key!
Hot and cold therapy, like those on offer at EQ Melbourne. Particularly on bigger training weeks and as the competition season approaches for maximum recovery.
Stretching and mobilisation before bed every night. You only need to do 10-15 mins consistently to make a big difference. I usually do this with my partner, which makes it an enjoyable wind-down before bed.
A phone call with family every day. It’s a great way to disconnect from life as an athlete or professional world and focus on other aspects of your life, and theirs.
Write in my training diary. A few dot points after each session that cover how I feel mentally, physically and emotionally. This allows me to pick up on any patterns.
Psychology sessions. I strongly believe everyone should engage with a mental wellbeing professional to some degree. It’s a great way to converse, discuss, and learn more about yourself as a person.”
Trust your intuition, and build strong foundations
With so many ways of tracking and monitoring data now available, it can be easy to get caught up in the numbers. But Hana believes there is nothing more powerful than learning to listen to and understand your own physical and emotional state. All it takes is a moment of reflection to properly think about and understand small (or big) signals your body and brain might be sending you.
“When it comes to wellbeing, the most valuable tool I’ve gained from using performance trackers is confirming that I have the ability to identify certain things WITHOUT needing to rely on the wearable. It has taught me to trust my intuneness with my body and mind.”
And the power to become in tune with your own body starts with creating strong foundations. Hana is meticulous in forming consistent habits and routines around sleep, nutrition, hydration and movement- and it’s these building blocks that we all have power to work on, regardless of our athletic prowess.
“Going back to basics is crucial for overall performance, energy, stress management, mindset and clarity. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel with the latest technology or trends, or even spend exorbitant amounts of money to properly support your wellbeing.
Consume nutrient dense foods to fuel your body and mind. Keep a 1L bottle of water in the car or at your desk. Prioritise phone-free sleep (buying an alarm clock is a game changer!). Read a book for 15 minutes to wind down. Move your body the way you enjoy every day and plan social movement in your calendar (as simple as coffee walks with friends). Keep a journal. Use your time in the car or on the train to listen to high-quality educational content- a podcast, book or a guided breathwork or meditation.”
A day in Hana’s life:
“Wake up, hydrate with water.
Consume a nutrient-dense breakfast. Yoghurt, fruit, eggs, bread and avocado. With a coffee, of course.
Go for a walk outdoors. The time and distance depends on my training load and how much time I have. Realistically, I manage around 7k steps per day.
Work.
A pre-prepared nutrient-dense lunch with sources of protein and carbs to fuel my mind and body for working and training. Usually accompanied with fresh fruits, yoghurts and a protein shake or juice. This is more often than not my most substantial meal of the day.
Work.
Training either at the track, gym or pool. Sometimes a combination of them all.
A massage, needling or deep-tissue work treatment.
A big nutrient-dense dinner to satisfy me before winding down for the day with a movie or tv show, snack, stretching, reading and conversations with my partner, family and friends.
In bed by 9:30/10pm.”
Make downtime a priority
Whether you’re working towards a physical goal, or simply trying to show up as the best version of yourself each day. We, our employees and athletes alike all need a healthy amount of downtime and recovery. Therapies like hot and cold exposure, meditation and breathwork- which has been shown to impact the parasympathetic nervous system and have benefits like lower stress levels, better sleep and greater focus.
Hana credits leisure and time away from her daily routine as enabling her to show up as a better person, on and off the running track.
“If I’m too rigid, I can find myself stuck in cycles where I focus solely on training and competitions, ultimately resulting in decreased fulfilment and burnout. Time spent away from the track, doing things that I love either by myself and with people I love recharges my batteries. When I do, I arrive emotionally and physically to the track with more energy and eagerness.”
Apply your learnings, again and again
With Hana’s insights, it’s clear that the foundations of elite performance come from the basics. From having the tools and knowledge to holistically improve your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing- and doing those things consistently.
Upskill your employees to improve their sleep, nutrition and movement and allow time for them to access wellness and recovery facilities. They’ll soon feel the benefits in and out of their professional life; whatever goals they’re running towards.
At Equilibrium, we are a preventative wellbeing solution to help your business do just that. Through our EQ Digital online education, and in-person practical sessions at EQ Melbourne (our soon to be launched wellbeing space), your employees will be equipped with tools and resources to help them reach their full potential.
Connect with us to find out more.
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