Balancing training, school and lifestyle

I have mad respect for gymnasts, because I was one. I know how much time, effort and energy goes into a session - let alone an entire week of training.

Let's remember that majority of gymnasts are still in school. So that's 40 hours of school + 25 hours of training a week. That's 65 hours every single week. Mind-blowing right?

So how do I balance my training and school? Plus any other commitments?

• Get organised and remain organised

- Figure out a regime that works for you

- Meal preps: Pack your lunchbox & training snacks the night before!! Trust me you'll thank me in the morning :)

- Pre-pack training gear: Don't wait until the morning of to organise your training gear - 9 times out of 10 you will forget something!

- Assign set time for homework: Plan the bulk of your study time on the days you don't have training... on the nights you do, set yourself a small goal of an hour or two. STICK TO THIS.

• Plan your week ahead of time

I do this in my day-to-day life and have found it life changing. On Sunday night I complete my calendar diary with work, training and other commitments with their exact timings so I can track it all easily.

Make this work for yourself. Block out school and training time - label these clearly. Schedule in homework, study & leisure time; any appointments too.

Make sure your week is balanced.

• Take advantage of your weekends

Weekends are a time to relax and prepare for the week ahead... but they can be very useful. Most gymnasts train on Saturdays - so make Saturday your day to complete any unfinished homework or study, so you can have Sunday to yourself - stress-free.

How do I achieve all this?

Time. Commitment. Passion. Drive & Self Motivation.

Wouldn't it be easier to just give up the sport?

No way. Absolutely not. Balancing sport, school & other commitments at the appropriate level at the right age, is incredibly beneficial for future growth and development. Gymnasts/children become more disciplined, have an increased ability to multi-task and have better time management skills. Now yes I am making a few assumptions here, but this is how I feel my life-gym balance helped me grow into the woman I am today.

Life really is like a balance beam. Get the balance right and it's go for gold.