Work-Life Balance Tips for Professional Cheerleaders
Let’s talk about time commitment in professional cheerleading. Before auditioning for an NFL or NBA team, aspiring cheerleaders need to carefully consider their free time as it can most likely be spent on meeting the demands of the team - rehearsals, appearances, game days, and more. The last thing that you want is disappointing your team director and teammates because you’re often unavailable.
I often tell aspiring pro cheerleaders to ask themselves, “Do I have time or can I make the time to commit to being on this team?” However, current pro cheerleaders can also find themselves struggling with work-life balance especially if they experience significant life changes - even if they started out just fine.
Whether you are a current pro cheerleader or still in the process of deciding to become one, here are 6 helpful ways to balance your pro cheer career and personal life.
1. Rethink your chores and errands.
If you want to stay on top of your pro cheer schedule, reconsider the time you spend cleaning your home, doing the laundry, and doing the grocery. What if you could outsource these tasks to someone else you can trust or a professional service? Trading services with a close friend or neighbor does the trick too.
2. Ask for what you need.
People around you like your family members or boss at work won’t always be aware of your concerns. If you need them to make a few adjustments or give you permission to leave a couple of minutes early once a week so that you can attend your fitness class or rehearsal, be sure to voice those needs.
3. Identify time sucks in your life.
As the term suggests, time sucks are unnecessary activities that steal your time. One common example is mindlessly using social media. You might assume that you only scroll through Facebook for a few minutes, but these minutes easily add up. The next thing you know, you’ve wasted an hour.
4. Give each activity the focus it deserves.
People who can get things done no matter how busy their schedule is, have one thing in common: They stay focused on a task. Having a lot of things in your mind will weigh you down. Whether you are sitting in class or practicing with your teammates, be in the present moment.
5. Unplug an hour before bedtime.
Quality sleep is extremely important for your health. Set a digital curfew for yourself since technology devices can make it hard for you to fall asleep. If you lack quality sleep, you won’t be able to stay alert the next day. To be able to give your 100% to everything, let your body rest.
6. Learn to say NO.
Politely decline requests so that you don’t end up with extra work and responsibilities. By doing that, you’ll be able to live your life the way you want to. Don’t be everybody’s darling unless you’re okay with compromising your schedule.
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