IJGA Newsletter: The Oaks MAY 2020 NEWSLETTER | Page 8

How to Stay Focused and Productive
During Times of Change
Humans are creatures of habit and routine.
Oftentimes, these habits are a helpful
evolutionary feature of living in the modern
world. They enable us to autopilot through
easy decisions and save our mental energy
for more important things.
For example, when we brush our teeth,
we don’t stop to think about the separate
actions of grabbing a toothbrush, applying
the toothpaste, leaning over the sink,
brushing teeth, rinsing, etc. All these steps
are grouped into a single unit of memory and
they are triggered by the act of walking into
the bathroom.
Even when it comes to actions that require
more forethought — say, deciding to hit the
gym — routines can help us fend off the
stress and anxiety of having to make one
decision after another, after another. That is
why schedules and processes are such a big
part of IJGA. We do much of the strategic
thinking and planning for our student-golfers,
based on more than 25 years of experience
as a premiere golf academy.
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In the next few weeks, however, many of
our graduates are facing drastic changes to
their personal habits and routines, one of
the most significant of which is the departure
from our safe and secure academy to a world
of uncertainties – especially now with the
COVID-19 situation.
Nick McMillen, Mental Performance Coach,
offers three expert-backed strategies for
keeping sharp while drastic changes abound.
“They have put in
the hard work and
are well-prepared
for whatever comes
their way. It’s their
time to shine!”