When Progeny director and private client lawyer Frances Davies set out to row the Atlantic in 2016, she probably didn’t expect the experience to come in useful during a lockdown brought about by a global pandemic four years later.
Watch her story to find out what crossing one of the world’s biggest oceans can teach us about stamina, solitude and digging deep.
As the prospect of a further spell in lockdown stretches out ahead of us, many of us will be seeking inspiration to see us through. Here, Davies provides her top tips for surviving the solitude:
Maintaining discipline and having a daily routine are everything. Fill up your schedule for the days and weeks ahead and tick off appointments as you go.
Break your challenges down into bite-size pieces. We didn’t set off with one goal of rowing 3000 miles; we broke it down into 50-mile chunks.
Celebrate every success—however small. Taking the time to reflect on your victories is vital in keeping your motivation and stamina up when you’re out of the traditional work environment.
It’s okay to have negative feelings. Vocalising them constructively can help you and strengthen your bonds with those around you. It’s unlikely everyone in a team, or a household will be feeling low at the same time. Asking for and providing support is the essence of good teamwork.
There’s a solution to every problem, but it might not be obvious. When we were in the middle of the Atlantic, we had to find a solution. Keep trying and you will find a workaround—you’ll be surprised by your ingenuity.
Create a psychological advantage. Emerging out onto the deck of the ship after being confined to a tiny cabin in a storm felt like a huge release. Denying yourself for a while (like restricting yourself to one room of the house during lockdown) can lead to a big psychological boost when you lift the restrictions (the house will feel huge!).
And finally, try and find the funny side—humour will always help.
