By Thomas Neumann 39 ju l y- au gu st 20 19 Three busy Masters swimmers share their secrets for balancing swimming with their work, family, and social obligations Y ou’re busy. We get it. Staying consistent with workouts while trying to balance work, family, and social obligations can be daunting even for the most motivated of swimmers. So we’ve assembled a panel of overachievers to offer advice and inspiration to help you fulfill your com- mitments and remain true to your swimming goals. Here are their stories. DESERT DYNAMO Like many of us, Jeff Commings is pulled in a lot of directions. Commings, 45, owns and operates Dolphins of the Desert Swimming Academy in Tucson, Ariz. A former full-time journal- ist, he still works in the media world as a host of USA Swim- ming’s “Deck Pass Live” online show, a gig that requires month- ly travel to cover major meets, and as a SWIMMER contributor. After work obligations have been met, he makes it a priority to spend as much time as possible with his husband, family, and friends. He’s also a hardcore movie buff, so it’s important to go to the theater at least once a week. A swimmer since age 4, Commings competed at St. Louis Uni- versity High School in Missouri and went on to swim for legend- ary University of Texas Coach Eddie Reese. He would win four consecutive Southwest Conference championships in the 100- yard breaststroke and a bronze medal in the 100-meter breast- stroke at the Pan American Games, in addition to competing at the 1992, 1996, and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. He currently holds 12 U.S. Masters Swimming records. Now, even though he’s already at the pool most days for work, he must carefully manage his schedule to make sure he has time for himself in the water. Being his own boss provides time flexi- bility, but his calendar of lessons and classes also can create an irregular schedule at times. “I can swim whenever it works for me, but the downside is that I swim alone a lot because my schedule varies,” Commings says. “Sometimes I may have to swim at an hour that I may not want to swim.” Solo swimming can be a challenge, of course. There’s no one to encourage you or hold you accountable to finish a tough set—or to even show up in the first place. To get over that hump when energy or motivation is flagging, Commings focuses on his goals and con- siders the physical and mental rewards of every workout. “I’m not perfect with this. There are times when I say, ‘Instead of 3,500, I’m just going to do 3,000.’ I don’t want to do those last 500 garbage yards,” Commings says. “But on those days when I manage to get through that wall, it’s really just telling yourself that there is a reason. You’re training for a swim meet. You’re training to reach a certain goal. You’re not just swimming back and forth—there’s a reason you’re in the water, and there is a reason for this set. If you just see yourself through it, you will feel so good that you did it.” To make his schedule as efficient as possible, Commings takes a mental inventory of his upcoming day before going to bed. He hammers out the details of which tasks and errands must get done and which ones can wait a day or two, assem- bling a plan of action almost down to the minute. He packs his swim bag and picks out clothes so he can get out the door in 10 minutes the next morning. Ultimately, Commings says being able to swim consistently amid a hectic schedule is a matter of setting priorities. You’re far more like- ly to be successful when it becomes a cornerstone of your schedule. “You can make swimming a have-to,” he says. “You just have to make sure it fits. You may have to pluck a couple things out [of your schedule] here or there. For me, swimming is a must-do, a have-to-do.”