If you're anything like the team at Pinnacle Life, your television viewing shot up in the last couple of weeks while you gorged on sport and athleticism. While you cheered on TeamNZ, TV dinners made a comeback, exercise was from the couch and washing was ignored. Now it's over. Here are our top tips on what to do now you're not watching the telly.
1. Get ready to watch the Paralympics.
The Paralympic games start on 24 August and go through till 5 September. 29 athletes are representing NZ across swimming, cycling, canoeing, shooting, athletics, and wheelchair rugby.
You'll be able to watch the games free-to-air on TVNZ Duke from lunchtime to around 1 am every day. There will also be highlights on TVNZ and OnDemand. You've got two weeks to get familiar with the athletes. Most of us are already aware of our most medalled athlete, Sophie Pascoe, who has won 15 Paralympic medals (yes, nine more than Lisa Carrington). But there are heaps more athletes to get to know. Meet the team at Paralympics.org.nz.
2. Hold a family Olympics.
If you're not ready to let it all go just yet, hold a family Olympics. Head to the pool for swimming and diving events, your local track and field for sprints and the trampoline park for trampolining. If that's a bit serious for you, grab a broom and go equestrian or make up your games like this family (we particularly like the sound of blindfold toilet paper dodgeball and can curling). Involve remote relatives by filming your events and making them the judges.
If you think you might win a medal for holding the best games, we suspect it's a long shot. Check out this family who have been holding family Olympics since 2008. Impressive and inspiring!
3. Pick your favourite sport and give it a go
If you thought something looked really fun, why not give it a go? We can all do with a shakeup to our exercise routine now and then, and with spring around the corner, there's no better time. Liked the archery? Search for your local archery club. Enjoyed the swimming and diving? Head to your local pool. Think trampolining looks fun? Look for your local trampoline park.
You don't need to be a kid to give something a go for the first time. Nor do you need to be an expert. Most places will offer beginner classes. If you don't want to go on your own, enlist a friend! Gymnastics is the most popular Olympic sport to watch. While much of what the Olympian gymnasts can do might be beyond us, there's nothing to stop you from grabbing a hoop or ribbon and prancing around your living room in the privacy of your own home.
4. Catch up on your life admin
We're pretty confident everyone would rather watch TV than catch up on their life admin. But admin is one of those things that gets bigger the more you ignore it. Take some tips from our last blog, Howto make life easy – 7 hacks to start today and get on with it! We're not biased, but we suggest you start with important and easy tasks, like sorting out your life insurance with Pinnacle Life. Once you've done that, you can get onto the other stuff like sorting out your kids' after-school activities and setting up your online shopping.
5. Get outside.
After the time-warp of 2020, 2021 is rocketing along nicely. We might be in the midst of a cold blast this week, but September and spring are just around the corner. Lambs are frolicking around the paddocks, and daffodils are poking their heads up. Put on a beanie and head outside to breathe in some early spring air, for a cobweb blow-out head to a wild beach.
6. Book a trip to Tokyo
Inspired by the sights you've seen and want to check it out? OK, so who knows when we will actually be able to travel again, so perhaps instead of Tokyo, plan a trip around NZ. There are many similarities, incredible landscapes, friendly people, great food and only a few minor differences. Japan is slightly bigger (by 41%) and has 120.6 million more people. But if you can't get Tokyo out of your head, start planning your trip so that you're ready when you can travel.
7. Start planning for the 2024 Paris Olympics
With the 2020 Olympics delayed a year; the good news is we only have three years to wait until the next one, which will be in PARIS! What's not to love about that? The games will take place from 26 July to 11 August and are spread all over the city. Iconic landmarks are being into sporting arenas, from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe. A ticket service provider is still to be announced, so you'll need to keep an eye on the official Paris 2024 Olympics page, so you don't miss out. Sounds great, right?
