No more practices.

No more soreness.

And worse yet, no more games.

That’s because it’s over: Another football season has come to an end.

You’d think you would be used to it by now. You deal with this every single year.

But no.

It’s still hard.

And in some cases, it’s downright painful.

You miss football – terribly – and it hurts.

And then there’s the boredom.

Here are four activities to preoccupy yourself with when the offseason is shiny and new.

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1. Watch film from seasons past

While some might believe that this would throw a player into a deeper funk, there is so much to gain by learning from what you – and your opponents – have already done.

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper summed it up best: “The more you watch film, the more prepared you’ll be. For instance, on third-and-short, you can know from the film what type of blitzes a team runs and that you need to break hot if you’re a receiver. Small things like that.”

And we all know small things can make a big difference.

2. Visualize, visualize, visualize

Begin to develop a clear mental picture of next season in your mind’s eye. The late New York Times best-selling author John Kehoe once maintained that, “What you focus on you create,” and that, “Visualization is simply a mental rehearsal.” In his book, “Mind Power,” Kehoe explains the well-documented experiment conducted by psychologist Alan Richardson:

Richardson divided young athletes into three groups and tested them for ability to make free throws in basketball. Each group’s results were recorded. The first group was then directed to come to the gym every day for a month to practice shooting, the second group was instructed to engage in no practice at all, and the third group was instructed to engage in a very different sort of practice. They didn’t step foot in a gym, but instead stayed in their dorms and mentally imagined themselves practicing. For a half-hour each day, they “saw” themselves shooting and scoring and improving dramatically. They continued this inner “practice” every day. After a month, the three groups were tested again.

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The first group (those who practiced shooting every day) showed a 24 percent improvement in their scores. The second group (those who did not practice) showed no improvement. And the third group (who had practiced only in their minds) matched improvement for the group that had practiced for real.

The takeaway? Visualize the results you wish to produce.

3. Don’t stop working

Sure, it’s the dead of winter. There are cobwebs rolling through the locker room. You could build a snowman on the football field, and you could hear a pin drop on the weight room floor. But while all is quiet and calm, your opponent may not be. Instead, they could already be well into their offseason plans. Championships are made when the stands are empty. Enough said.

4. Do something that has absolutely nothing to do with football

I know. I know. This totally contradicts the item above. But hard work and dedication aside, everyone needs a break – even if only a tiny one. Reconnect with family members. Take some time to buckle down harder on school work. Peruse Netflix. Do something relaxing that allows your brain to switch gears for a beat.

And here’s a bonus: Just sit tight.

Next season is coming around the bend and will be here faster than you think.

Courtney Conover is a mom of two and the wife of former NFL offensive lineman Scott Conover. She has more Legos and NFL memorabilia lying around her home than she knows what to do with. She is also a certified yoga instructor and a contributing writer to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. She blogs at The Brown Girl with Long Hair (http://www.thebrowngirlwithlonghair.com) and over-shares on Facebook. Follow her here. (https://www.facebook.com/thebrowngirlwithlonghair)

This is an updated version of a blog that originally posted Jan. 13, 2015.