4 Ways to Overcome Performance Anxiety
(c) VictoryLab Inc. 2018
There are many events in our lives that create stress or anxiety; like the first day at a new school, an important presentation at work, or trying out for a sports team. Sometimes, the anxiety surrounding these big events can cause you to underperform, or even avoid the situation completely. This can be known as situational anxiety. Situational anxiety is when individuals become extremely uncomfortable by new situations or changing events. With school right around the corner and new, challenging opportunities being presented to us every day, it’s important to learn how to control the anxiety that surrounds these milestones. Using tools to manage situational anxiety can help you feel better when the big day arrives.
Here are 4 ways to help ease anxiety before an important event:
1. Identify How You Stress
Everyone handles stress differently. Some people experience excessive sweating, or shaking, or an upset stomach. Identifying how your body reacts to stress can help you prepare for it. Being nervous is a good thing. It means you’re challenging yourself and you are recognizing the importance of your big event; but, feeling prepared can help ease some of the anxiety you’re bound to feel when the day comes.
2. Learn Some New Breathing Techniques
Before your big event, take some time to practice deep breathing. Research has proven that taking deep breaths is extremely beneficial in calming you down whether you’re nervous, angry, or overwhelmed. By having some breathing techniques prepared, like breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, or using the “smell the flower, blow out the candle” technique, you’ll be able to use them when you’re faced with a stressful situation.
3. Visualize, Visualize, Visualize
Visualization is a powerful, proven technique for making importance changes in your life. In fact, research shows that visualization works because neurons in our brains interpret imagery as equivalent to real-life action. Taking a moment to sit down, close your eyes, and visualize how you want your event to unfold will actually increase the odds of it happening as you want it to. Plus, it can also help you plan out the steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal, which can help you feel more prepared and reduce anxiety surrounding the unknown.
4. Share with Someone
Talking to someone about what’s stressing you out is one of the best ways to calm yourself down. Let your coach, or boss, or parents, or friends know how you’re feeling and immediately, some weight will be lifted off your shoulders. If you don’t have someone you can trust to talk to, an option is to speak with a therapist about the anxiety you’re experiencing.
Everyone feels fear or anxiety at some point in their lives, as it’s impossible to avoid it completely. It’s important to be confident and to remind yourself that anything is possible. Think positive thoughts, and it’ll help you achieve that positive outcome you’re looking for. Whether you’re going back to school, or playing in an important sports game, or preparing for a major job interview, you’re bound to feel nervous beforehand. But, with these tips, you’ll feel more prepared and ready to tackle whatever big event you have coming. Good luck!
Interested to learn how VictoryLab can help you, your employees, or your team deal with stress and anxiety? Check out our services here.
(c) VictoryLab Inc. 2018
