Tips to Manage Anxiety Before a Performance

ElevatEd
Public-Speaking
July 25, 2024

How does it feel when you encounter an anxiety attack right before your performance or presentation? At that moment, most probably, we wish we knew some tips to calm down the anxiety.

Performance anxiety is common to many who put themselves in line for any special event, be it a presentation, speech, or even musical performance. It can result in stress and a diminishment of confidence boost. However, with the right strategies, anxiety can be controlled.

Performance Anxiety Tips

Managing performance anxiety is not always a piece of cake, we need some strategies set in place. The following are some tips to help you deal with performance anxiety and perform well.

Be prepared:

Probably the best way to subdue anxiety is through good preparation. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be.
Repeating your performance over and over to practice it, you'll become familiar with your material and so reduce the fear of the unknown.

Practice Relaxation Techniques:

The following listed techniques will help in soothing your mind and body just before the big moment.

Deep breathing exercises.
Progressive muscular relaxation.
Mindfulness meditation is an effective technique to quell anxiety.

Practice these regularly before your performance and use these to help re-center yourself before stepping out onto the stage.

Visualize Success:

One of the strongest tools against anxiety is visualization.
This enables one to practice mentally through this experience and reaffirm self-belief.

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Focus Elsewhere:

Instead of focusing on the self as nervous, focus on the audience or the message to be delivered. Think about how this will help them or maybe even entertain them.
Taking the focus off the Self allows one the ability to lessen the idea of self-consciousness and performance anxiety.
Remember that most audiences are far more interested in the message being delivered rather than the perfection of your performance.

Develop a Pre-Performance Routine:

A pre-performance routine can help in feeling normal and in control.
Your pre-performance routine can be just as basic as listening to music that you find non-stimulating, light exercise of some form, or even overviews of your notes.
Having a routine can help Nil away some anxiety thereby removing the perfection factor.

Accept Imperfection:

Perfectionism raises performance anxiety. Know that it is okay to make minor mistakes and that these do not define the rest of your performance.
Embracing the idea that imperfections are part and parcel of performance.

Seek Support:

Sometimes, it just helps to speak with someone who understands.
Sharing your anxiety with a close friend, coach, or even a professional therapist can be most beneficial for gaining new perspectives and strategies to cope with the anxiety.

By applying these strategies, you'll be better placed to take control of your performance anxiety and realize your potential for an excellent performance experience.

Remember, it's not about eradicating anxiety but reducing it to an optimal degree and turning that nervous energy into a force that works positively. Students can now easily master this by enrolling in public speaking classes offered by 98thPercentile.

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q.1. What are the common symptoms of performance anxiety?

Ans: Performance anxiety's common symptoms include a racing of one's heartbeat, sweating, dry mouth, shaking, nausea, generally bad feelings, and dread.

Q.2. How do I take a deep breath properly?

Ans: Breathe in very slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise, and then exhale very slowly through your mouth.

Q.3. How long should I practice the relaxation techniques before the performance?

Ans: It's good to get some relaxation methods, really, and build that into your routine weeks before you perform.

Q.4. Can visualization help with performance anxiety?

Ans: Yes, visualization can be a very powerful performance anxiety management technique.

Q.5. What if I mess up when I go on to perform?

Ans: If you make a mistake, just try to keep your cool and keep going. Often, an audience is forgiving or won't even notice fumbles and errors. Just feel confident and finish with strength.

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