How to manage performance anxiety

You're just about to share your screen for a Zoom presentation, and your mouth feels like the Sahara.

You realize that you're near the front of the race, and your legs become jelly.

You're mind goes completely blank as soon as the your microphone is turned on.

You can't sleep, you can't eat, and you can't think of anything other than an upcoming test.

Nearly everyone has experienced performance anxiety at some point. Your heart races, your mouth is dry, and your brain stops working. All you can think about is failure. Maybe you can't even think at all. And you wonder if you'll ever be able to get over it.

What is performance anxiety?

Performance Anxiety is your brain's fight-or-flight response. The part of your brain that controls fear - the amygdala - doesn't know the difference between your internet freezing during a Zoom meeting and a bear attack. To your amygdala, these are equally dangerous and you have to get away. You may imagine yourself running away from the crowd or the test. Maybe you see yourself failing. Some people shut down almost completely. Maybe you even think to yourself, "I can't do this."

You can't argue with performance anxiety. Anxiety doesn't understand logic. You can't rationalize with it. But, you can manage it. Here are some quick and easy tips that you can use to cope with performance anxiety:

Managing Performance Anxiety

Stop and breathe

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly tells the brain to calm down. It triggers your parasympathetic nervous response - the response that tells you to rest and relax. Take just one long breath and let it out as slowly as you can. You'll notice an immediate calming effect.

Visualize success

If you catch yourself thinking that you're going to fail, immediately imagine success. Picture yourself crossing the finish line effortlessly. Imagine thunderous applause at the end of your speech. See yourself succeeding. Include as many details as you can. Doing this primes your amygdala to stop seeing the situation as a threat and decreases anxiety.

Focus on the moment

Anxiety stems from thinking about things that we cannot control, predict, or see. If you are anxious, focus on this exact moment. Focus on what is in front of you. If you are presenting, focus on the specific word you are saying in this moment. If you are taking a test, focus on each word in the question. When you focus on the specific moment, your anxiety will naturally decrease because you are no longer focusing on the threat. You are focusing on this moment, and then the next moment. You aren't worrying about something that is several minutes, hours, or days away.

Practicing will help you cope

Reading about these techniques and waiting until you have performance anxiety to try them won't work as well. The key is to start practicing now. Practice focusing on the moment. Practice visualizing success. Practice stopping and taking a breath when you're feeling mildly anxious. Find out what works for you and start doing it. That way, when the pressure is on, you'll know exactly what to do.

Reach out to a therapist

If these tools don't work for you, or if you are still struggling with performance anxiety, reaching out to a trained, compassionate therapist who understands the pressures that overachievers face can help. A therapist who specializes in anxiety treatment can help you explore the roots of your anxiety, understand more about the neuroscience of anxiety and provide you with tools to manage anxiety that are tailored specifically to you.

If you have more questions about performance anxiety or about anxiety treatment in general, feel free to click on the contact button below. You can ask a question, or schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss if performance counseling is right for you.