Does the news of an upcoming business meeting make you cringe? Are you emotionally crippled by the idea of having to speak in front of your coworkers? Nervous about an upcoming pitch? It’s completely normal to be a bit uneasy about company meetings. For some people, those fears and anxiety slowly subside as they get in front of a crowd. Others are so fearful of how they’ll be perceived or what their coworkers are thinking, they psyche themselves out and the end results aren’t good.
If the latter description sounds like you, it’s quite possible that you suffer from social anxiety. It essentially means you have an extreme fear of being watched, judged, or embarrassed. Crippled by these inner fears, it can hinder daily functions – like speaking at a meeting. Someone suffering from social anxiety when triggered might experience symptoms like rapid heart rate, excessive sweating, and muscle tension. These symptoms can often trigger behaviors that include avoiding social environments and isolation.
Often in business, you’re required to attend meetings, give presentations, and spark up a conversation. If you want to succeed, essentially you will have to learn how to ease your fears. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce your anxieties and nail your next meeting.
Being unprepared is only going to heighten your fears. To nail your next business meeting you should prepare well in advance. Conduct research on what you’ll talk about and the most effective ways to present the information. The more knowledgeable you are on the subject matter, the more confident you can be in presenting the information to your peers.
One of the biggest fears someone with social anxiety has is being judged or humiliated. You can ease these worries by building confidence in yourself. If you have a big presentation coming up, start practicing so you can perfect your speech. Obviously, nothing is perfect, but planning what your talking points will be, the flow of the presentation, and how you’ll answer potential questions can make you more confident. You can practice with someone you feel comfortable with so they can provide you with constructive criticism on how to make it better.
Believe it or not, what you eat the morning before a meeting can have a huge impact on your anxiety. If you’re consuming junk food or filling up on caffeine this will only make you jittery. Make sure you eat a well-balanced breakfast the morning of. If you’d like, you might also try edibles with cbd. CBD is a cannabinoid found in the hemp plant with properties designed to ease anxiety. It works with the body’s natural chemistry to produce more serotonin which helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Does cbd show up on drug tests? Fortunately, the answer is no. Most drug tests only screen for THC, a cannabinoid found in the marijuana plant. Not to mention, CBD is non psychoactive. So, you don’t have to worry about being stoned at work or getting in trouble for it later.
There’s nothing like looking your best to boost your confidence. Since you’re going to be in front of an audience, you may want to dress up a bit. Instead of business casual opt for professional or corporate attire. When choosing your outfit, comfort should also be considered. You don’t want to keep fidgeting with your close or have an uncomfortable look on your face during the meeting.
To be quite honest, business meetings probably aren’t anyone’s favorite thing to attend, but it’s often necessary. If your nervousness goes beyond butterflies in the stomach or even causes you to try and avoid the event altogether, you probably struggle with social anxiety. You can remedy the problem by preparing, practicing, eating right, and looking the part. Each will boost your confidence and give you the sway you need to impress the crowd.