Presentations can be daunting for even the most confident employee; fear of standing up in front of colleagues can quite easily make your heart race. Luckily, Carolyn Cowan is on hand with some timely tips on how to keep the worries at bay so you can focus fully on acing that important presentation
Before an important meeting, many people notice their heart rate increasing and experience other feelings of anxiety. This is the autonomic stress response kicking in. We can counteract this unpleasant feeling, however, by taking time to breathe and learning some helpful techniques to calm the nerves.
To begin, it is important to stretch out the body. With your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms slowly while inhaling at a steady pace. As your hands come together above your head, raise your chin and open your mouth, stretching out your tongue.
Gently fold forward and exhale. Slowly inhale as you reach your hands down towards one foot. Take a beat and exhale. Don’t worry if you can’t reach the floor, just reach down as far as is comfortable without pain. Inhale back to the centre before reaching for the other foot as you exhale. Repeat for two minutes. If you can, widen your feet a little as your body relaxes.
Gently walk your hands back up your legs as you straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders and take a minute to come to. You’re now ready to try a breathing technique.
A breath to manage the mind when you are nervous
This simple breath is a great way to release the mind from negative thoughts and is ideal for practising if you are feeling nervous about a meeting, or preparing for a difficult conversation with your boss. Get comfortable with how the practice flows before you need to do it and by the time you are ready, it will be like an old friend.
Sit comfortably, anywhere that works for you – at your desk, on the bus, a mat, or a chair – with your eyes closed and your spine straight, chin tipped slightly down. Begin to inhale through pursed, tight lips – not a whistle, but a steady stream of cool air straight down into the belly. Suspend the breath for a moment at the top of the inhale.
Exhale through the nose, and feel the warm, soft blanket of air wrap itself around you. As you settle into the breath, maybe three or four inhales in, begin to make the exhaled breath as silent as possible, and notice that when the breath is silent everything slows down. This is what you want: the slow, gentle, hissing inhale and the warm, silent exhale.
Continue for between three and 11 minutes. Then inhale through the nose, exhale and be still, silent and gentle for two to three minutes.
The whistling inhale to calm and soothe
This breath practice is ideal for when things have got on top of you. You might feel overwhelmed or perhaps you had a heated exchange during a meeting. Taking time out to get some fresh air is the ideal way to reset your stress levels and adding in this breath practice will ensure complete serenity on your return.
Not everyone can whistle and it is unlikely that you have ever been asked to whistle inwards. If you cannot whistle, you still want to have your tongue pushed against and behind your lower teeth on the inhale.
Tightening the lips and pushing the tongue forward in this way pulls the vagus nerve and so, at the end of each deep inhale, there is a palpable release into the long and gentle exhale. Sit on the floor or a chair, hands on wide knees and elbows locked, back straight. Tilt the chin slightly down. Notice how this posture lifts the chest and opens the heart centre.
Close your eyes then inhale through pursed lips and make a whistling sound. It is an inhale whistle, a curious sensation when you first learn to do it, but with practice it gets easier. You are aiming for a five to 10-second inhale and the same on the exhale. Hold at the top of the inhale for a moment. Exhale gently and quietly through the nose.
Continue inhaling with a whistle and exhaling through the nose. Continue for three to five minutes. Sit still in the soft calm for two minutes when finished. With these handy breathing techniques in your back pocket, you’ll be well-equipped to make a good impression at work and say what you need to with confidence.
Carolyn Cowan is a London-based psychotherapist and breathwork teacher. Find out more about her work at www.carolyncowan.com
