Mastering Meeting Anxiety Through Rituals For Career Success

In the fast-paced world of business, where meetings often dominate our schedules, the ability to navigate through stress and anxiety becomes a crucial skill. Imagine you could utilize rituals, just like in sports, as powerful tools to enhance productivity and alleviate the tension that accompanies high-stakes meetings and overcome public speaking fear. 

In this article, I will delve into the transformative power of rituals, exploring how they can be your secret weapon in conquering workplace stress and anxiety, ultimately paving the way for more effective and harmonious meetings.

Ethan Kross, in his book ‘Chatter,’ explores various strategies to manage the inner voice that contributes to anxiety, stress and negativity. One powerful approach is the incorporation of rituals into your workday to increase your sense of control.

Rituals provide a structured framework that can help individuals navigate the uncertainties of their professional journeys. They consist of a rigid sequence of behaviors often performed in the same order.

How Rituals Create a Sense of Control

Establishing a morning routine or a pre-work ritual can create a sense of control and stability, counteracting the chaos that often accompanies career challenges.

Kross suggests that rituals psychologically affect individuals by grounding them in the present moment and reducing the impact of stressful situations. Rituals can positively influence performance in high-pressure situations by providing a sense of order and control.

For example, when I used to participate in roller skating competitions, I had a ritual of wearing the same clothes, eating the same food the night before and on the event day, and bringing a puppy toy. Similarly, Rafael Nadal, a famous tennis player, has a pre-serve ritual of complex twitches and ticks. In his 2011 book titled “Rafa: My Story,” he explained that it helps him to get into the right mindset for a match: “It is a way of placing myself in a match, of ordering my environment to match the order I am looking for in my head.” The Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps also reported to follow strict rituals during the 210 minutes before any race.

Rituals impact our brains, reducing cortisol levels and promoting a sense of calm, making people feel less anxious and having a lower heart rate. By understanding the science behind the practice, why not use it in the workplace to improve your performance during meetings and presentations?

Ways to Apply Rituals to Reduce Workplace Anxiety

The career landscape is often unpredictable, but one can adopt certain rituals to stay calm and navigate through the challenges with a clear mind. One such ritual that is commonly used in manufacturing is cleaning. I have explained this in detail in my book 5S Your Life. By cleaning and organizing your workstation in a standardized way before or after your shift, you can reduce distractions and second-guessing and keep your mind clear. This ritual can be applied to any workstation or home office by ensuring that nothing is on your desk except your computer and water bottle before you start your day.

Other rituals you can adopt include deep breathing and looking in the mirror for two minutes before a presentation, doing Amy Cuddy’s power pose, or spending 15 minutes of your workday setting up your to-do list and scheduling it on your calendar or time management app.

Small actions and habits can have a big impact on our mental well-being, particularly in professional settings where anxiety can be prevalent. Whether it’s a simple ritual before a big meeting, or to help wind down after work, these practices can create a positive ripple effect on our overall well-being. By embracing and personalizing these rituals, we can cultivate a calmer mindset and ultimately thrive in our careers.