Use visualization
Elite athletes visualize their events in such meticulous detail that they can actually feel their feet on the track, their muscles tensing, the starter pistol going off, the roar of the crowd. Research shows that the part of the brain that is activated in a race is also activated when one visualizes the race. It is as though the race is happening in real time.5 Physicians could use this approach to visualize the day ahead, picturing the procedures in detail and the clinical encounters going well.
In the current crisis, we frequently need a way to calm down quickly. One suggestion is to find a quiet space and sit for a few minutes, allowing the chair to support you. Then imagine a beautiful, calm, soothing place. Relax there and take in that feeling. Or, imagine a past achievement when you felt good about yourself. See yourself in that moment, remember how you felt, and take it in.
Plan for setbacks
All elite athletes have setbacks: Marathon runners hit a wall, golfers hit into the rough. But they don’t spin out of control at setbacks. They expect them, and they have practiced skills to restore their confidence and re-center themselves.6 For example, some athletes calm themselves by performing a ritualized series of movements. Others use a specific phrase (that positive self-talk again!) that reminds them of their goals or skills, while others play specific songs on their media player, or in their head, to return to their center.
Another technique is to use deep, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing for about 30 seconds to bring yourself back to your body.
The point is to have a plan in place to respond to setbacks in a positive manner and get back on track. Don’t waste time on self-criticism.
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