How to Use Sport Psychology in Other Areas of Your Life
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Sport psychology is all about learning how to influence and manage the factors that affect your performance. These skills can be used to achieve personal growth and unlock your potential in many other areas of your life.
Here are 5 ways to apply sport psychology techniques:
1. Be present in the moment
Peak performance requires a high level of focus, the ability to anticipate what is going to happen next, and to be mentally in the moment and free of distractions. Setting the intention of being present will help you be a genuine listener at work, home, and with friends. Being present in conversations will help you pick up on non-verbal cues, gain insight into the perspective of the person you are speaking with, and enjoy the experience of the connection.
2. Use breath to calm your nervous system
Performance anxiety and high levels of stress can be a challenge in many areas of your life beyond sport. When we are under stress, we often hold our breath or shallow breathe, which increases tension in our bodies and can heighten our stress response. Long exhales (breathing out) and normal inhales (breathing in) can be used to help calm our nervous system and decrease muscle tension (Bergland, 2024).
3. Develop a personalized plan
Top performers develop a plan to set themselves up for success based on knowing what they need, their personality style, and learnings from past experiences. By anticipating your needs, you can help prevent overwhelm, feel more prepared, and in turn, increase your confidence.
4. Practice how you play
Simulating game day situations during practice is a critical part of being ready to perform at your best. For example, if you have an upcoming presentation at work, practicing with the technology, checking out the room or a similar set-up, and timing your presentation to ensure the length is appropriate are keys to helping you prepare. You can video record your practice or do a run through in front of a trusted colleague in order to get constructive feedback.
5. Utilize visualization
Mental practice can yield equal and sometimes superior results to physical practice (Nelskamp et al., 2021). Using visualization and imagery to practice the expected scenario, as well as potential twists, can help you hone your skills and prepare for circumstances you have never faced before.
Tonia Anderson is a Registered Psychologist (RPsych), former elite athlete and executive leadership coach, specializing in health and performance psychology. With over 25 years in peak performance, she has worked with junior, amateur, and professional athletes competing at local, provincial, national, and international levels including World Championships, Olympic Trials, Pan-Am Games, and more. Tonia works with business executives, emerging leaders, youth, first responders and individuals wanting to achieve their career, sport, and life goals.
Book a free consultation to learn more about reaching your potential in all areas of your life at https://toniaandersonpsychology.janeapp.com or email tonia@toniaandersonpsycholocolgy.ca to get started.
References:
Bergland, C. (May 20, 2024). Longer exhalations are an easy way to hack your vagus nerve. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201905/longer-exhalations-are-an-easy-way-to-hack-your-vagus-nerve
Nelskamp, A., Schnurr, B., Germanyuk, A. et al. (2021). Comparison of ‘Mental training’ and physical practice in the mediation of a structured facial examination: a quasi randomized, blinded and controlled study. BMC Med Educ, 21, p.178 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02603-0