Week 25 - How to hit your optimal performance zone
This week, Tyler discusses how people can change their arousal to obtain optimal performance.
Happy Wednesday everybody!
Last week, I discussed how people have an optimal level of arousal to facilitate optimal performance. Depending upon the individual and specific task, people’s arousal may differ to perform at a high level. While it’s important to recognize how aroused someone may need to be to perform well, it’s almost equally as important to understand how to get there. This week, I am going to provide some techniques that can help you to obtain your optimal arousal so you can perform at your best.
At some point or another, you will likely be at an arousal level that will not facilitate optimal performance. You could be low when indeed it should be much higher, or perhaps you are too high and it needs to be lower. The following techniques should enable you to reach a level that is most desired to perform at your best:
Attend to your breath: One’s breath is an incredibly powerful tool. Your breath can be used to both increase and decrease arousal and there are two breathing exercises I like to recommend to my clients to do just that. To increase arousal, start by taking two long, deep inhales in succession through your nose. After the inhale on your second breath, exhale quickly. Repeat this breath pattern ten times. After your tenth breath, you should begin to feel your body temperature rise and heart rate increase. Try this on your own to see if you can notice the difference.
To decrease arousal, start by taking two shallow, rapid inhales in succession through your nose. After the inhale on your second breath, take an extended exhale. Repeat this breath pattern ten times. After your tenth breath, you should begin to feel your heart rate slow. Give this a try to see if you can notice the difference.
These breathing exercises are a very fast and effective way to optimize your arousal to facilitate performance. Depending upon how you feel after the tenth breath, you may need to do a few more cycles to notice a difference. If you would like additional resources to show these techniques in action, leave me a comment below and I’d be happy to send them your way.
Adding/changing the music: Music is another excellent tool to change arousal. If a person needs to achieve a higher level of activation, music with a higher tempo or beat are often very effective. Some may resort to specific genres of music such as rock or metal to enhance their arousal as well. To decrease arousal the opposite is true. Achieving lower levels of activation can be obtained by listening to slower tempo or relaxing genres of music (e.g., classical or smooth jazz). Simply putting in some headphones can be what separates you from performing at your best.
Using affirmations: Affirmations, otherwise known as “self-talk statements”, are specific words that can have connotations associated with increasing arousal and others that are associated with decreasing arousal. “Power”, “strength”, “strong”, “energized”, and “dominant” if said internally will help to increase arousal, whereas “calm”, “relaxed'“, “patient”, “smooth”, and “still” if said internally will help to decrease arousal. There are many other affirmations associated with increased or decreased activation. Find the words that work for you and see if you can notice a difference.
Incorporating imagery: Finally, imagery, or seeing images in one’s minds eye, can be used to alter arousal. Picturing chaotic or aggressive images can help to increase activation, while calming or relaxing images can help to decrease activation. I don’t find imagery is as effective on its own to change arousal, but if combined with one of the three techniques above it can be very beneficial.
Three out of the four techniques above are highly effective in altering activation alone, while imagery is best used in combination with one of the others. Having said that, you may need to use each of these techniques if having trouble reaching your desired arousal. At the end of the day, find what works best for you. If there is one that is most effective, practice regularly and stick to it. You never know when you might need it.
Question: How do you regulate your arousal to reach optimal performance?
Thank you for reading.
Until next week,
Tyler
Twitter: tcmakepeace
Website: tylermakepeace.substack.com
Instagram: tylertalks.blog
ICYMI: Check out last week’s article here!
Most times I tend to get too excited, and I think I just fumble through, thanks for the exercises, I will work with these, thanks again!
The breathing technique really resonated with me, I found that it quickly shifted my energy