If you’ve got a special event coming up, your body and mind are already preparing you for it without you being conscious of it. Whether it’s an interview, exam, a show, a presentation, or even your wedding day, you know that this occasion will have an impact on not just yourself, but also on others.
Human physiology is wired to react to impending changes with a generalized stress reaction, whether the future event is happy, exciting, scary, sad or you’re not sure what it’s going to be like.
You may be lucky enough to have a big chunk of time before the big day, or you may have limited time. Whatever the circumstances, your goal is to take care of your own well-being, so that you are at your best, most efficient and at peak performance.
This is where the concept of self-care comes in. It helps you to recognize, identify, acknowledge your own physical, emotional and spiritual reactions and then take proactive steps to ensure that you remain calm and mindful during the process. Find more information here: restanddigest.com.au.
Self-Care Techniques To Relax Before The Big Day
The first step is to firm up on the basics – mark off the time, date and venue on your calendar. You can start a countdown on your phone that gently reminds you of how much time you have left.
Get as much information as you can about the event, and focus on every detail so that you aren’t caught unawares. You may have to research some aspects, talk to experts or be creative with your own ideas. Use a planner or digital resources to nail down the specifics such as finances, logistics, bookings, guest-list, sending out invitations and more.
Identify your support system. Connect with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers who can be relied on to help out, and brainstorm with them about what they can do. When you share the responsibility with trustworthy people, and delegate tasks, your stress levels automatically come down.
Prioritize your tasks so that you give the right amount of time to each and don’t get bogged down with unnecessary work. Get organized on the practical aspects of the event. Schedule your transport well in advance so that you’re not stressed at the last moment. Keep your wardrobe ready and make sure that it’s appropriate for the occasion. If you have to get something specially tailored or need to shop for accessories. Focus on comfortable footwear that suits the occasion.
If you need to visit a salon, book in advance and stick with treatments that you’ve tried before and were satisfied with. Looking and feeling your best makes you more relaxed and confident so that you can enjoy the event too.
Create a daily schedule of activities that help you to relax, maintain your health and stay motivated. This means that you get the right nutrition, hydration, exercise and good quality sleep. When there’s work to be done, you may be tempted to skip meals, make unhealthy food choices, stay up late, consume too much alcohol or smoke. Avoid these habits as they ultimately lead to more stress and bad health.
Practice meditation, yoga or Tai Chi regularly along with breathing exercises that help you to maintain a calm state of mind. Aromatherapy, eye-pillows, sleep masks, comfortable clothing and an uncluttered environment will help you to cut stress.
Maintain a journal that helps you to re-connect with your emotions. Ensure that you acknowledge and recognize the excitement, joy and pleasure of what lies ahead, so keep your thoughts focused on the positive aspects of the event.
Watch out for negative self-dialog that gets in the way of positive thinking. It’s natural to have doubts, but keep them realistic and don’t let your imagination run berserk by imagining worst case scenarios.
While it seems negative, you may find it calming to think of a plan B or C. There’s much that can go out of your control in the run up to the event, or on the day itself. Having viable alternatives helps you to feel reassured that you have a backup plan.
