Sports Psychology and Work

Win At Work Using Sports Psychology


So what if you don't play on Sunday? You might not be a pro athlete, but don't think that your weekly grind doesn't take a mental and physical toll. In order to do your best at work, you have to have the right mental approach. Many pro athletes use a sports psychologist, and you can apply some of the same techniques to your own work routine.

Visualization
Description: To practice visualization, athletes use pictures in favor of words to see what success looks like. According to Robert Troutwine, Ph.D., who is a consultant for a number of NFL teams, you should picture doing something over and over again, but make sure the image you have is of you doing it correctly.

Applying it to work: You can help yourself by picturing the flow of a presentation (before you give it) or imagining a meeting with a client. Don't focus so much on the words you'll use; instead, try to think about the big picture. If you find yourself slipping up at a key step, it's probably something you need to work on. If the visualization goes smoothly, do it again and again, so that when it counts, it'll feel like second nature.

Monitoring your self-talk
Description: Athletes talk to themselves as a way to focus and keep their confidence under pressure. Utah Jazz fans have seen Karl Malone talk to himself at the free throw line. What's he saying? He's reminding himself why he's there and why he needs to succeed -- for his wife and his family.

Applying it to work: You can do this too. You don't have to literally talk to yourself -- just listen to the voice in your head. If it sounds negative, back away and focus before you continue. That voice inside you is the best tool you have to tap into your psyche, so you need to listen to it.

Relaxation
Description: Getting proper rest is the key. But it also means taking timeouts during your day to rise above the stress. Athletes use everything from video games and music to quiet time alone. Of course, if you happen to play for Phil Jackson, you'll find yourself attending pregame meditation sessions.

Applying it to work: You might not always have time at work to relax, but at some point during your day, you need to make some time for yourself. Try yoga at the gym or pick up a hobby. If that's too much, take a walk at lunch. Anything you can do to take the pressure off will help you when it counts.

Though you won't be given a Heisman trophy at work, you should still set career goals to gauge your performance

Concentration
Description: Concentration is mostly a matter of controlling your mind and telling it to block out distractions. For athletes, this often means practice above all else. But what to practice? In Al Leiter's case, game situations could take up too much of his attention. Instead, the pitcher tried to concentrate on each pitch, and nothing more.

Applying it to work: Okay, so you don't practice work, but there are ways to get better. If you receive a new software program, play with it until you master it and you'll be a whiz at crunch time. Take a page from the pros and practice the essence of what you do at work. If you're a lawyer and your job is all about relating to a jury, you need to practice and concentrate on your public-speaking skills.

Mental routine
Description: Routines help you get into a zone. Anything that can help you focus will work. Athletes often try deep breathing, rumination or meditation. Anyone who's ever watched Nomar Garciaparra bat knows the importance of a routine. Graciaparra adjusts his batting gloves before every pitch. Yes, it's a little strange, but it also triggers his mind and tells him, "time to hit."

Applying it to work: For you, it could be as simple as that cup of coffee in the morning -- or maybe there's something else that just gets you going. Work that mental routine into your day. If you think better with a pencil behind your ear, make sure there are pencils on hand.

Letting go of mistakes
Description: You can learn from your mistakes, but once you get the lesson, let it go, or you'll dwell on it. According to Ken Ravizza, who has been a consultant for the Angels, pitchers need to learn this lesson the most. After a pitcher makes a bad pitch, he's very likely to do it again if he can't put the mistake behind him.

Applying it to work: Maybe you blew a big assignment. It happens. Own it and forget about it. It's sounds simple, but it can be tough to forgive yourself. Remember that what is in the past is beyond your control. In other words, you can't do anything about it, so stop worrying.

Setting goals
Description: Goals come in three varieties: performance, outcome and doing your best. In other words, you can set personal goals, goals for winning or goals that simply ask you to give 100%. Coach Pat Flannery of the Bucknell men's basketball team set a goal for his players: Have fun in the game. That goal came from the advice of a sports psychologist, and it helped them get to the NCAA tournament.

Applying it to work: Goals help you stay motivated. You should have a goal for everything, from a project due next week to a promotion a year down the road. There's only one catch when it comes to setting a goal: It needs to be attainable.

Put Your Game Face On

There's probably more of a connection between sports and work than you think. Many pro athletes make big money after they retire by lecturing corporate types on things like teamwork, discipline and leadership. Yes, sports are still a blast to watch, but we can learn a lot from competition at a high level.