4 Unusual Remote Confidence Boosters

It’s an hour before your video conference. You’re supposed to be giving a presentation on a topic you know forward and backward—which is why you were entrusted to create it in the first place. If you were sitting across from your favorite coworkers (a feat in and of itself with them potentially dispersed across the globe), this would be relaxed and easy; they’d probably nod along encouragingly, and toast to you afterward.

But there’s something about the formality of a scheduled presentation that’s got you shaken up. Don’t sweat it: it’s totally normal.

Some remote pros have even come up with a handful of helpful, if not a bit unusual, remote confidence boosters to get through these challenging situations:

Body Language and Movement

You might have seen the TED talk given by Harvard professor Amy Cuddy on what she called “power poses” and, for some, standing like Wonder Woman really does give them that feeling of total “badassery.” But sometimes a power pose just won’t do.

Tatiana McArthur (@TatianaMcArthur) skips the stationary option in favor of a little light movement—and caffeine. “I stretch out (it’s a bit silly, like I’m warming up for something sporty) and have a cup of tea.” She says that this makes her more relaxed so she doesn’t “sound twitchy and fidgety.”

Visual Reminders

Sometimes all you need is a visual reminder of your accomplishments. In her cabin in the woods, remote pro Laurel Farrer (@Laurel_farrer) assembled a bulletin board trophy case of sorts that displays logos of the prominent companies she’s worked with; in the absence of a coworkers’ pep talk, it offers a hefty dose of self-assurance.

Brush Your Teeth

Elizabeth le Roux (@TheLizzyleRoux) admits that her methods for tackling pre-interaction jitters may sound odd, but for her, clean teeth make her feel more courageous. “…I sometimes brush my teeth—almost like it’s a real life interview.” There’s actually some psychology to back her up with this one. People have been brushing long before toothbrushes were even a thing (they previously used frayed twigs—ouch); it’s part of our inherent human need for self-preservation. When your pearly whites are minty fresh, you’re more inclined to smile bigger, feel more attractive, and exude confidence.

Get Outside

With all the posing, crafting, caffeinating, and brushing, you might be thinking: I don’t have time before my [enter fear-inducing activity here] to drink tea and brush my teeth while standing like a superhero—and that’s OK. Let’s not forget about the simpler things in life, like a walk in nature. In fact, “disconnecting and being outside” is what works best for location independent pro Paul Millerd (@p_millerd). “I often wander around outside before calls, either a walk or sitting in the sun if it’s warm. It helps to lower any stress.”

Whatever your pregame style—slipping on your go-to fuzzy slippers, doing pushups, spritzing a favorite perfume (my personal fave!), or any one of the multitudinous quirky things people do—if it’s working, keep on doing it. If you haven’t found a ritual out there that gets you out of your own way yet, don’t forget that you can always look inward. Take yourself through a list of your most recent accomplishments as a reminder that you are, in fact, a rock star. This is the whole point of boosting confidence. The ritual can get you over that first hurdle; the track is clear from there.

Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com

---

By Kristi DePaul | Categories: Work Remotely

---

Comments are closed.