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How to Reduce Stress Before a Job Interview?

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Job interviews are important opportunities, and since there is a lot at stake we tend to get very nervous about it. This can lead to us becoming a nervous wreck and giving a bad impression at the interview. You need to do your best to reduce stress before an interview, so you can look calm and confident and focus on the interviewer’s questions. Here are some good stress-reducing techniques you can do on the day of the interview.

Have a good night’s sleep

The night before the interview goes to bed early. It’s a good idea to stretch before going to bed, followed by a warm shower and a hot cup of milk – it will make falling asleep much easier and you will feel fresh in the morning. Try to leave yourself enough time to wake up early on your own, with a good 8-9 hours of sleep under your belt, as an alarm clock can shake you straight out of deep sleep which leaves you feeling groggy.

Have a relaxation routine and a good meal

In the morning you should have a set routine so you can go through the motions and let your brain relax. While going to the bathroom, washing your face and your teeth, making breakfast, and getting dressed try to keep your mind off the job interview and focus on the task at hand. It helps if you do some light stretching before breakfast. After breakfast watches your favorite show with a cup of coffee and some chocolate, this helps stimulate the brain.

Perform a short workout

If the job interview is later in the day you can hit the gym for some 40-50 minutes and push yourself hard. Even if you don’t go to the gym or don’t have time to drive to the gym before the interview you can go for a run or perform a short bodyweight circuit: burpees, jumping jacks, lunges, and crunches, one after the other with no rest in between, 6-10 repetitions of each exercise. You can rest for a couple of minutes and repeat as many additional circuits as you can handle, two or three should be enough though.

Music and meditation

Music can really help calm your nerves or even help discharge some of that adrenaline that has been building up. A few sad songs followed by more and more uplifting, energetic songs is a great way to let off some steam and get pumped up. Classical music and instrumental songs are great background music for meditation. You basically just sit on the floor, use a pillow or mat, with your legs crossed and your back straight and try to relax. Then simply close your eyes and slow down your breathing, counting every breath and trying to visualize the numbers in your mind. Once you get to ten, start over from one and let all thoughts that come to you slip away on their own, don’t try to fight it.

Combine these techniques and do some more deep, slow breathing right before the interview and you should be able to calm your mind and leave a good impression. Remember, it’s not the end of the world and no one dies at the end, so you have no reason to be too nervous.