Do you get lost trying to get out of transition? Or forget to take off your helmet?
It could be down to the type of attention you have during this phase. When anxious our attentional focus can narrow reducing our ability to focus on the whole environment.
Here are some top tips on how to reduce your time in transition:
Enter and Exit When anxious we can start to have tunnel vision, make an extra effort to find the bike/run in and out gate before the race starts. Try having a friend close to transition to guide you out.
Preparation Think of all the eventualities: if it suddenly starts raining or gets really hot what might you want or need - have it visible within your space.
Self-talk instructions Talking yourself through your decisions can help guide and calm you down, preventing you from forgetting things. i.e., “helmet on first".
Ore routine visualisation Imagine the perfect transition in your head before the race, not all venues are the same but think about what you will do in what order.
Prioritise Sport is the most unpredictable environment so think about what you need to do to make the phase quick and painless. When coming out of the swim think where I am going - what do I need to do first. Sometimes writing a to-do list can be beneficial, making it adaptable can help reduce anxiety.
If you think attentional focus is something you need support with or want to know more, contact applied sport and exercise psychologist Hope.