How stressful do you find networking?

I attended a business networking meeting early this morning, and came away with not only a handful of business cards, but also a new insight on how people can be affected by stress…

Networking is a very common way to connect to more people nowadays, including potential customers, and as much as I myself enjoy networking, it can be daunting to some.

Here are 3 ways that some business owners may not enjoy it as much, with some tips on how you could maybe help yourself if you do find yourself become stressed with it:

1. Getting to the meeting venue. If you haven’t been to the meeting place before, it can be nerve-wracking to drive to a place you are not familiar with.

What you can do: Can you use a sat-nav to ensure you don’t get lost? Can you have a look at a map and where the destination is? Can you leave a little earlier to allow extra time? They are simple measures, but they could help you breathe a little easier and feel calmer.

2. Meeting new people. Are you one of those people who start thinking: what impression will I make on this person? What can I say about myself to come across as a professional? I noticed some people sometimes stood on their own, trying to pluck up the courage to start speaking to someone. And the longer they thought about it, the more they looked uncomfortable.

What you can do: Prepare a few easy questions you can ask without trying to impress too much, even if it is to do with the journey to the place, or if they live nearby. Those kind of questions are familiar to anyone, so it is easy to stop thinking too much and actually enjoy the interaction.

3. Moving on to speak to another person. There is always a point when you think: OK, I have got to know a little about this person, exchanged business cards, and now it is time for me to move on. There is nothing wrong with this, it is normal to want to speak to more than one person. So why are some people uncomfortable with it? It could be fear of being judged, or fear of not being liked. It all depends on your own beliefs.

What you can do: If you do find it hard to end a conversation, then again it could be useful for your to prepare a few universal expressions that can be used to politely announce that it is time to ‘mingle’ with others, still feeling in control or fitting in.

As human beings we are all different, so there will always be times when you behave differently to others, and that’s fine, that’s what makes life’s situations interesting! And if you do find that this leaves you feeling anxious and stressed no matter what you try, why not check out Hypnotherapy services at Crossroads Stress clinic in Ashby de la Zouch? Feel free to visit leics-hypnotherapy.co.uk or www.crossroadsstress.co.uk and give me a call if you wish to have a chat about how Hypnotherapy could help you breathe easier and feel calmer, stop thinking too much, and feel in control or fitting in.

Have a great day and thanks for reading!