Is your driving affected by anxiety?
This is a common situation, but thankfully there are simple things that you can do to help.
In this video we show how you can control your driving anxiety,
and reduce your stress levels to the minimum.
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Our ability to do anything is controlled by our nervous system, whether it be reading,
swimming and in this case driving. This can be demonstrated by many things that happen
to all of us everyday. Someone else talks about a nice meal they have had and we start
to feel hungry. Someone talks about something scary or spooky and we get goose bumps. You
need the toilet and the closer you get to home, the more the sensation and need to go
increases. Words, feelings, smells, tastes and thoughts all make reactions in our body.
When it comes to driving the same applies. If we tell ourselves we are nervous, we will
feel nervous. If someone talks about your test, the more anxious we feel. If your thoughts
are of a previous test that wasn’t successful we feel more nervous.
How many times have you heard someone say, just keep telling yourself that you’ll be
fine, and you will. If only it was that easy.
Just the feeling of sweaty palms can make you feel more nervous,
so you can say to yourself over and over that you will be fine but while
your palms are sweaty they will be fighting against those thoughts in your head.
There are lots of tools we can use to help us, not just at your driving test but throughout
your learning journey and driving life. Some are simple, some not so simple but all are
achievable and with practice can have a massive impact on your thoughts, your voice and then
your outcomes.
This series of videos will introduce you to these tools, explain how they work, show you
how to use them and help make you feel in control of your driving.
In this part of the video we will look at the first steps you can take to controlling
your driving anxiety. If you are continually feeling anxious when driving, whether it be
in lessons or after you have passed your test, then something needs to change. This sounds
simple but it is sometimes the hardest thing to do.
Before making any changes, ask yourself the following questions.
Why are you changing? Be specific Why is it not working? Think of every aspect
of your driving What can you do to change it? It is easier
to change ourselves than others.
Let’s take a look at the physical things we can change because if what you are doing
is not working then you need to do something different. If you are taking lessons then
consider the following things that might need to change. We would recommend not changing
all of them at once but change one thing at a time and see if it makes a difference.
Think about your lesson day and time. Could you switch to a different day or time?
What about the length of the lesson? Is it too short or too long?
Maybe discuss with your driving instructor a shorter or longer lesson.
It could be something as simple as the shoes or clothes we are wearing.
If we are feeling even the slightest bit uncomfortable it can affect us without realising it.
Think about who you talk to about your lessons and your progress.
Are they negative or not supportive? Are they putting pressure on you to get it done quickly?
If you think this might be a good thing to change then think about either
not telling anyone about your driving lessons or telling people you know will be positive
and supportive.
If you have previously failed a test or maybe more than one, look at whether you could do
the test on a different day or time. Lastly if these changes are not having an impact,
you may need to consider whether you need to change instructor. If you think your instructor
would be willing to listen to your concerns about how you are feeling then talk to them
before you do this. If you think they wouldn’t be open to it then consider changing.
Do what is best for you!
If you have already passed your test then consider the following changes. If you drive
a manual car then sometimes switching to an automatic can make driving less stressful.
Go for a test drive in a car or talk to others who already drive an automatic. Can you change
the time of day that you drive? Maybe leave for work 15 minutes earlier. Traffic levels
and flow can change in minutes so it could make a huge difference. You might also feel
less time pressure if you left earlier. Maybe car share so you have someone next to you
for support and you are not always driving. Think about your shoes and clothing. Are your
shoes uncomfortable? If so drive in comfier shoes and change when you get to work or where
you are going.
There are lots of ways to change your driving routine and experience, some of these may
seem simple but more often than not it is the smallest things that make the biggest
difference. Also be mindful that driving is habitual and a lot of what we do, see, hear
or feel, we are not consciously aware of. Allowing yourself to stop and think about
all of the elements may make you aware of something that you hadn’t realised.
Look for the next video in this series to help any changes that you make be successful.
If you found this video interesting, then please visit our channel as there are over
100 more tutorial videos to help you improve your driving.
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our channel. Thanks for watching!