Tips To Overcome Your Anxiety Before Your Presentation

Do you have apprehensions at the back of your mind before you deliver your presentation? Are you tired of standing on stage in front of a huge audience? Do butterflies run in your stomach when you are about to deliver your presentation? Here are the facts about stage fear.

Stage fright is a common fear among many people. It is said that public speaking is the second fear next to death for human beings. However, you don't have to worry as there are certain time-tested principles to conquer it. Additionally, every speaker gets nervous in the initial stages of presentation due to various reasons. The speaker is over concerned about the audience, or at times, worried how the audience would receive the presentation. Hence, to overcome such anxieties, fears and worries, here are the tools and techniques to calm those frayed and frazzled nerves before you deliver your presentation.

Tips to Overcome Your Anxiety before Presentation

"Believe in yourself that you are one of the best speakers with immense knowledge. When you think in this way, you build your confidence and overcome your anxieties automatically.

"Visualize your success. Don't forget the power of visualization. Visualize that your presentation is widely appreciated and applauded with standing ovation. Visualization eliminates negative thoughts and apprehensions and fills your mind with positive thoughts and confidence. Remember, most sports performers use the tool of visualization regularly to achieve tremendous success.

"Choose the topic on which you have passion and command. Don't risk entering into unknown areas.

"Be confident on your topic. Prepare thoroughly well in advance. Also prepare probable questions and answers (Q&A) on the topic to handle the Q&A session successfully.

"Prepare a draft of your presentation in your own words. Back up with anecdotes, illustrations and examples. Prepare slides accordingly with a professional touch. Take the print of your draft and the presentation aids as a back-up plan. They help you in case of equipment malfunction or power breakdown.

"Prepare the first five minutes of your presentation including your introduction thoroughly to build your confidence and gain momentum.

"Practice your speech in front of the mirror. Observe your body, facial and vocal animation. If possible, video record your presentation and take feedback. You can take four types of feedback. First feedback is to record and listen to your oral language without looking at your video. Second feedback is to view your video by muting your oral language. Third feedback is to view both your audio and video. Finally take the fourth feedback which is the average of all these three feedbacks to improve yourself.

"Rehearse your lines in a dark and quiet room laying on your back.

"Deliver your presentation in the presence of your friends and relatives, if possible. Take their inputs to make it better.

"Sleep well before the day of the presentation to have a healthy and concentrated mind. It eliminates any anxieties and apprehensions.

"Count numbers from 1 to 10 and in reverse order as you will be more focused on counting rather than on your presentation.

"Sip water before your presentation. It cools your inner system and helps lubricate your throat. Some of the eminent speakers sip water before their presentation. For instance, former American President, Ronald Reagan used to sip water before delivering speech.

"Do light breathing exercises before your presentation. It helps you ensure better blood circulation and sends oxygen to your brain. You may also go for a walk before your presentation to relieve your anxiety and tension.

"Press and massage your forehead to invigorate the front of the brain and speech center.

"Convert your anxiety into energy. Channel your nervousness into a positive energy to energize your audience.

"Stop thinking about yourself and start delivering your presentation to engage and inspire your audience.

"Get acquainted with the room and hall of presentation to build confidence. Check the lectern, podium and other presentation aids to check availability and compatibility. It helps avoid interruptions during your presentation.

"Speak slowly when you begin your speech. If possible, memorize a few words in the introduction and conclusion.

"Take support of PowerPoint. It helps you keep within the track by connecting your train of thoughts.

"Don't excessively bother for audiences' feedback. Speak with your convictions. Strive for excellence, not recognition. When you deliver your content with passion and excellence, recognition will come to you as a by-product.

"Read good books on public speaking and presentation skills to understand the secrets and strategies of delivering presentation successfully.

Once Ernest Hemingway remarked, "In order to write well, you must know 10 words about the subject for every word that you write. Otherwise, the reader will know that this is not true writing." So is the case with public speaking also where you must have more than words for each word you speak.