Most of us have a childhood memory of going blank in some school competition. How we dreaded standing in front of all those people, trying to recall the lines?
While it is easy to converse one-on-one in any setting, the same task might become daunting if the strength increases to 15 or 20.
Stage fright kicks in, resulting in an anxiety-inducing scenario for many.
Stage fear is common, and most of us have or continue to go through that even after having addressed people previously.
Nervousness before an important presentation is all the more common as the stakes feel higher. And in anticipation for everything to go well, fear, anxiety, or even paralysis can kick in as a byproduct.
So, how do you deal with that? How do you make sure that you deliver your content as you planned it in your head?
Read on to find some quick tips that will alleviate this nervousness and help you deliver your presentation with poise and purpose.
Why Do People Feel Nervous Before Presentations?
Glossophobia, aka stage fright, is one of the most common fears.
According to NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), a whopping 73% of people suffer from fear of public speaking.
The major reason for feeling this is our habit of creating internalized fears. These fears create mental blocks from outside judgments and ridicule, making us avoid any form of vulnerability.
Symptoms include dry mouth, sweating, palpitations, shaking, freezing, etc.
The reason for forgetting or freezing (when speaking in front of people) is – the increased stress causes the brain’s frontal lobe (the region responsible for memory) to shut down temporarily.
Tips to Avoid Feeling Nervous for a Presentation
Being edgy or tense during your presentation can prove to be detrimental to your interests. But there is nothing to worry about, as the following tips will help you calm your nerves and shift from reactive to proactive thinking. Let’s find out!
1. Keep Notes Handy
You are presenting in front of people and not taking part in a memory championship. It might so happen that you forget bits and parts here and there. Most of us have gone through this problem of forgetting and blacking out, and it is entirely okay.
More often than not, since only you know the content, your audience wouldn’t even notice the difference if you don’t make it too apparent. So, if you forget, it is just a minor blip and not a catastrophe.
Unless told otherwise, take the help of notes to guide you through your presentation. The notes will serve as your visual cue to keep you on track and not miss out on anything important.
It will also be less pressure on you to remember everything by yourself. If you are using a slideshow, print your speaker notes.
2. Sip in between
Water calms you down. A bottle of water can also serve as a reminder to take periodic breaks. Also, if you forget anything in between, the break will help you recollect your thoughts.
Water will help regulate your breathing and help you combat dry mouth symptoms. It will keep you hydrated, compensating for the loss of sweat due to stage lights and uneasiness, if any.
3. Make use of impression management
The strategy is about projecting an image that contradicts your actual feelings. It’s a ‘fake it till you make it’ strategy.
Worried about forgetting important details in your corporate presentation; counteract it by imagining how meticulous and entertaining you were by remembering every detail and space.
4. Have reasonable expectations
It’s normal to slip into a – I want it to be a perfect presentation – mindset.
However, remember to set reasonable and human expectations, as slip-ups are not uncommon. And it won’t make you any different from others if you face something like that in your presentation.
Perfection comes with practice, and even people, who are pros, make mistakes.
5. Practice and take regular feedback
There is nothing that will help you more. Practice so much that you know your presentation like the back of your hand. Remember the quote – the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat.
Practice in front of your colleagues, friends, and family, and take honest feedback. Keep working on them till you perfect your talk.
You can also elevate your confidence by practicing in front of the mirror and taking the help of affirmations, constructive self-talk, and positive thoughts.
6. Who are your people?
How important is it to know the audience you will be presenting to?
Very. The more you know those people, the more apt you will be with your content and in addressing the needs of those people. After all, you are not presenting for fun; the presentation has some purpose.
And understanding your audience will help you take care of it properly and be more confident.
7. Something as simple as breathing
It might sound too simple and basic. But regulating your breathing is one of the quickest and most potent ways of calming down instantly. Taking deep breaths will help you in the following ways-
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Regulate adrenaline and endorphins (flight or fight mechanisms)
- Circulate more oxygen in the bloodstream, helping you think better and more clearly.
- Slow your heart rate
- Breathing from the diaphragm or the belly will also help you control the sound and pitch of your voice.
8. Don’t forget the structure
| “When speaking in public, your message — no matter how important — will not be effective or memorable if you don’t have a clear structure.” – Patricia Fripp |
A clear structure will help you organize your presentation in your head and for your audience. In case you forget something, you can quickly find your place in the outline and move on gracefully.
It will also help you remember better, as each topic will follow a certain defined sequence.
9. Say no to stimulants
Avoid stimulants, like caffeine, before your presentation, as it might induce sweating, shaking, and increased heart rate. It will give an impression to your audience that you are nervous, even when you are not.
So, stay off the stimulants to be relaxed and calm for the presentation.
10. Work out if you can
Workout releases happy hormones and is a great way to blow off some steam. Any stress or tension that you have built up can be released during the exercise, and you will be all fresh and focused for your presentation.
11. Acceptance is the key
When you have acceptance of something, half the battle is won. Rather than fighting or avoiding the fear of speaking in front of people, accept it and choose to act, despite the fear.
It will help you build confidence and move on from the fearful mind of stage fright to a responsive reaction.
12. Try to connect with people by maintaining eye contact
Take the help of the leadership gaze to appear in control and confident to the audience, maintaining eye contact with the singular person for a chain of thought and moving on at the appropriate time.
Don’t forget the distant members (the upper part of the auditorium) and shift your gaze in all directions. Try to mimic the glance and focus even if you face a dark crowd due to the stage lights. Eye contact helps people connect and resonate better and will boost your confidence as a presenter.
13. Go for a confident body posture
How confident will you be of a speaker who walks with slouchy shoulders or maybe cracks his knuckles throughout the presentation?
Your body posture can portray you as a leader worth listening to or a regular presenter (like most). Take appropriate room on the stage and keep your arms open and spread across on both sides of the body.
In doing so, you can make hand gestures effectively (like reaching towards the sky with arms open) that make you appear confident and bold.
You can also use body movement and hand gestures to emphasize relevant points.
14. Research and learn your topic well
Don’t think of just winging it when you are presenting a topic to people. Researching and preparing well will help you be confident with the subject matter. Unexpected questions are one thing that can make you feel really uneasy and jittery.
If you prepare well in advance, you can also practice answering the questions. Also, break your content into note cards to refer to later.
15. The more organized you are, the better it is
Thoroughly plan each aspect of your presentation. Notify the organizer of the format and technology you intend to use. You can do the following to mitigate any operational stress –
- Get your support network at the venue.
- Arrive early for all tech and other arrangements.
- Try timing your presentation with the time-tracker.
- Discuss in advance any concerns/issues with the respective people.
16. Smile and speak slowly
Remember, during the presentation, the audience feels you are the expert, and they are there to listen to you. Also, they won’t know if you make a mistake, so remember to smile.
Speak slowly and confidently so you don’t end up fumbling words or forgetting details. Speak clearly and confidently (with a smile) to help people be more open towards you.
17. Reframe your mind
Reframing is a technique used in CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) to rewire automatic negative thought patterns. One such pattern we follow is to assign good and bad to certain emotions. Your body feels nervousness the same way it feels excitement.
So, instead of feeling more scared and ruining things when you realize you are nervous, you could rewire your nervousness into thinking of it as excitement. It will help you propel forward with more confidence and pride regarding doing something out of your comfort zone.
To Sum It Up
Just like any other skill, learning how not to be tense and uneasy during a presentation is a skill that you learn with practice. Acknowledging and accepting is the first step that will catapult you in the right direction.
Take the help of the tips to get better each time. And with time, you will see that those pre-event jitters don’t affect you as much as they used to.
