How to not be Nervous during presentation?
Do you feel nervous before your presentation? Do you feel your heart racing, hands shaking, palms sweating, knees knocking, throat drying, or queasy feeling? If yes, don’t worry at all. You are not alone who undergo this situation. More than 70% of people fear a presentation. It happens naturally to feel nervous at this moment.
Giving presentations is a challenge everyone cannot do. For many people, it can be a scenario of anxiety-inducing. This is a phobia that is more than the fear of spiders, heights, and even death.
Before going towards techniques, first, we should talk about the causes of nervousness.
Why do you get nervous?
The basic factor of this phobia is that you fear the negative evaluation from others. You get frozen in front of the public and forget what you want to say. Your stress level increases and the front lobe of your brain shuts down. Actually, this lobe retrieves memory and when it closes, you are unable to remember anything.
However, there are various techniques and strategies you can follow and calm down your nerves during a public speech or presentation.
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Practice
By doing practice, you can overcome your nervousness. Rehearse multiple times what you are going to present. Practice at the place where you will give your presentations and change your positions like sitting, standing, opening arms. Always stand straight on two legs. You can make recordings of your rehearsal presentations and evaluate them to know which areas require more improvement.
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Practice impressive body language
Body language is the basic factor that allows the audience to interpret you. So, you should practice impressive body language. Also, practice how you should stand and behave in front of your audience. Stand confidently and relax facial muscles.
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Keep yourself fit and healthy
Avoid unhealthy intakes like alcohol that make you inactive. Also don’t consume caffeine in the form of tea, coffee, or other sources. Do some exercise to remain fit and active and consume something healthy like vegetables, fruits, and milk. This healthy food will give you more energy you need during your presentation.
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Attend other presentations
If there is more than one presentation, try to attend it. Listen to others carefully and make notes. You will find hints from other speeches or presentations and your confidence will increase. Observe the gestures of the speaker, how he speaks, how often he pauses during his presentation. It is also the best chance for you to feel like an audience. You will come to know the mood and response of the crowd.
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Drink water
Before the presentation, stay hydrated because a dry mouth also causes anxiety. You can have a bottle of water to avoid a dry mouth. keep drinking some water whenever you need it.
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Reach early
If you reach at the time of your presentation, you will be more nervous to face the audience. So always reach the spot early. Settle and prepare yourself for the environment and the presentation. Stand at the spot where you have to stand for the presentation. Visualize people and prepare yourself how should you speak that the audience can listen to you clearly.
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Smiling
If you feel nervous, start smiling. This gesture releases endorphins that give you a good feeling and makes you confident.
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Adjust your surroundings
You must adjust your surroundings before the presentation and feel comfortable. It is best to give a presentation in the room where you can avoid outside disturbance and distract.
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Create a structure of your presentation
Before the presentation, create a structure of what you are going to deliver. It will help you as a guide when you will feel nervous. Outline your speech or presentation and glance at it whenever you need.
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Meet people
Meet and talk with people before your presentation. Ask them questions regarding the presentation. They will give you useful hints and inspiration to help you to do your best. Moreover, you will become familiar with your audience and will not feel as if you are addressing strangers. Conversation with people will relax your nerves and make a bond with them. In this way, the audience will also get to know you and encourage by supporting you during your presentation.
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Know your audience
You must know for whom you are going to present. It will help you to set the expectations from the audience. Research a litter what they are expecting from you. When you are familiar with your audience, you will be more confident in front of them.
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Use positive visualization
Always be positive and think about good outcomes. Set reasonable expectations for yourself. If you consider presentation a terrible situation, you can never face your audience confidently. So, keep positive visualization and hope for the best.
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Make eye contact
While doing a presentation, you must make eye contact. It will create confidence in you and also the audience will become more attentive. If you just stare at the floor or your notes you feel more nervous and unable to see the audience.
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Take deep breaths
When we are tense or nervous, our muscles become tight. In that situation, take deep breaths and allow more oxygen to circulate into your brain so that you can think clearly and feel comfortable and relaxed. Practicing deep breathing helps us to reduce anxiety and stress. It also regulates the adrenalin hormone which is produced when you are angry, excited, or afraid.
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Use notes
Last but not least is to practice positive self-talk. Replace your negative thinking with strong affirmations. Believe in yourself and say, I am an enthusiastic and confident speaker. I can present effectively and engage my audience. According to Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t __ you are right.”
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Practice positive self-talk
Last but not least is to practice positive self-talk. Replace your negative thinking with strong affirmations. Believe in yourself and say, I am an enthusiastic and confident speaker. I can present effectively and engage my audience. According to Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t __ you are right.”
Conclusion
In a nutshell, we can state that if you feel nervous during your presentation, you can’t convey your message to your audience. By following the above-mentioned techniques, you can present more confidently, effectively, and impressively. You can also make your audience engaging and supporting.
