What do you do if you're feeling anxious before a presentation?

I make sure I have gotten at least 10 run throughs of my content over the week leading up to the presentation or speaking engagement. Sometimes these are saying the words out loud in my car, sometimes standing up in my office. I put the script away 20-30 minutes before so I don't overthink it and remind myself that the audience doesn't know what I was 'supposed' to say. I wear clothing that I feel confident and comfortable in, make sure I have water within reach, and sneak in a quick power pose.

I start by counting 1-8 and breathing air into my lungs. I picture the audience loving my presentation and giving me a standing ovation. Most importantly, I summarise my 3 most important points on a piece of paper or mentally align how I intend to deliver the message and the call to action. It is noteworthy to say that, your nerves give you adrenaline to deliver, anxiety is to be embraced rather than avoided or feared. The more prepared you are, the better your confidence in the subject area, and the less anxious you become.

Remind yourself that you are telling your version of a story. What has worked for me, is seeking out welcoming faces during a presentation to create a sense of connection and engagement with the audience. By addressing friendly faces, I establish a more intimate and conversational tone, making my presentation feel more personal and relatable. This has helped me capture the attention of the audience, build rapport, and make them more receptive to my message.

To manage anxiety before a presentation, try these strategies: - Identify the source: Determine what is causing your anxiety. - Practice relaxation techniques: Deep breathing or meditation can help calm nerves. - Prepare thoroughly: Know your material and rehearse your presentation. - Visualize success: Imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation. - Seek support: Talk to a colleague or mentor for reassurance. - Stay positive: Focus on your strengths and past successes. - Use positive self-talk: Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations.

If feeling anxious before a presentation, I typically employ relaxation techniques such as deep breathing to calm my nerves. Visualization of a successful outcome helps boost confidence, while thorough preparation through rehearsal and familiarizing myself with the content ensures I feel confident and capable during the presentation. By combining these strategies, I can effectively manage anxiety and deliver a successful presentation.

Whether it’s Beyonce or Lebron James, Any big time performer you know practices and rehearses before the big moment. You must also practice like you’re IN THE MOMENT. Every fact you present, the tone of your voice, and the look of your slides should be as if you are in front of your attendees. Do that and you’ll set yourself up for success.

So I always feel unprepared if I haven’t had the chance to practice and run through what I want to say. It means that your delivery will be much sharper, which in turn, will propel your confidence when you are speaking for real. As a barrister often we don’t get chance to practice and rehearse. Therefore if one ever gets the opportunity to practice and rehearse it should not be a wasted opportunity. You should do so!

To manage anxiety before a presentation: - Practice and rehearse: Familiarity with your material can boost confidence. - Visualize success: Imagine delivering a successful presentation. - Focus on the message: Concentrate on delivering your content rather than on your anxiety. - Use relaxation techniques: Deep breathing or meditation can help calm nerves. - Seek support: Talk to a colleague or mentor for reassurance and advice.

You need to work on refining your key points, transitions between topics, and the overall flow of your delivery. Pay attention to your body language, tone of voice, and eye contact to ensure a confident and engaging presence <keep your arms open - literally>. Lastly, anticipate potential questions or challenges from the audience and prepare thoughtful responses to address them effectively.

What works for me is visualization. I can visualize myself delivering a confident and successful presentation, which can help boost my confidence. Also, I repeat my niece’s life motto: “I can do this, I can do everything, I always can.”

Just realize that you are the most experienced person in your presentation in the room. Even if people are experts on your subject, they can’t be so knowledgeable about your story. The story is the most important and the lecturer is the owner of its destiny.

There are many relaxation techniques that help "calm" the sympathetic nervous system. The aim here is to quiet the flight/fight/freeze response. To mention few : box breathing exercises, tapping, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). My personal favorites are Vagus nerve exercises focusing on the ears and eye/body movement. It is important to remember that there is no "one size fists all", different techniques can yield different results. What works for me might not necessarily work for you. If I had to give one advice on how to deal with anxiety in general, it would be this : focusing on thought process alone isn't enough. Using the body (physiological process) to calm the nervous system can often be more effective.

Actually I agree with this. Additionally, haven realise that i always feel anxious on every presentation, when building my presentation I try to start with a little important and fun story to help me feel further relax during the presentation.

When feeling anxious before a presentation, using relaxation techniques can help calm your nerves and improve your confidence. Here are the relaxation techniques that I use - 1. Deep Breathing Exercises 2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation 3. Visualization - Use visualization techniques to imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation with confidence and ease. 4. Mindfulness Meditation 5. Progressive Relaxation Music 6. Light Physical Activity 7. Repeat Positive Affirmations 8. Staying Hydrated and Avoiding Caffeine 9. Seeking Professional Help if Needed By using relaxation techniques before a presentation, you can effectively manage anxiety, calm your nerves, and deliver a confident and impactful presentation.

- Focus on your message: Concentrate on delivering your content rather than on your anxiety. - Practice mindfulness: Stay present and focused on the task at hand. - Use positive self-talk: Encourage yourself with affirmations. - Visualize success: Imagine delivering a successful presentation. - Prepare thoroughly: Being well-prepared can boost confidence and reduce anxiety.

In my case, to ease anxiety before a speech, I concentrate only on the message I want to share. I try to practice my speech, and visualize delivering it confidently. I remind myself why my message matters. Followed by deep breaths, I stay focused, and I always speak from my heart.

Practising and being prepared is important, but not memorising the presentation I feel less anxious when I know the topic in detail and have examples to back up my key points (audience can relate better) I often research the topic and anticipate where the discussion may go and what questions may interest the audience Reading the audience during the presentation is important to keep the right level of interest and engagement When the audience seems lost, it's a good time to pause and ask questions and try to start a discourse Be also prepared for members of the audience that try to hijack the presentation - manage them respectfully and take it offline if it's getting too long or heated

Being agile and adaptable to the environment by 1-Knowing your audience very well. 2-Share personal stories to build a rapport. 3-Do it in a conversational manner and leave the space for audience to share. At the end enjoy the experience and be yourself.

For example, to adapt to situations where people may not be listening or are overly critical, remain calm and composed. Try re-engaging the audience by asking questions, incorporating interactive elements, or adjusting your delivery style to capture their attention. Address criticism constructively, acknowledging valid points while confidently defending your perspective if necessary. Maintaining professionalism and focusing on delivering your message effectively despite challenges is critical.

Adapting to the situation involves the ability to adjust your approach, communication style, and behavior based on the specific circumstances you encounter. Here's how one can effectively adapt to different situations, including before, during, and after a presentation: 1. Assess the Environment 2. Be Flexible with Your Plan 3. Read the Room 4. Address Audience Concerns 5. Stay Calm Under Pressure 6. Seek Feedback and Reflect 7. Follow Up Appropriately 8. Learn from Experience By actively adapting to the situation before, during, and after your presentation, you can enhance your effectiveness as a presenter, better engage your audience, and ultimately achieve your presentation objectives with confidence and success.

Repeating and experiencing the following things can help - 1. Take deep breaths to calm nerves. 2. Practice relaxation techniques like visualization or meditation. 3. Focus on positive affirmations to boost confidence. 4. Review your notes or rehearse key points for reassurance. 5. Remember past successes to instill self-assurance. 6. Remind yourself that nervousness is natural and manageable. 7. Stay hydrated to maintain composure. 8. Engage in light physical activity to release tension. ( Don’t start doing push ups before your presentation :D) 9. Seek support from friends or colleagues for encouragement. 10. The adrenaline is a source of energy for a good presentation. Learn how to utilise this energy efficiently.

We all may experience a bit of anxiety before a presentation as this is a natural response to the unknown or what could go wrong. This is where mastering courage, and resilience can be useful. Remember that you’re not alone. Practice your presentation before hand and your delivery style (would recommend being interactive, adding humor) as this will make you and your audience less tensed. Focus on the “why” or relevance of the information you will be presenting. You can also test the technology before hand, and give yourself sometime to relax or interact with some of your audience before hand.

Be prepared to adjust your pacing, content, or approach based on the audience's reactions and feedback. Also, maintain a positive attitude and confidence in your material, which can help mitigate any distractions or negativity in the room. Lastly, remember to stay focused on your objectives and the value of your message, even if the environment is less than ideal.

Love this! Practicing mindfulness (meditation) for even 2-3 minutes prior to speaking helps put anxiety and fight or flight symptoms in perspective.

During the presentation: Focus on your breathing: If you start to feel anxious, take a few slow, deep breaths. Channel your energy: Use your nervous energy to your advantage by speaking with enthusiasm. Embrace silence: Pauses are natural and can be effective. Don't feel like you have to fill every moment with talking. Focus on your message: Remember, your goal is to communicate your ideas to the audience. Don't worry about being perfect. Be kind to yourself: Everyone makes mistakes. If you stumble over your words, just take a breath and keep going. Remember, everyone feels some anxiety before a presentation. By following these tips, you can manage your nerves and deliver a presentation that you can be proud of.

At the end of the day if you are yourself and authentic about what you are saying it is very hard to fail! Sometimes the best performances are those from the heart that really mean something and show your passion and knowledge for the topic!