Presentations

Dealing with Anxiety

Sure, the presentation is written. It looks good. It even sounds good in your head. But there's one things you still can't quite sort out...

 

The terror... fear... panic...!!! Aaarrgggh!

 

You're not alone. Most people feel nervous when it comes to giving presentations, even if they do it for a living! However, as you have seen in earlier sections, presenting isn't about being the perfect entertainer; it's about learning those all important skills that you can then re-use over and over for the rest of your life.

Most of the students in your class probably feel the same way about giving their presentations too, so remember that you are not the only one feeling nervous and uncomfortable about standing up and speaking.

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The best things that you can do beforehand to try and reduce your anxiety are to really make sure:

• you are familiar with your topic;
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• you have all the preparation finished and the correct details about your equpiment and audience sorted; and
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• you have practiced the talk as often as you can. Run through it in the bathroom mirror, or to your family, or your pet (just don't take the cat's indifference pesonally!), or just by yourself, so that you know roughly what you will say and when. This isn't about learning a script, it's just about being so familiar with what you want to say with each slide that it almost comes naturally to you on the day.

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When the day of the presentation finally arrives, don't let yourself dwell on what could go wrong. It's really not helpful to think about things that haven't happened, and ask long as you're well prepared, there's more chance things will go well anyway! If others are making presentations too then note the differences between those speaking for the first time and those with more experience, or how people grow more confident as they progress through their talk.

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When it is your turn to speak, take a moment to arrange your notes, if you are using handheld cards or sheets, and check that you have everything you need. Remember to pace yourself as you speak - don't rush to the end or your audience won't understand you. Allow yourself to pause for a few seconds between each point or slide, take a few breaths and collect your thoughts before you move on.

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As you become more experienced at public speaking you’ll find you can relax and speak more fluently. Moving around can also help you to relax – you could point out something on the screen, for example, or have some props to show to everyone. Props and demonstrations can be fun to use, but do make sure that they are large enough for everyone to see and that they do not divert attention away from the points you want to make.

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Once the presentation is over, allow yourself some time to think about how you did and what you would like to improve the next time you have to make a presentation. Feedback from others is always a good thing, even if it sounds negative sometimes, but don’t agonise too much if some things didn’t go to plan, particularly if it was something the audience didn't spot anyway! Most importantly, congratulate yourself for your hard work! It's not easy, but you did it, and each time you do it your confidence will grow...

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