Keeping your nerves in check

Tip 1) Survive the first few minutes

The first couple of minutes are by far the most nerve-wracking. Have you ever noticed that it gets better on its own after that? What’s more, your body can’t even sustain a panic attack for long. Your adrenaline peaks quickly, but is also broken down again fairly quickly. The stress builds like a wave and then subsides. So make sure you get through the first few minutes, and the rest will usually go well too. An age-old technique is to keep breathing calmly. Place your hand on your stomach and breathe in slowly. Do you notice your hand moving outwards? When we are relaxed, we tend to breathe using ‘belly breathing’. When we are tense, our breathing sits much higher up. It feels like shortness of breath, as though you have less air. You can use belly breathing on stage. You don’t need to master this straight away, because simply taking a conscious breath now and then already helps.

Tip 2) Don’t memorise a script — practise out loud instead

It also helps to thoroughly practise your opening few sentences, so that you can still deliver them even under intense pressure. However, do not memorise the rest of your presentation word for word. That is a recipe for a mental blank. Forget one sentence, and a domino effect can set in, causing you to forget even more. Rather than memorising your text, you’re better off practising your presentation out loud a few times. Each run-through will sound slightly different, and that’s perfectly fine. You’ll come across as more spontaneous, you’ll stay flexible in your delivery, and by practising out loud you’ll be better prepared for the real thing.

‘After 2 to 3 minutes, the nerves naturally begin to ease’

Tip 3) Treat it as a conversation

If someone at a party asks: ‘What do you do for work?’ we don’t spontaneously have a panic attack. But the moment we have to talk about our work in front of a large group of people on a stage, the nerves kick in. What is the difference between a conversation at a party and a presentation? In the first case, your conversation partner responds to what you’re saying. Someone nods, hums, or smiles, for instance. During a presentation, no one in the audience feels responsible for reacting. You have a motionless wall of eyes staring back at you. If, however, you direct part of a sentence directly at a specific person, you’ll find that they do respond non-verbally. That’s reassuring. For a brief moment, it feels as though you’re having an ordinary conversation. Then move your gaze to someone else and do the same. Seek out people who already look friendly — that feels more comfortable, and they’re often more inclined to nod encouragingly or smile. If you feel brave enough, you could even pose a question to your audience. It can feel quite daunting the first time, but when people talk back, it almost always creates a relaxed atmosphere straight away.

More tips in the podcast

Would you like to know more? I have several podcast episodes ready for you to help you along! Visit www.takethestage.nl and click on ‘podcast’. In the most recent episode, you’ll hear how I overcame my own (years-long!) fear of public speaking, and you’ll get more tips to help you present with confidence.