At Toastmasters we do a lot on what to do on stage, and how to write compelling speech content, but not always what to do in the days, hours and mins before – here are my 7 top tips for mentally and physically preparing for a presentation.
Part of a course I’m developing to help people overcome fear of public speaking – the other parts focus on:
- Strategies from NLP & CBT we can use for dealing with a fight or flight response on stage
- Speaking techniques around body language, voice and content
- Mentally rehearse your presentation going amazingly well
- Brain can’t distinguish between real & imagined events e.g. dream you got it on with your boss
- Sports athletes show same improvement if imagine OR practice
- Mental rehearsal is like telling your brain how to behave
- Power dress – what you wear affects your emotional state and cognitive abilities
- Study done in 2012: doctor’s lab coat thought more clearly and had better sustained attention than those who didn’t
- Smart, professional
- Layers
- Avoid light coloured shirts that show sweat patches!
- Comfortable shoes – don’t wear heels that make you look unstable
- Watch what you drink
- Avoid caffeine – increases cortisal, is a diuretic
- Avoid fizzy drinks – already swallow air when we’re nervous, don’t need to be more gassy!
- Drink water – improves focus, rehydrates you
- Arrive early to check out the room
- ‘Normalise’ standing at the front
- Check through your ppt
- Get used to speaking with mic – swap if need
- Also gives you a chance to meet & greet audience – get in show mode/friendly faces in crowd
- Burn off some adrenaline by exercising lightly before stage
- Brisk walk, sink and stretch exercise
- Do a power pose 5 minutes before speaking
- Power pose = open and expansive like when animals feel powerful they spread out
- Study by Amy Cuddy – increase in Testosterone and decrease in cortisol
- Smile – releases serotonin and dopamine. Can even use a pen to fake smile
- Breathe from your stomach
- Diaphramagtic breathing – stomach fully deflates on outbreath
I hope you’ll find that useful – In my experience these things really make a difference to your performance and even more crucially, how you feel about your experience – which is so important for creating positive experiences.
