Tips
for Managing Anxiety
- You will
never be perfectly calm so don’t expect to be. However,
you can make the anxiety work to your advantage.
- Try not
to spend too much time before your presentation worrying. Don’t
change your regular routine.
- Arrive at
the place where you are giving your speech early enough to get
organized and feel comfortable with your surroundings.
- Talk about
topics that you are interested in.
- Be prepared.
Be organized. Make sure you rehearse out loud.
- Use highlighters
to emphasize the transitions and sources on your notes.
- Deliver
your speech with the same notes with which you rehearsed. Do
not rewrite the notes unless you have plenty of time to practice
with the new version.
- Use a tape
recorder to practice your speech. This will allow for the development
of a conversational/natural speaking style.
- Practice
standing up as though you were actually giving the speech. If
possible, go to the room you will speak in and rehearse there.
- Practice
your speech out loud. The ears have sense memory just as your
body does, and you will retain more of the speech if you practice
aloud.
- Avoid writing
your speech out word for word. Instead, work with concepts and
ideas. It is natural and desirable for a speech to be phrased
somewhat differently every time it is delivered.
- Remember
to breathe and swallow during your speech. Use pauses as places
to breathe and/or swallow.
- If you suffer
from cottonmouth, drink water before speaking. It’s often
okay to bring a water bottle to the podium with you. It also
helps to suck a super-sour piece of hard candy before you speak – one
that doesn’t turn your tongue a funny color.
- It’s
perfectly acceptable to pause to collect your thoughts.
- On the day
of your speech, wear clothing that is comfortable, but professional.
If you feel confident about your appearance, it will show in
your demeanor.
- Try to just
act naturally. Be yourself and let your personality come through.
- If there
is a chance that you will play with your watch, earrings, rings,
necklace, glasses, etc., take them off before giving the speech.
However, don’t call attention to this by waiting until
your name is called for speaking.
- Use gestures
to release some of the physical tension. Don’t try to freeze
yourself. Practice in front of a mirror and watch your gestures.
- If you stumble
over a word or forget how to pronounce a word, simply say the
world and go on with the speech. Don’t call attention to
it by apologizing profusely.
- Be very
familiar with your preview and transitions. If you blank in the
middle of a main point, summarize it and go on to the next transition.
Don’t say things like “I don’t know what the
next point is,”
or “I forgot that point.” If you don’t tell us,
we probably won’t know you forgot something.
[Most tips obtained
from the Oral Communication Program web page sponsored by the William
& Mary Department of Theater and Speech, http://www.wm.edu/oral-communication/anxiety.html]
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