Tips for Managing Anxiety

1. You will never be perfectly calm so don't expect to be. However, you can make the anxiety work to your advantage.
2. Try not to spend too much time before your presentation worrying. Don't change your regular routine.
3. Arrive at the place where you are giving your speech early enough to get organized and feel comfortable with your surroundings.
4. Talk about topics that you are interested in.
5. Be prepared. Be organized. Make sure you rehearse out loud.
6. Use highlighters to emphasize the transitions and sources on your notes.
7. 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.
8. Use a tape recorder to practice your speech. This will allow for the development of a conversational/natural speaking style.
9. Practice standing up as though you were actually giving the speech. If possible, go to the room you will speak in and rehearse there.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Remember to breathe and swallow during your speech. Use pauses as places to breathe and/or swallow.
13. 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.
14. It's perfectly acceptable to pause to collect your thoughts.
15. 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.
16. Try to just act naturally. Be yourself and let your personality come through.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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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