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How to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really!)

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Why do I get nervous before presenting?

How not to be nervous when presenting, 5 techniques to control your nerves, quotes for inspiration, speak with confidence.

If you feel nervous or scared about talking to someone new, giving a speech, or being on stage, rest assured: you’re not alone. 

Experiencing symptoms of performance anxiety like an increased heart rate, trembling hands, or excessive sweating is perfectly normal. In fact, people often fear public speaking . But the more you’re immersed in these types of situations, the more comfortable you’ll become . 

We’ll explore how to not be nervous for a presentation and offer inspirational quotes to help you step out of your comfort zone.

Based on data from the National Social Anxiety Center, fear of public speaking is the most common phobia . The official term for this fear is glossophobia, colloquially termed stage fright.

Stage fright typically arises from the perception that when you're in front of a group of people, they'll judge you. The brain’s frontal lobe aids in memory, and when we’re stressed, increased stress hormones temporarily shut that region down . This is what causes us to freeze up and stop talking. 

There’s nothing wrong with being nervous. We all have different social comfort zones, communication styles, and presentation skills. But we can expand and improve our skills if we’re cognitively flexible .

Cognitive flexibility plays a big role in our behavior and attitudes and impacts our performance. You can use your fears as a catalyst for growth and learning — including giving a great presentation.

The following techniques will help you shift your thinking from reactive to proactive to combat nerves throughout the presentation experience:

Before the presentation:

1. Know your topic

Don’t wing it when it comes to presenting any topic. The better you understand your subject matter, the more confident you’ll feel. You can answer questions right away and won’t have to rely on your notes.

If there are a few points or any information you think might arise during the presentation or Q&A, research it and become comfortable speaking to the subject.

Here are a few ways to study: 

• Break down concepts onto notecards
• Practice answering questions  (especially the hard ones you hope no one asks)
• Explain complex information to peers and colleagues

2. Be organized

Take time to thoroughly plan each aspect of the presentation. Often, that means designing PowerPoint slides or other visual aids like videos. Clarify with the organizer what format and technology you’ll be using.

If it’ll be virtual, get your background and room organized, too. This ensures the presentation will go smoothly, in turn reducing stress.  Consider the following preparations:

• Invite your support network to the event
• Arrive early to set up tech and get comfortable in the space
• Practice timing your presentation with the time tracker you’ll use day-of
• Bring a water bottle and a snack
• Contact your manager or venue staff to discuss any accessibility or tech concerns

3. Practice, practice, practice

Whether you’re rehearsing in front of a mirror, family member, or pet, you can never practice enough. Ask for feedback about your body language , eye contact , and how loudly you project your voice.

If you’ll be giving the presentation on a video conference, record it on the platform to see how you look and sound.

4. Visualize your success

Thinking through possible outcomes is a great way to prepare — but it can also backfire on you. If you obsess over negative what-ifs, this failing mentality might become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

The more often you fill your mind with positive thoughts and visualize your success, the more automatic they’ll be. Positive self-talk can make a big difference to your confidence. Run through the presentation — successfully — in your head.

During the presentation:

5. Focus on your material, not the audience

Your audience is there for your presentation — not to assess you. They’ll be looking at your colorful slides and listening to what you’re saying. Don’t let your mind fill with insecurities . 

6 . Don't fear silence

If your mind suddenly goes blank, that’s okay. It may seem like an eternity to you as you try to figure out what to say next, but it’s only a few seconds at most. 

Pausing isn’t a bad thing, anyway. You can use dramatic breaks advantageously to draw attention before the most important bits. 

7 . Speak slowly

Presentation anxiety often causes nervous energy, so we speak faster than normal. This might make you fumble your words or forget important details.

Slow down. Audience members will be thankful since they can understand you , and drawing out your speech will give you time to calm down, ground yourself , and stay organized.

8 . Take deep breaths and drink water

Breathing delivers oxygen to your brain, allowing you to think more clearly. Drinking water ups your energy, and also gives you a moment to pause. 

Smiling is a simple yet effective way to soothe your nerves. Doing so releases endorphins, helping you physically feel more confident. And a friendly face will make the audience more open to what you’re saying. 

10 . Remember the three "audience truths"

These include: 1) for the duration of the presentation, the audience believes you’re the expert, 2) they’re on your side, and 3) they don’t know when you make a mistake. 

After the presentation:

11. Recognize your success

Giving a presentation is something worth being proud of — celebrate it! In addition to family, friends, and coworkers, you deserve a high five from yourself, too.

1 2. Collect feedback

Feedback is a wonderful gift if you use it as a tool to help you do even better next time. Ask some of your audience members what they liked and what they didn’t. Remember, you can learn a lot from your mistakes . 

1 3. Don't beat yourself up

You did the best you could, and that’s all anyone — including you — can ask for. 

Nervousness is perfectly normal, but sometimes our symptoms hold us back from doing — and enjoying — scarier tasks. Here are five tips for overcoming nerves:

1. Practice impression management

Impression management requires projecting an image that contradicts how you actually feel. It’s essentially a “fake it ‘til you make it” strategy.  Let’s say you’re about to make a corporate-wide presentation and feel worried you’ll forget important information. You’ll counteract this worry by imagining yourself remembering every detail and delivering it entertainingly.

Learn from this practice by noting the information chosen in your hypothetical and how you expressed it effectively. 

2. Talk to someone

Emotions are contagious. We absorb others’ positive vibes . Chatting with people who are excited about and confident in our presentation abilities rubs off on us. 

Before a presentation, call a cheerleader in your life — someone who’s on your side and understands your nerves. Be specific, discussing which parts of presenting are nerve-wracking and what you need from them.

3. Do breathing exercises

Mindful breathing is when you pay attention to the sensation of inhaling and exhaling while controlling and deepening breath length. Breathwork has several health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety and improving memory, attention, and focus. 

Before the presentation, find a quiet and solitary space. Breathe deeply for at least a minute, focusing on sensation and depth. This practice brings you into your body and out of your mind (away from nerve-wracking thoughts).

4. Practice reframing 

Reframing is a technique used in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to improve negative automatic thought patterns over time. One such pattern is viewing certain emotions as bad, and others as good. Nervousness feels the same in the body as excitement. Instead of panicking even more when realizing you’re nervous, reframe your impression of nerves as excitement for what you’re about to do.

This excitement will propel you forward with confidence and pride for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something scary.

Here are seven inspirational quotes to help you feel confident and excited when doing something you’re nervous about:

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” John Ford

“ When speaking in public, your message — no matter how important — will not be effective or memorable if you don't have a clear structure. ” Patricia Fripp

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”  Sir Ralph Richardson

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” Lady Bird Johnson

“It’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in public.” Tony Robbins

“The worst speech you’ll ever give will be far better than the one you never give.” Fred Miller

Like any other skill, learning how to not be nervous for a presentation takes time and practice. Acknowledging this hurdle is the first step to making a change in the right direction.  Facing your fears will empower you to take on scarier — and more fulfilling — goals and enjoy the experience along the way. You don’t have to start with a TED Talk. Tackle small challenges like presenting an idea to your manager or practicing a short speech with a friend.  We won’t sugarcoat it — it’s hard to change our minds and habits. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be rewarded with increased confidence and new experiences.

Elizabeth Perry

Content Marketing Manager, ACC

30 presentation feedback examples

6 presentation skills and how to improve them, how to give a good presentation that captivates any audience, reading the room gives you an edge — no matter who you're talking to, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, the self presentation theory and how to present your best self, josh bersin on the importance of talent management in the modern workplace, 8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips), the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, similar articles, 8 tip to improve your public speaking skills, the importance of good speech: 5 tips to be more articulate, overcome your public speaking anxiety with these 10 tips, power poses: how to feel more confident with body language, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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22 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before a Speech or Presentation

by Janice Tomich

• Fear of Public Speaking

So, you have a big presentation coming up. Maybe you’ve been invited to pitch an idea to your boss or deliver a presentation to an industry association. Maybe you’re even giving the keynote .

Your first reaction is to jump at the opportunity. Then, as the day gets closer your pre-presentation nerves start getting the better of you.

As your public speaking anxiety ramps up, you can hear the sound of your heart thumping in your ears. Your clothes are sticking to your skin. Nights before the big day you toss and turn in bed.

Thankfully there are lots of ways to manage your presentation jitters.

Notice the emphasis on the word “manage.”

Nervousness isn’t something you can entirely get rid of. But when you increase your skills—by learning these anxiety management techniques—you can begin to quiet the feelings that fuel the unhelpful stories that take up far too much time in your head.

These are some of the tried-and-true tips I give to my public speaking coaching clients, many of whom struggle with nervousness when they have a presentation looming.

Table of Contents

How to Calm Down Before a Speech or Presentation: 22 Techniques

1. understand fight or flight.

Almost everyone feels some degree of nervousness when they need to present. Thanks to our Neanderthal ancestors, the body’s response to your amygdala getting hijacked and going into fight or flight is a deeply embedded, primal reaction.

Public speaking, however, is not the same as being attacked by a sabre toothed tiger.

The best way to manage this innate response is simply to realize that it’s part of your DNA, hardwired into what it means to be human. This awareness will help tamp down your public speaking nerves and put them in context.

2. Nerves and Anxiety Are a Habit

Behaviours follows triggers. For many people, the fear of public speaking fuels overthinking and worrying, which then results in them feeling more anxious. According to Dr. Judd Brewer , this creates an anxiety loop in which we convince ourselves that we are being constructive and solving a problem.

When you feel your heart racing or your monkey brain telling you doomsday stories, notice where it feels tight or uncomfortable in your body. One way to begin managing your anxiety is to notice where in your body you’re feeling it from. As with the fight-or-flight response, simply knowing about the anxiety loop gives you insight can helps it to stop progressing.

​​​​Sucheta Misra Associate VP Inclusion & Diversity and Social Impact Leader

3. Take a Deep Breath

Breathing sounds easy!

Actually it’s not.

When you get anxious you’ll find yourself taking rapid breaths, restricted to the upper half of your chest. Physiologically, shallow breathing fuels nervous reactions. Instead, consciously take a few deep breaths. This will naturally regulate your heightened emotions. Your heart rate and you will instantly feel more relaxed.

If you have a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other device that monitors your heart rate you’ll be amazed to see how quickly your heart rate will drop by simply taking in a series of deep breaths. Try it!

4. Transform Your Nervous Energy Into Excitement

Anxiety and excitement are similar emotions. Both are high states of arousal accompanied by things such as a rapid heart rate, dry mouth, sweaty palms and sometimes a feeling or sensation of being “outside” of your body.

Typically, we view anxiety as negative and excitement as positive. Anxiety is uncomfortable. We’d much rather feel excitement than anxiety.

Because both are heightened states of arousal, however, you can actually trick your brain into feeling excited instead of anxious by using awareness and reframing techniques. Positive thinking and using affirming self-talk can flip the switch from anxiety to excitement.

Try it. The next time you feel anxiety bubbling up, simply say “I feel excited.” Yes, say it out loud!

Using this simple tip, it’s possible to change a negative mindset to a positive one. You’ve set yourself up nicely for your next presentation.

If you’re lost and unsure about how to make your presentation compelling, I can help.

5. Smile, Even if You’re Feeling Anxious

Smiling helps lower your stress level by releasing endorphins, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure.

Yes, as easy as smiling!

6. Use Relaxation Exercises

Meditation is the simple act of being aware of what’s in front of us … no yoga mat or meditation cushion required. Meditation can subdue the nervous tension that comes with delivering presentations.

Recently, a client shared with me his rather surprising meditative process. It’s slightly unusual (and had me laughing).

Before every presentation, he goes to a fast food restaurant and orders a cheeseburger. Then, he consciously watches as he orders his food, receives his order, and then eats it. Apparently this meditative ritual works for him every time.

A more common approach (than the cheeseburger routine) is to simply be observant of your environment while you’re walking, or consciously feel the sensation of water falling on your body when you take your morning shower.

Meditation techniques lower your anxiety because you won’t cycle through all worrying “what if’s”. Instead, simply be present.

7. Burn Off Energy by Doing Some Cardio

Moving your body and getting your heart pumping also releases endorphins which can help quell any pre-presentation anxiety .

I’ve been known to do a few fast-walking laps around a conference centre to reduce the stress I feel before I deliver a speech or presentation.

Going for a quick run or cycle before your event are terrific anxiety-busters too!

8. Use Visualization Techniques

Did you know you can strengthen muscles without even moving them ?

Elite athletes, such as golfers, practice watching (in their mind’s eye) their ball land on the green or in the cup. The visualization exercise builds muscle memory to help hit the ball successfully, so it lands where the golfer intended.

Public speakers can use visualization techniques to manage anxiety, too.

As your presentation day nears, take your mind on a walking tour. Imagine every detail – in your mind’s eye walk onto the stage, deliver your speech, listen to the applause, and then leave the stage. Do the visualization with a positive outlook to set yourself for an anxiety-free delivery.

9. Be Prepared

Preparing in the content of your presentation in the ‘theatre of your mind’ is a trap. Practicing this way lulls you into thinking that all is well as you run through your presentation self correcting.

Only practicing your actual words will prepare you for the live event. You’ll establish exactly what you want to say, and how to say it, which will boost your confidence and soothe any nervousness.

10. Practice, Practice, and Then Practice Some More

I have never had a client tell me they wished they’d practiced less.

My advice for how to practice delivering a speech or presentation is to practice until you are tired of hearing yourself, which typically clocks in at 30 hours of practice for a one-hour presentation .

Pro Tip: Once you have practiced your entire presentation a few times, you only practice the parts which are tripping you up. There’s no value in practicing from start to finish when you’re only challenged by specific sections.

11. Drink Water to Stay Hydrated During Your Presentation

Having a dry mouth can cause you to trip over your words, which will rev up even more nervous tension. Beginning a few days before you’re scheduled to deliver your speech, increase your water intake so your words will flow easily.

Pro Tip: Pop one of these lozenges in your mouth a few minutes before you go on stage. They work wonders to coat your mouth and throat.

12. Prepare an Excellent Opening to Your Presentation

I don’t recommend memorizing your entire presentation or speech. But I do recommend memorizing the open and close.

Anxiety often ramps up in the first 30 seconds of your presentation. By committing to memory the beginning (and the close) you’ll prevent yourself from having a rocky start or lacklustre finish.

13. Employ the Power of the Pause

You likely talk too fast when you’re nervous. With the rapid fire of your words comes an increase in your stress level.

Pauses are a brilliant technique slow down your speech, and avoid talking too quickly.

Look through your presentation and find the most important points you want your audience to take back to the office. Place a pause in the front and back end of these sections.

Not only do pauses help your audience understand the important points, it gives you some breathing room and slows down your rate of speaking.

14. Before You Present, Test the Technology

There’s nothing like technology not working to rattle your nerves — even for seasoned presenters.

Whether you’re online or in person, make sure you’re comfortable with the technology you’ll be using.

If you’re delivering online ask a friend or colleague to do a technology run-through.

If you’re delivering live on stage most event planners invite their presenters for a pre-presentation tech check.

Take advantage of the time to test the technology so you can deliver without having to worry about which button to click or where to stand.

15. Arrive Early, Before You’re Scheduled to Present

Whether online or in person, arrive 20 to 30 minutes before you’re scheduled to present.

Give yourself lots of time to settle in and feel comfortable in your surroundings. Arriving early will give you the opportunity to check out where everything is situated, which will stop any last minute scrambling that could leave you unsettled.

16. Walk Around. Own Your Space.

When you walk into a space cold — not having been on-site before — it’s challenging to know how much space you can take advantage of.

Take the time to walk around the presentation space (This applies to both live events and online ones.)

There is comfort in knowing how much “real estate” you have to move through. Feel your feet on the floor.

17. Attend Your Colleagues’ Presentations

Likewise, take the time to get comfortable in the event itself. Stop in and listen to your colleagues’ presentations, and encourage them to attend yours.

Building a sense of camaraderie helps you feel supported by your peers, which helps release the nervous energy soothe your pre-presentation jitters.

18. Meet Your Audience Before Your Presentation

When I deliver a presentation I arrive well in advance of when I’m scheduled to deliver so I can meet the people who will be attending my talk.

It’s a good investment. Meeting your audience beforehand “warms” the room (makes you and them feel more comfortable). This allows you to better connect with your audience.

19. Connect Through Good Eye Contact

During your presentation, connect with the audience using effective eye contact. Make this an easy win by following tip #19 and reading my article with five tips for making eye contact .

20. Use Powerful Body Language

Try slumping over. How do you feel? Low on energy?

Now stand tall with your shoulders back and your head held high. How do you feel now? I suspect you feel high energy/confident.

Your posture affects how you feel. The small shift from slumped to taking up lots of space makes a big difference to your level of confidence .

21. Avoid Alcohol & Caffeine in the Lead-Up to the Event

We all know the effects of excessive alcohol and caffeine. One will leave you too relaxed, and the other too jittery.

Save the drinks until after your presentation, and limit yourself to one cup of coffee or tea before you present to deliver your speech as the best version of yourself.

22. Sleep Well the Night Before

A day or two before you are scheduled to deliver your speech plan to have your slides completed and confident you know your content inside out.

Don’t spend the night before adjusting slides and practicing. Trying to create a perfect presentation at the last minute will only ramp up your anxiety.

Schedule lots of time to prepare in the weeks leading up to the event, so can feel refreshed to meet your audience.

If you’re struggling with presentation nerves choose a few of the techniques which resonated with you. Give them a try. It’s though practice and increasing your public speaking skills that you’ll get a handle on your nerves.

Watching my clients build their communication & public speaking confidence is my sweet spot. Reach out to discover how we might work together so you can manage any presentation anxiety you might be experiencing.

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Give the keynote. Without the nerves.

The Fear of Public Speaking: 25 Tips to Calm Your Nerves

by Matt Eventoff

1. Prepare:  The more you prepare and the better handle you have on the material you are presenting, the better it will go.

2. Practice:  Once you have prepared, you MUST practice, early and often. Rumor has it that Churchill practiced for one hour per one minute of speech content he was delivering. 5 minute presentation = 5 hours practice. How long are you practicing ?

3. Check out the Room:  Familiarity breeds comfort. Surprises the day of a presentation are not fun and ratchet up anxiety tenfold. Is there a podium? What technology are you using and does it work?

4. Read the Room:  While not always an option, when you have the opportunity to meet a few audience members beforehand, take it! Arrive ten minutes early and introduce yourself to a few people. If you are presenting mid-day, arrive before a key break to meet a few folks.

5. “Seed” the Audience:  Ask friends, associates or colleagues come to your presentation. Talk to the conference organizers when you arrive. Locate them before you take the stage, if possible. Identify where friendly faces are sitting. The purpose – to have friendly faces to focus on if the anxiety starts to build.

6. Remember the audience is on your side:  9 times out of 10, the audience is rooting for you to succeed, not waiting for you to fall flat.

7. Breathing:  My three favorite breathing techniques – 3 Deep Belly Breathes, Ujjaiy breathing, and the Alternate Nostril technique – these techniques are explained in further detail at the end

8. Listen to Music:  Watch a boxing or MMA competition or an NFL or NBA pre-game show and you will see world class athletes entering the locker room listening to music, getting in the zone, eliminating distraction and chasing away anxiety and negative thoughts. It works prior to public speaking as well; an iPod can be a presenter’s best friend.

9. Visualization:  It works. Professional boxers, when shadow boxing, do not throw random punches — they are visualizing an opponent and quite literally sparring with that visualization. Ballplayers do the same thing before approaching the plate. Elite athletes, musicians, actors and dancers utilize visualization regularly — Todd Hargrove has an excellent article on visualization in athletics here . Visualization, if done properly, works for speakers and presenters as well.

10. Body Movement:  A few minutes before “taking the stage” – “Waggle” (lateral movement) your jaw; bend forward and dangle your arms and let them shake; shake your hands over your head; utilize simple stretches and isometric stretches (more on that later) — all of these movements, when incorporated with proper breathing, warm the body, relax the mind and calm your nerves.

11. Body Movement, Pt. II:  As a former amateur boxer, nothing prepares me to speak better than light shadow boxing a few minutes before I have to speak. I know a CEO who (literally) does 20 pushups prior to every earnings call. Focused movement helps even more than just generic movement because it tends to take your thought process in a different direction.

12. Do Sit-Ups:  There is a school of thought that suggest that constricting the abdominal wall prevents the production of epinephrine, a hormone associated with fight or flight response. The most effective way to utilize this approach prior to speaking is to “crunch” and release the abdominal muscles while standing (lying down and doing sit ups is probably not optimal!)

13. Put the Pressure Elsewhere:  The more interactive your presentation, the less pressure you will feel, as the presentation becomes a true conversation, and most people are much more comfortable in a conversation than delivering a presentation.

14. Caffeine Free:  I always avoid copious amounts of caffeine (due to the epinephrine effect), and salty foods (to avoid drying out my mouth) on presentation day. I also tend to eat lighter on performance day as this keeps me sharp and “light.”

15. Utilize Props:  A properly placed water bottle and well-timed break in the presentation to take a sip not only gives the presenter a break for a few seconds, it draws attention back to the presenter, and can be effective to “reset” the audience.

16. Work on your Open:  The first minute of the presentation is usually when your tension will peak; having a well prepared, effective, engaging open will lessen anxiety dramatically. You can find some ideas on how to open effectively here.

17. The Restroom:  Don’t laugh, on presentation day the restroom is your ally. Ten or fifteen minutes before presenting, head into the restroom to allow yourself the opportunity to breathe, listen to a last minute song or inspirational music, close your eyes and get into your zone. If called upon to do a last minute presentation, you will always be able to steal five minutes in the restroom – use it to pull yourself, and your thoughts, together.

18. Anxiety…Interrupted:  When the anxiety is building and you are less than five minutes from taking the stage, your heart is starting to pound, heat is building and you keep telling yourself to calm down my favorite technique is to pick a random number – 1,795 and start counting backwards….by another random number – 7s, 9s, 11s, etc. It is not easy and allows for thought interruption, essentially plateauing the building anxiety

19. Anxiety…Distracted:  Maybe you are a math wizard, or the number technique is not effective for you. Start reciting the alphabet backward (mentally). Again, more thought process disruption.

20. Remember the reality:  I have worked with thousands of speakers over the years and have to come to the conclusion that you are always more nervous than you appear.

21. Remember the reality, Pt. II:  In most cases, your presentation is infinitely more important to you than to your audience members – it is your job to peak their collective interest. The reality is that 99.9999…% of the time, the nightmare scenarios you envision will not come true.

22. Breathing Exercise # 1:  Three Deep Belly Breaths – Sounds like what it is. Slowly inhale through the nose for a count of 5-15 (15 is optimal). Keep one hand on your diaphragm and feel it enlarge as you inhale. Hold for 5-10 seconds, and then exhale through your mouth slowly, again for a count of 5-15 seconds (15 is optimal). Repeat three times. This is awesome to do for the few minutes before you are actually going to be speaking.

23. Breathing Exercise #2:  Ujjaiy Breathing – Also known as Oceanic or Victorious Breathing – it is remarkable. It is a yogic breathing technique I first learned from struggling through Vinyasa yoga classes. Similar to deep belly breathing, however this time the mouth stays closed the entire time.

24. Breathing Exercise #3:  Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique (my favorite) – All you need for this is your thumb, your pinkie finger, and your nose. To begin, simply cover your left nostril with your left thumb, and slowly and deeply inhale for 5 seconds to start (10 is optimal). Then immediately cover your right nostril with your left pinkie finger, while keeping your left nostril pressed closed – at all times your mouth is closed as well, so at this point you are essentially holding your breathe. Again, hold for 5 seconds (10 is optimal). Then remove your left thumb from your left nostril and slowly exhale for a 10 count. Wait two seconds and repeat the same technique, inhaling through your left nostril as your right nostril is still closed, etc.

25. Use Notes:  Memorization + anxiety = poor performance. An index card with key bullet points, just to keep you on track, will help free your mind to stay in the moment, rather than allowing the pressure to remember to add to the anxiety you are already feeling on presentation day.

There are other effective tactics and strategies including taking advantage of great programs that allow you to practice presenting in front of likeminded professionals (Toastmasters), seeking professional help to develop individual techniques to deal with a specific anxiety or aspect of presenting and in extreme cases seeking the expertise of a therapist.

One last technique is one I frequently suggest to people who have had a traumatic public speaking experience in the past, and the technique is scaling.  After a traumatic experience your memory tends to exaggerate how poorly the event went, and the more time that goes by without that thought pattern being interrupted, the “bigger” the event feels, and the more anxious you feel prior to the next presentation. In this case it is critical to break this pattern, and that is done through scaling – finding low stakes…..

The next time you are about to present, do yourself a favor and take a deep breath. Picture Winston Churchill or Abraham Lincoln. Two of the greatest orators ever, both suffering from a fear of public speaking. Think about major Hollywood actors and actresses, many of who also suffer from glossophobia. You are not alone, and I can promise that if you institute much of what you just read, your next presentation will be better.

6 thoughts on “ The Fear of Public Speaking: 25 Tips to Calm Your Nerves ”

Matt, your posts are inciteful and extremely helpful. Thank you…..

I am a music teacher in a small Las Vegas studio and I am scheduled to give a seminar this weekend on calming performance jitters.  I have read many useless articles (roll your shoulders, etc) but this was the first list I've ever seen that is right on target and extremely helpful.  Thank you so much for your insights and good advice.  I'm sure my students will find this as beneficial as I do.

P.S.  My seminar is entitled, "Picturing them in their underwear doesn't work."

Thanks Matt. Another tip that I try to use is to remind myself of other, more important presentations I have done in the past and how well they went despite me feeling very nervous. I always got through them. I have a list of about 25 presentations I have done in work, at conferences, at University, viva exams, etc. They remind you that you know your stuff and can get over the fear. I try to think of my heart racing as "feeling alive" and try to use it as a positive. Practice is the best tip though. The more comfortable you are, the easy it is. That first few lines are the key. Nail them and you will feel great and the practicing will kick in for the rest of the presentation. You will live. No one is dying. Your life doesn't depend on it. Focus on what you will be able to do afterwards and how good you will feel once it is all out of the way.

Thank you 🙂

This really helped! My worst fear is public speaking and after reading this article, I feel pretty confident about my speech tomorrow. Thanks!

Comments are closed.

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Article • 10 min read

Managing Presentation Nerves

How to calm your stage fright.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Your stomach is queasy, your palms are sweaty, and your mind has gone blank about your opening lines. What will you be like when you've been introduced and the room goes quiet?

Are you doomed to presentation panic or paralysis, or can you overcome that debilitating nervousness and deliver a speech that wows the audience? (Or at least leaves them feeling satisfied?)

If you're like most people, then public speaking or presenting is one of your major fears (it's known as "glossophobia"). Yet these skills are often called upon. It might not be to an audience of hundreds, but giving presentations to staff or even team members is a common enough occurrence. You owe it to yourself to develop some strategies and techniques to manage your nerves so that you can concentrate on delivering an effective and engaging presentation.

A positive mindset is vital to delivering a good presentation.

How Nervous Do You Feel Before a Speech?

Notice that we didn't say to get rid of your nervousness. This is because presenting is not a natural activity, and even the most practiced presenters get a bit nervous. The point is this: your nervous energy can be used to your advantage.

When you're in a heightened state from the adrenaline that's being pumped into your body, you can use that energy to communicate enthusiastically, convincingly and passionately. The key is to decrease your level of nervousness so that you can use your energy on these positive activities, not on trying to control your nerves.

So, to harness your nervousness and bring it under control, there are six key tips to remember. These tips are all designed to help you focus on your audience and their needs rather than on yourself and how you are feeling. They all stem from one truism:

The more uncertain you are, the more nervous you will be.

The more you can control the uncertainty, the less nervousness you'll experience, and the more residual energy you'll have to devote to the presentation itself.

Six Steps to Conquering Your Presentation Nerves

1. know your audience.

Consult your audience before your presentation. The more confident you are that you're presenting them with useful and interesting material, the less nervous you'll be overall. You really don't want your presentation to be a surprise. If it is, you lose complete control over the audience's reaction, and that's a large factor in nervousness. So:

• Define your target audience.
• Ask people who are representative of the audience what they expect from the presentation.
• Run your agenda by a few people to see if they think something is missing or is overkill.
• Consider contacting participants by email beforehand and asking them a few questions about what they expect.
• Greet audience members at the door and do a quick survey of why they're there and what they expect.

2. Know Your Material

Nothing is worse for nerves than trying to give a presentation on a topic that you're not well prepared for. This doesn't mean you have to be an expert beforehand, but you'd better know it backward on presentation day. And making sure that you've understood your audience and their needs properly will help you to ensure that your material is on target to meet their needs.

Another important point to remember is that you can't possibly cover everything you know in your presentation. That would likely be long and boring. So select the most pertinent points, and supplement them with other material if time allows.

To make your material interesting and memorable, include occasional questions to encourage audience participation. This enhances the learning experience and gives you a break from presenting. It also allows you to deliver your information in a more conversational manner which is often more believable.

3. Structure Your Presentation

A common technique for trying to calm nervousness is memorizing what you intend to say. But all this does is make your delivery sound like it's coming from a robot. If you miss a word or draw a blank, your whole presentation is thrown off, and then your nervousness compounds itself with every remaining second. It's far better to structure your presentation so that you give yourself clues to what's coming next.

Here are some tips for doing that:

• Have a set of key phrases listed on a cue card.
• Refer to these phrases to trigger your mind as to what's coming up next.
• If you're using slides, use these key phrases in your transitions.

This approach helps you to control your own uncertainty about whether you'll remember your presentation – both what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it.

A simple, widely used and highly effective structure is to tell the audience what you're going to say, then say it, and then recap what you've said. Our article on How to Structure a Presentation covers this in detail.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice

Although you should avoid memorizing your presentation, you do want to be very comfortable with your delivery. Familiarity brings confidence, and practice helps you to deliver the words naturally. This means that they will be coming more from your heart and mind, rather than from a piece of paper.

Here's what to do when you're rehearsing:

• Learn the organization and order of your presentation.
• If you do feel the need to memorize, limit it to your opening. This will help you get off to a smooth start.
• Try filming yourself. You'll discover what you look and sound like to others, and then you can make a plan to change the things that need changing.
• Prepare for large speaking events by practicing with a smaller audience first; for example, by inviting colleagues to listen to a "dry run" during their lunch hour.

5. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Once you know what you're going to say, you need to prepare yourself for the actual delivery.

• Decide what you're going to wear – make it comfortable and appropriate.
• Arrive early and get your equipment set up.
• Anticipate problems and have backups and contingencies in place in case something doesn't work, you forget something, etc.
• If possible, give everything one last run-through in the real environment.
• Prepare responses to anticipated questions. Try to think like that one person in the front row who always tries to trip the presenter up.

6. Calm Yourself From the Inside

Nervousness causes physiological reactions which are mostly attributed to the increase in adrenaline in your system. You can counteract these effects with a few simple techniques:

• Practice deep breathing. Adrenaline causes you to breathe shallowly. By breathing deeply your brain will get the oxygen it needs, and the slower pace will trick your body into believing that you're calmer. It also helps with voice quivers, which can occur when your breathing is irregular.
• Drink water. Adrenaline can cause a dry mouth, which in turn leads to getting tongue-tied. Have a glass of water handy. Take sips occasionally, especially when you want to emphasize a point.
• Smile. This is a natural relaxant that sends positive chemicals through your body.
• Use visualization techniques . Imagine that you're delivering your presentation to an audience that's interested, enthused, smiling, and reacting positively. Cement this positive image in your mind, and recall it right before you're ready to go on.
• Press and massage your forehead to energize the front of the brain and speech center.
• Just before you start talking, pause, make eye contact, and smile. This last moment of peace is very relaxing and gives you time to adjust to being the center of attention.
• Speak more slowly than you would in a conversation , and leave longer pauses between sentences. This slower pace will calm you down, and it will also make you easier to hear, especially at the back of a large room.
• Move around during your presentation. This will expend some of your nervous energy.
• Stop thinking about yourself . Remember that the audience is there to get some information – and it's your job to put it across to them.

To take this to the next level, listen to our " Performing Under Pressure " Expert Interview with Dr Don Greene. This gives you many more tips and techniques for managing performance stress.

When it comes to presenting, nerves are inevitable. Letting them get the better of you is not. You need to develop a strategy for taking the focus off your nervousness and putting that energy to positive use.

By controlling as much of the uncertainty as you can, you'll increase your confidence in your ability to deliver an excellent presentation. This confidence then counteracts your nerves, and you create a positive cycle for yourself.

For your next presentation, be knowledgeable, be well-practiced and prepared, and try out some physical relaxation techniques. Amaze yourself and impress your audience with your calm and cool delivery of a great presentation.

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How to calm your nerves before a big presentation: 12 practical, confidence-building tips

First, I confess, I have no magic bullets. Calming your nerves before a presentation is not about one ‘quick fix’, it’s about getting all the little things right.   

How to calm your nerves before a presentation

Here are my 12 quick tips to calm your nerves before a presentation.

1. Keep the presentation structure simple

The best presentation structure is a simple one. It allows the audience to stay fully focused on what you have to say. Another huge benefit is that it gives you confidence and a much greater sense of control.

Don’t have a ‘laundry list’ of content. As you develop your presentation, apply our simple, powerful presentation structure . You’ll already be ahead.

2. Practice, practice, practice

Practice in the location that you’ll be giving the presentation . If this is possible, it really helps. Book the room ahead of time, and practice. If not, book a similar room. If all else fails, lock yourself in the bathroom and practice in front of a mirror!

And if it’s a virtual presentation, practice in front of your laptop. Even better, open a virtual meeting (just for yourself) and record your practice. Review, practice, review, practice.

3. It’s a wrap!

Memorize your opening lines, and your closing lines . This will ensure that you also finish strongly, rather than just drifting to an ending.

4. Drink, (not coffee!)

Help your body prep, as well as your mind. Make sure you’re hydrated. Avoid coffee. Ideally, get a good night’s sleep too.

Basically, help your body help you!

5. Take a breath

Nerves bring rapid, shallow breathing. It’s the adrenalin at work in your body. You can overcome this with a deliberate ‘relaxation response’ to bring yourself back under control.

Make a conscious effort to slightly slow your breathing for a few minutes to regain control.

6. Cut yourself some slack

I used to get anxious about being anxious. My mental conversation would go something like this:

I’m anxious. Why am I anxious! I’m good at this, experienced, I know my stuff. WHY AM I ANXIOUS?! Damn. Stupid, stupid, stupid! #$%*@!

Naturally, that didn’t help too much. Cut yourself some slack. Recognize that it’s natural to be nervous, your adrenalin is natural and it’s making you sharp, helping you hit peak performance.

7. Roll away the nerves

Tension often accumulates in your shoulders. Take a moment to slowly roll your shoulders, 5-10 times, in both directions. It will help you dissipate the tension. (Feel free to visit the bathroom to do this, if you’d prefer!).

This Harvard Medical School article provides additional techniques to trigger a ‘ relaxation response ’ and learn how to your calm nerves before a presentation.

8. Ready, get set, chat

This is surprisingly powerful. Make sure you’re ready to present, in the meeting room (virtual or real), 5-10 minutes early.

Inevitably there will be some people arriving earlier than others. Take the time to chat with them. It will help you connect and relax.  

9. Anchor yourself with a strong posture

Your feet should be flat on the floor, a little apart, weight evenly distributed. This will give you a strong core and ensure that you don’t fidget or sway.

Rest your hands by your side. If that feels unnatural, then cup your hands together loosely in front of you. Resist the temptation to grip your hands together, twist them together, or fidget with your fingers. Practice a natural, relaxed resting position.

The same principles apply in a virtual world. When sitting you should have your feet flat on the ground, a strong central core. Hands relaxed and ready to gesture.

With a natural, confident posture, think of this as your ‘launch pad’.

10. Channel your nervous energy into enthusiasm

You know the phrase ‘nervous energy’, right? Use that energy. Use it in the right way.

The wrong way to use nervous energy:

• Wringing your hands
• Flapping or distracting movement
• Talking too fast

The right way to use nervous energy:

• Use strong, purposeful gestures
• Modulate your voice
• Bring your enthusiasm

Learning how to channel your energy will allow you to calm your nerves by using them positively or you own benefit.  

11. “Any questions?”

The fear of public speaking effects 73% of the US population (according to the National Institute of Mental Health). And I’m willing to bet that the fear of answering questions after a presentation is even higher.  

Mastering the art of confident Q&As is one more way to learn how to calm your nerves before a presentation, and one more reason to feel calm and confident!

12. Embrace your inner ‘Superman’

If you’re still feeling like an impostor, take a look at this video from Amy Cudy. Grab a coffee first, it’s a long video (21 mins), but it’s well worth the time:

Calming your nerves before a presentation: in summary

Here are the 12 tips in summary:

• Keep the presentation structure simple
• Practice, practice, practice
• Memorize your opening and closing lines
• Make sure you’re hydrated and well rested
• Slow your breathing, it will trigger a relaxation response
• Cut yourself some slack, nerves are natural
• Roll your shoulders, slowly , to reduce the tension
• Get ready early, chat before the presentation starts
• Anchor yourself with a strong posture
• Channel your nervous energy into enthusiasm
• Master the art of confident Q&As
• Embrace your inner ‘Superman’

Apply these tips and enjoy learning how to calm your nerves before a presentation!

Take the next step

Learn to become a great presenter with these effective presentation skills .

15 Best Tips On How To Calm Down Before A Presentation

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Chill out and speak up!

Do you get cold feet when you have to give a presentation? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Presentation anxiety is real! Whether your hands are trembling or your heart is pounding, public speaking can get to you. Instead of giving in to stage fright, you can see light at the end of the tunnel. To help you understand how to calm down before a presentation, we are here for you. We will explore why you feel nervous before a presentation and what you can do to calm nerves before presentation.

Why Do You Feel Anxious Before Presentation? 

You might not have known this, but yes, the fear of public speaking is widely common. Just like many are afraid of spiders, fire, or even heights, your presentation anxiety makes your hands go cold. With 73% of people from the world going through the same bouts, it’s a weird and comforting fact to know at the same time.  

Also known as “glossophobia”, speaking anxiety surfaces when you fear being judged. When you are stressed, the stress hormones temporarily shut down your frontal lobe (that helps you with your memory). So, being nervous is common, especially when we have different social comfort zones and presentation skills. You can eat foods that help with stress and follow the public speaking anxiety tricks to understand how to calm down before a presentation. 

How to Calm Yourself Before a Presentation 

Just as there are several ways to deal with airport anxiety , here’s a list of different ways you can try to get rid of your presentation anxiety. If you feel giving a presentation is a challenge, you can go through the presentation anxiety tips and stay calm throughout. 

1. Transform Your Nervousness into Excitement 

Did you know that one of the effective stress relief techniques for students is to turn your nervousness into excitement? If you think this way, nervousness and excitement are two sides of one coin. 

Do you feel your heart racing when you are nervous and excited? Yes! Do you feel a sense of anticipation in both states? Yes! 

During your presentation, think about how excited you are to share ideas instead of reflecting on what people will think of you. It is a simple shift, but the positive energy will help you find an answer to how to calm down before a presentation. 

2. Attend Other Presentations 

How to give a presentation in class may be one of the thoughts keeping you up at night. However, seeing others present their assignments & observing their styles can give you some food for thought. You can take note of how they bring the audience together, make the dialogues relatable, and structure the whole thing. 

Many use funny and emotional slides to hook their audience. Take inspiration and mould yourself as a better speaker! Take advantage of any open opportunities to attend presentations. Do not miss any chances to connect with your audience if you wish to learn how to calm down before a presentation. 

3. Practice Makes it Perfect 

Practice makes a man perfect, and who could argue for that? The more you practice alone or with your buddy, the quicker you will learn how to calm down before a presentation. You will feel confident & a zeal to perform. 

While rehearsing your speech multiple times, you will know which areas need effort. Finding room for improvement gets easier. With continuous practice, you will feel not only confident but also make the necessary changes to ace your presentation. 

4. Meet and Greet 

Go up to your audience and have a word with them. Create a space for yourself and all. This is one of the presentation anxiety tips that not everyone will tell you. As long as you feel a connection with your audience, you can learn how to calm down before a presentation. 

Simply ask your audience what interests them, why they are here to listen to you, etc. Building a connection will not only put you at ease but also make them feel involved in the session. 

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5. Use Positive Visualisations 

What does calm you? Watching cartoons, listening to music, reading books, or even scrolling down memes - anything can work for you. Or you can close yourself and transport yourself to your favourite place. 

There is no thumb rule on how to calm down before a presentation, but engaging with your audience helps. Then, you can deliver your content without hesitations and even receive positive feedback. Positive thinking is a way to fight presentation anxiety and build a stronger mental state. 

6. Breathe In, Breathe Out 

3, 2, 1… it’s gonna be alright! On how to calm down before a presentation, we cannot leave the effectiveness of breathing exercises. Focus on yourself and relax your muscles by breathing in & out. 

Not only will you feel less stressed, but you can also slow down your heart rate. Plus, you can lower blood pressure with deep breathing exercises.  

7. Use a Power Stance

Since presentation anxiety is real, you can use a power stance to get into an air of authority. Be friendly, yet build a rapport with your audience. Practice your power stance and find a way to connect with the audience. 

This can be your answer to how to calm down before a presentation. Plus, the audience will appreciate the engaging and positive way you present. 

8. Do What Relaxes You 

Everyone says “chill” as an answer to how to calm nerves before presentation is to relax, but we know it is not as simple as it sounds. You can go through the complete guide to meditation for students , do yoga, go for a walk, or read. 

The internet offers countless relaxation techniques; you just have to find the one you like. You can use some fun study break ideas or talk to your favourite person. After all, only you will know how to bid adieu to your speech anxiety and stay calm.  

9. Cardio Sessions Help 

Not something you were expecting in the compilation of presentation anxiety tips! It turns out that running on the treadmill can be the secret to how to calm down before presentation. So, how does it work? 

Cardio is great for increasing your focus. On your way to calm nerves before presentation, choose a cardio that does not exhaust you either. Be it swimming, dancing, cycling, or even running - do anything you enjoy. Just schedule the cardio session an hour before the presentation so that your body gets enough time to cool down. 

10 . Avoid Coffee & Alcohol

Can’t function without 3 cups of coffee? You might give it a rest if you are looking for an answer to how to calm down before presentation. Caffeine stimulates your heart rate; thus, your anxiety also goes up. All the jittery feelings that you do not want to feel during your presentation preparation will creep up. 

On the other hand, alcohol is pretty much a depressant that you may think gives you courage but only impairs your thought process and coordination. If you want to know how to calm down before a presentation, avoid caffeine and alcohol. 

11. Rest well

There’s no better cure for presentation anxiety than a good night’s sleep. Instead of staying up the whole night for the presentation, rest well. If you have a good bedtime, you will be less anxious during your presentation. 

Catching some z’s is more important than you realise. So, make your bedroom dark and quiet, get your comfy pillows, and drift to the land of dreams. Along with it, don’t forget to eat a balanced meal and stay hydrated if you want to get rid of presentation anxiety. 

12 . Show Up Early  

You might not have expected showing up early as a strategy of how to calm down before a presentation, but it is what it is. Reach the venue before time so that you get enough time to familiarise yourself. From lighting to layout, there are a few things to consider for your presentation preparation. 

Arriving early offers buffer time to adjust to the setting. You will feel more confident & prepared and find an answer on how to calm down before a presentation. 

13. Structure Your Presentation 

Have you made a structure for your presentation? A structure helps you ace your presentation. Think of the structure as the building blocks; hence, you will know what to address. 

Organise your presentation in a clear and logical way. Use phrases and words that will guide your audience to find an answer. If you know where to begin and end, you will also know just how to calm down before a presentation. Practice your delivery and know your audience to keep up the flow. 

14. Drink Enough Water 

Dry mouth is one of the common symptoms of speech anxiety. If you face the same, staying hydrated is a great way you can calm yourself before presentation. Drinking enough water will help you feel more focused and energised. 

You can also have foods that help with stress or some fruits that are high in water content. Carry a bottle of water and take sips when you need it. You can also drink coconut water or herbal tea to calm down before a presentation. 

15. Check Your Device 

Many fear technical glitches during their presentation. If you want to know how to calm down before a presentation, you should test your devices the day before D-Day. Check the visual aids or your equipment to ensure everything is working smoothly. 

If anything goes awry, you will have plenty of time to have a backup plan. This is one of the underrated anxiety tips to deliver a successful presentation. 

In the end, you can try different strategies on how to calm down before the presentation. Take a deep breath, put your game face, and you are ready to slay! In case you are looking for tips on how to deal with anxiety , you can reach out to professional help. It’s never too late to speak up, so bare all about those sleepless nights, cold hands, and pangs of anxiety to a professional. With the right therapy and consultation, you can sail through like a boss. So, hang on there! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to calm down before presentation, even if i do not have anxiety, what if i keep forgetting during my presentation preparation, does meditation fight presentation anxiety, how do i stop overthinking before a presentation, are there any symptoms of public speaking anxiety.

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8 Ways to Deliver a Great Presentation (Even If You’re Super Anxious About It)

• Joel Schwartzberg

Know your point, always.

Feeling anxious about a presentation? It’s likely about a fear of public humiliation rather than of public speaking.

• Shift the spotlight from yourself to what you have to say.
• Reject the voice in your head trying to destroy your confidence.
• Knowing what matters – and what doesn’t – will help you succeed.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

I recently worked closely with a 24-year-old client — let’s call him Martin — who was tapped to deliver a five-minute presentation at his company’s annual town hall meeting. Martin had never given a public speech in his professional life, but his accomplishments impressed his supervisors, and they wanted Martin to share his success with the rest of the organization.

• JS Joel Schwartzberg oversees executive communications for a major national nonprofit, is a professional presentation coach, and is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team . You can find him on LinkedIn and X. TheJoelTruth

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How to Calm Down Before a Presentation: 10 Practical Tips and Techniques

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By Al Boicheva

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2 years ago

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Becoming a confident public speaker takes time and experience. However, the biggest obstacle between a beginner public speaker and a professional one will always be stage fright. No matter how well you planned your presentation and how prepared you are, stress and social anxiety can make your mind blank. This is why combating your fear is the most necessary step you need to take to reach your full potential.  The truth is, there will always be stress. Even the most experienced speakers are nervous before getting out to present in front of an audience. However, just like them, you can handle it in a professional way and come out on top. This is why in this article we will look at some practical tips and techniques you can try out in order to manage how to calm down before a presentation .

Article overview: Why are You Nervous? 1. Going Against the Flight-or-Fight Response 2. Handling Your Basic Needs 3. The Wine-Glass Poring Technique 4. Realistic Practice 5. Focus Outward 6. Build Relationship First 7. Find Your Favorite 5 People 8. Tactical Breathing 9. Your Opening 10. Map Your Presentation

“There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” Mark Twain

Why are You Nervous?

The difference between an experienced and an inexperienced speaker is that the experienced one knows how to handle their nerves. This sounds about right, however, before learning how to handle nerves, let’s ask ourselves, what does it mean to be an experienced speaker. The first thing that most likely comes to your mind would be a speaker with many years of presentations behind their backs. Although this is somewhat true, it’s only half of it: in fact, there are many speakers who have been presenting for years but they always feel the same intense fear before and during their presentations.

For this reason, there’s the misconception that some people simply aren’t cut to speak before an audience and it takes a special kind of talent or a personality type to master this skill. And here comes the other half of that truth: the experience behind speaking in front of an audience doesn’t only take practice in presenting but also understanding what happens in your own brain and why it happens.

The reason behind Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking anxiety is a common and natural response of the brain in the shape of “brain freeze”. If we go back in time to our primordial roots, our ancestors were vulnerable to harsh elements and large predators. This is why the ability to live in a tribe was an essential survival skill as being rejected by the group would lead to certain death. Following these primordial roots, speaking to an audience triggers this same vulnerability of judgment and rejection that naturally feel life-threatening .  Such life-threatening situations instantly trigger the flight or fight response alongside complex bodily changes in order to protect us from harm. Your brain gives you faster heart beat, faster respiration and adrenaline, preparing you to run.

With this being said, although speaking in front of an audience is not a life-threatening situation that requires such a response, the threat area of your brain cannot make the distinction . You can’t run from your audience, but your brain prepares you to. It gives you the signal to protect yourself from the threat.

Why does your brain freeze?

According to Dr. Michael DeGeorgia of Case Western University Hospitals, our pre-frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for sorting our memories and are also sensitive to anxiety. This means, if your brain starts to freeze up, your stress hormones go high and shut down the frontal lobe, disconnecting it from the rest of the brain. As a result, it makes it harder for your brain to retrieve those memories, which is another effect of the flight or fight mode. 

This is why the most important step you will take on your way to becoming an experienced public speaker is to learn to recognize that your fear of brain freeze is not a matter of life or death . It all comes down to full self-awareness .

Photography by Elisa Ventur

1. Going Against the Flight-or-Fight Response

Now, it all makes sense to experience these sensations of your natural flight or fight response and to want to protect yourself. This will often result in your body posture when you protectively cross your arms in front of your body, lower your shoulders to appear smaller and less visible. You might start looking down or frantically looking from one person to another.

Experienced speakers tend to battle this response by doing exactly the opposite. They will use that awareness on a conscious level to making themselves appear big in front of the audience . Their posture will be positive, open, upright. Have you noticed how big and confident most speakers look in front of the camera when you watch television? In many instances, you might think their confidence looks fake, and you won’t be entirely wrong. What they do is consciously go against their flight or fight response and you can really learn a lot from it.  

Try to observe how these people stand, what they do with their arms and legs. Don’t hesitate to consciously imitate their techniques until you get comfortable with your neutral position. To do so, practice in front of the mirror

Photography by Anna Tarazevich

2. Handing Your Basic Needs

We’ll start with the bare minimum and most important steps you need to take to reduce your stress. Although these tactics are way too apparent, this is also the reason they are often overlooked.

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the room where you’ll be speaking. This way you will not only have the opportunity to arrange things the way you want but will also help you visualize how the room will be set up the day you’ll be presenting. If it looks familiar, it will feel safer and more comfortable. 

Good night sleep

We all tend to sacrifice our sleep in order to get those extra hours to prepare for our presentations. However, this often has the exact opposite effect. Instead of preparing better, we end up exhausted and even more stressed. In fact, nothing beats the benefits of good night’s sleep. You will feel refreshed, relaxed, less stressed and you’ll even have the energy and focus to go through the presentational material in the morning during your coffee fix.

Meals and exercise

Do your normal routine and have the meals and exercise you would normally have on a day where you don’t have a presentation. 

Don’t forget the water

Most speakers make sure they have water available during their presentations. The stress of public speaking often results in dry mouth, which only causes the speaker to feel more uncomfortable. 

Think positive

Avoid negative thoughts and negative people that might ruin your confidence. In fact, you are the one who prepared the presentation and nobody knows the material better than you. Make sure you specify those affirming thoughts in your head: “I really know the material”, “I have something valuable to share”, ” I am glad I have the opportunity to share my thoughts”, “the audience will learn something new and insightful.”

Photography by  energepic.com

3. The Wine-Glass Pouring Technique

One of the effects of having public speaking anxiety is not knowing how and for how long to remain in eye contact with different members of your audience. Some speakers suggest the wine glass technique. When you’re in front of your audience, imagine you’re pouring them a glass of wine. This will help you to stay with one person at a time. You will remain that personal attention with a particular individual for the time it takes to pour them a glass of wine. While you do so, you won’t get tempted to look away or to start looking nervously from one person to another.

4. Realistic Practice

Try to practice your presentation the exact way you’re going to present it in front of the audience. This includes even your introduction and other elements you don’t feel are worth practicing. Even if you get some parts wrong or make a mistake, don’t start over. Instead, do what you would during the actual presentation, try to push through your mistake, and move on. In addition, don’t say out loud how nervous you are, because there’s a chance you might transfer this part to the event itself. Make sure you work out the issues you might face during the practice stage. Once you’re satisfied with the presentation you give in closed doors, you may relax. Chances are, it will go the exact same way in front of the audience as well.

Photography by  Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent

5. Focus Outward

Many inexperienced presenters tend to put the focus on themselves due to nervousness. This is also a natural response caused by stress. You might be too afraid not to look awkward or make a bad impression, and focusing on this will only make things worse. Instead, think of your audience and what message you want to convey. Same as comedians work on their jokes and focus on making their audience laugh rather than thinking about how they come across, try to work on your message and how best you can make it land in front of your audience. Remember that you’re giving your audience something valuable and it’s all that matters. Validation has never been the goal.

6. Build Relationship First

A proven practical tip to start building a relationship with the audience the very moment you start your presentation is to ask first, speak later. Especially if you’re going to give a presentation in front of important people in your company, clients you need to convert or another work-relating setting, choose the most influential people who will present, in advance.

Once you start your presentation, take your time to ask them about their take on what’s happening in the company, for example. Depending on the context, you might need to ask about challenges, goals, or even recent successes. You can use their answers as great context for your presentation content, to focus on these specific parts. It will also turn your presentation into an interesting dialogue and will instantly learn the respect of your audience. To give an example with stand-up comedias once more, they tend to research what’s happening in the cities they will be performing at and prepare local refereces and commentaries. 

Photography by  RODNAE Productions

7. Find Your Favorite 5 People

As it came clear, one of the easiest ways to recognize nervousness is scanning quickly through the audience from one person to another. Especially in situations where you don’t know the audience, it’s hard to focus on whom to make direct eye contact with. Here’s a good practical tip to start with. Ground your nerves by finding 5 people in different positions in the room to consistently lock eyes with throughout your presentation. This will make you feel you have 5 personal conversations and will help you focus better on your content.

8.  Tactical Breathing

Slow down your breathing. This one sounds way too easy and that’s because it is. Calming your breathing instantly calms your entire autonomous nervous system. When you’re facing a high-stress situation, chances are you might hold your breath or start breathing in a very fast and shallow way. This is a symptom triggered by your brain and the best way to battle it is to trick your brain back to a normal state. Experienced speakers suggest breathing from your abdomen. Imagine you have a balloon in your stomach and as you breathe in, you’re filling that balloon with air so it expanses.  Also known as the 4×4 technique, when you breathe, you do that to the count of 4, hold your breath to the count of 4, breathe out to the count of  4 and hold your breath to the count of 4 once again. 

Photography by  Luis Villasmil

9. Prepare to Nail Your Opening

Usually, 10 to 15 minutes before your presentation, you’ll be most vulnerable to your nerves. Don’t be tempted to go through the entire material as if you’re a student 10 minutes before an exam. Instead, only focus on your opening lines. Rehearse them, memorize them and prepare to nail that awesome introduction. Once you deliver your opening, you’ll gain confidence, momentum and the rest of your presentation will take care of itself. 

10. Map Your Presentation

This includes preparing a template or a worksheet with the major steps you need to take during your presentation. Having all written down will help you relax knowing you won’t miss anything important.

• Hook: You immediately strike your audience instantly with something interesting and unconventional they wouldn’t expect.
• Transition: You link your hook to your main point.
• Introduction: Once you already have your audience’s attention, you can finally make a very brief introduction with something relevant to your topic.
• Preview: Give your audience a brief preview of what you’re going to talk about.
• Benefits: Tell your audience how will they benefit from listening to your presentation. (ex. “By the end, you will already know how to…”)
• Main Points and Supporting Evidence

For more tips on how to start and end a presentation , check out the full article.

Photography by  Kane Reinholdtsen

Final Words

These were the 10 proven tactics and techniques on how to calm down before a presentation. Fighting public speaking anxiety is never easy, however, once you recognize the cause, you can train your mind to consciously battle it.

In the meantime, you could also check some more insights on related topics, gather inspiration, or simply grab a freebie?

• 31 Free Modern Powerpoint Templates for Your Presentation
• Presentation Design Ideas & Tips to Impress Your Audience
• 39 Free Google Slides Templates For Your Next Presentation

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A division of bold new directions training, top ten relaxation techniques for presenters.

For most of us, presenting is not a natural activity so our nerves tend to be heightened before a presentation. This can make presenters anxious and frazzled and can affect their ability to present well. While it’s impossible to get rid of these nerves entirely, there are things you can do to minimize stress and relax your nerves before a big presentation. 

1. Muscle Relaxation

Muscle tension is one of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety. When people experience nervousness before a presentation they may feel the tension in various parts of their body such as their neck and shoulders. There are things you can do to relieve some of this muscle tension and help relax your body such as taking a hot shower, getting a massage, stretching, and holding the tense muscles for a few seconds each and then relaxing them. 

2. Exercise

Exercise releases endorphins in your brain that can make you relax and feel better. This doesn’t mean you should put in a strenuous workout just before you speak, but rather focus on exercising on a regular basis. It’s a great way to relieve stress and clear your mind each day. 

3. Deep Breathing

When people get nervous before a presentation, breathing can be a great relaxation technique. Deep breathing releases fear, lowers stress levels, and can even enhance your speaking voice. There are many variations of deep breathing exercises but the most common is to breathe in through your nose, let your diaphragm rise, hold the breath, and then slowly breathe out. You can repeat this multiple times before you present. 

4. Visualization

There are a number of studies that have proven the effectiveness of positive visualization or mental imagery. When we imagine a positive outcome to a scenario in our mind, that scenario is more likely to happen the way we envision it. Instead of thinking negative thoughts and worrying that you will mess up, you imagine yourself delivering a powerful presentation with a fantastic audience reaction. 

5. Practice

There is no doubt that rehearsing your presentation several times is one of the best ways to relax your nerves. You can even take this technique a step further by practicing your presentation at the place where you will present. This allows you to get familiar with the layout of the room and even rehearse how you will stand and move during your presentation. 

6. Arrive Early

It always helps presenters to relax when they arrive early and give themselves plenty of time to settle in before they talk. This extra time ensures you won’t be late and it also gives you time to get comfortable with your surroundings before you present. 

7. Dress Professionally and Comfortably

Your clothing can have a bigger impact on your nerves than you might think. If you are uncomfortable in your clothes or shoes, you might be worrying about how you will present in something that is restrictive or uncomfortable. This can intensify your stress because you will be second-guessing why you chose that outfit. You also don’t want to be worrying about tripping in high heels. It is important to dress professionally but you also want to choose an outfit that is comfortable. Having comfortable clothing will help you relax before you talk. 

8. Drink Water

Many people who get nervous will also experience dry mouth. You can prevent added anxiety from cottonmouth by hydrating and drinking plenty of water before you talk. This will help calm your nerves and enhance your speaking voice.

9. Keep Your Normal Routine

If you stick to your normal daily routine, this will help you to remain calm. You are more comfortable doing things that are normal so it’s best to keep your day as typical as possible. Changing up your entire day and doing something out of the ordinary can increase anxiety. 

10. Meditation

Meditation is a great way to calm your nerves and relax. However, this technique works best when it has been practiced over a period of time. Meditating just a day or two before your presentation might not be too effective. You should begin doing this well in advance of your presentation and let it be a tool for relaxing on a regular basis. 

6 ways to crush a presentation at work, from people who know

• Giving a successful presentation isn't always easy, but there are some key tips to make the process easier.
• Preparation is key, including practicing your presentation and structuring it properly.
• We asked three experts for their best tips for crushing a presentation at work.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Whether you're speaking at a weekly meeting or pitching a major proposal to your company's executive team, presentations are a common source of stress for employees everywhere.

It's natural to sweat under the spotlight, especially when you only have a short amount of time to get your point across.

But it doesn't have to be that way. It is possible to crush your presentation — each and every time — by keeping some key concepts and tactics in mind.

We spoke to three experts who know a thing or two about presentations for their best advice.

Talk it out

You might feel like you're back in high school practicing your lines for the school play, but rehearsing your presentation beforehand is an important way to prepare. That's what Adam Zukor, the director of executive communications at Microsoft who specializes in speech writing and content for top Microsoft executives, told Business Insider.

"There's no substitute for practicing out loud, ideally in front of someone you trust, to give you feedback, or at least to a mirror," he said. "How you think about your presentation and how it sounds out loud can be very different, so always practice out loud — in the shower, while you are getting dressed, or as you drive to work."

Focus on a few key points, and structure accordingly

When preparing, think long and hard about the main points you want to make, because you really only get a few, Zukor said.

"No matter how high-stakes or complex the presentation, your audience is only going to take away a few key ideas," Zukor said. "Make sure you're clear-eyed about what those important takeaways are, then start framing around them."

He added that this old speech-writing adage still holds true: Tell the audience what you're going to tell them, then tell them, and then tell them what you told them.

"If something is worth saying, say it more than once to get the point across," he said.

Control those nerves

Being nervous is normal, but Mitch Grasso, CEO of the presentation software company Beautiful.AI , has some hacks to to help you relax before and during your presentation.

"First, give up on perfection — it will almost never go as planned," he told Business Insider. "Remember that ​you​ are an expert on your story and you have prepared for this moment."

Also, it's OK if you don't know every answer that your peers or even your superiors ask during your talk, he said.

"Never try to fake it — that backfires every time. Acknowledge that it's a great question, you don't have the answer, and try posing the question back to the group," he said. "It can help with audience engagement while giving yourself a short mental break."

Create simple visuals, and use the right tools

The KISS rule applies to any kind of visuals you're using for your presentation: Keep it simple, stupid. Kill the bullets, limit text, and use beautiful images, Grasso said. Less is more.

"Nobody wants to be messing around with text boxes at 2 a.m. the night before a presentation," he said. "Find a tool that makes it easy to visualize your story so that you don't spend endless hours creating your presentation. Poorly designed slides are going to be a distraction, and you risk losing your audience. Good design is transparent and fosters connection."

He noted that the actual presentation isn't the main attraction — your story is. So the slides should help take the audience on a journey while serving, and not distracting from, your primary purpose.

Be specific

Instead of pointing to larger trends to get your point across, zero in on a specific example that illustrates the trend to better connect with your audience.

"Someone smarter than me once said that a single death is a tragedy but a million deaths is a statistic," Jeff Kreisler, a behavioral science expert and editor in chief of PeopleScience.com , told Business Insider. " That's a little dark, but the point is, the identifiable victim effect confirms that highlighting individual examples and stories is a more effective way to have those stories connect with and impact an audience than the too-big picture."

For example, he pointed to how politicians on the campaign trail talk about meeting everyday people being impacted by a certain issue as a way to discuss their stance on a particular policy.

" They use that formula because it works. And it can work for you, too," Kreisler said. "You need a budget increase? Start by telling me how it's going to change one specific client's relationship with us, then go to the big numbers."

Stick the landing

Ending strong is crucial. Of course, you want to do well throughout the entire presentation, but, if there's one portion you really need to nail, it's the finish.

"According to the peak end rule , ending on a strong note will increase recall, rating and enjoyment of a presentation, and any experience, really," Kreisler said. "So, if there's one part of your talk you really want to nail — concise, emotional, and packed with takeaways — it's the ending. Finishing on a laugh never hurt, either."

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10 Tips on How to Relax

February 15, 2023 Craig Czarnecki

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about public speaking since I started working for Rule the Room it’s this…

When the Rule the Room team speaks to anyone about giving presentations, and specifically about fears and nervousness, the above is the one thing we tell them that immediately offers them some comfort.

Are you feeling those fears and nerves creep in?

Here are 10 ways to RELAX before giving your next presentation…

1. Identify your presentation personality

This one is number 1 for a reason.

Too many times we’ve seen people try presenting in a style that’s not true to them.

If you’re trying to be someone you’re not on stage, the audience can feel it, and you can lose them quickly…

…and it can sometimes be painful to watch.

If you haven’t done so yet, Take our Presentation Personality Test

You’ll be surprised of the knowledge and help this test will give you to deliver your next big presentation!

2. Phone a friend

Just like on Who Wants to be a Millionaire…

If you’re feeling a little stuck or scared… call a pal or loved one, or even chat with someone backstage before your presentation if you can.

You might even say, “Tell me something that will make me laugh,” which is so unexpected you may get a laugh from the other person and you may even respond with some laughter of your own.

Those brief moments of good vibes and a little laughter will help calm you down.

3. Interact with individual audience members before you go on stage

People often get nervous because they are unsure they will be able to get the audience to respond to them positively and that this will reduce their ability to convey their message.

The way to resolve this problem is to remember this key point…

The presentation is not about you; It’s About Them!

Focusing on other people keeps you from worrying about yourself, which automatically makes you less nervous.

Many presenters, including Jason , find that one way to calm themselves before a presentation is interacting personally with some of the audience members during the period known as “welcome time” .

More on that later!

4. Identify your presentation crux

Identify the two or three areas in which you’re good at but also love to do.

Right before you go onstage remind yourself of your presentation crux.

Reminding yourself of your presentation crux will make you pay less attention to what you don’t do well (and how your audience will respond)…

…and more on what you can do well and what you enjoy.

The confidence you get will be very powerful and help reduce your nervousness.

Rule the Room Public Speaking Extra

Access ‘Opener: The Power of a Great Start’ (3-Step Recipe To Give A Fearless Presentation Opener).

Learn how to boost your sales, credibility, and confidence in front of a crowd, a boardroom, or a sales call with a killer presentation opener.

Click here to access this Opener Video

The Ultimate Public Speaking Shortcut has finally arrived! Click here to join our community

5. Find out what your audience has come for during the welcome.

So let’s dive deeper into “Welcome Time”.

Right out the gates you should be connecting with people during the welcome period, right before your presentation, and ask some version of this question:

“What’s the number one piece of advice you could get from this presentation that would make it worth your while?”

  Once you have their answer, write down the person’s name and goal (and, in a small presentation, even make a note of where the person sat) and tell the individual at approximately what point in your presentation the need will be met.

When the appropriate moment presents itself say something along of the line of…

“I was talking with someone before this presentation who mentioned he wanted to increase his sales. Well, this will do that . . .”

If you really want to see an expert at work check out Jason talk about the use of “Welcome Time” in Opener: The Power of a Great Start.

6. Uncover audience needs in the first 30 seconds of the presentation

Use the circle of knowledge.

This technique prompts the audience members to say aloud what they want from the presentation and helps stimulate their interest by getting them involved.

Example: “Take thirty seconds and write down what you think are the top three qualities of a great loan.”

During those 30 seconds, the audiences’ focus is completely off of you…

…while they think of their responses…you get to relax, and gather yourself…

Plus you’ll get some great responses from the audience on what they really want to know more about.

7. Present the opener 5 minutes before the opener

Immediately before a presentation, practice away your last-minute jitters.

Remember, practice at least the first five minutes three times; double that if you are very nervous.

Again, If you want to see how a pro does it check out Jason in Opener: The Power of a Great Start.

8. Learn to APPEAR calm

Remember what we said at the very beginning of this post?

It’s okay to be nervous. You just can’t show it

Simply learning how to appear calm will help you to become calm.

I like to use the example of a duck.

When it’s swimming, underneath the water it’s paddling like the dickens, but the people on the banks or shore don’t see all that effort.

They just see the duck gliding smoothly and confidently across the water.

You want to create the same illusion.

At the beginning of your presentation, immediately take your position in the sweet spot, feet slightly apart, shoulders aligned with your hips, and arms at your sides.

Unless your opener obliges you to move, stand without moving for the first ten to thirty seconds.

Move your head only to swivel it from side to side.

The less you move, the less nervous you will appear.

You will appear the most calm and comfortable when you are standing still, looking directly at your audience.

9. Eliminate your nervous habits:

Here are 16 of the most common nervous habits to avoid…

As your read through this list, ask yourself which of these do you do?

• Shifting one’s weight
• Crossing and uncrossing one’s arms and (when seated) legs
• Pacing back and forth
• Rubbing one’s hands, arms, and so on
• Looking away from the audience (up, down, left, or right)
• Covering or touching one’s face
• Putting one’s hands in the Tyrannosaurus rex position, in one’s pockets, or behind one’s back
• Loosening one’s collar
• Overusing the mouse in a demo
• Blinking excessively
• Overusing one’s hands with constant hand movement
• Laughing inappropriately
• Widening one’s eyes for no reason
• Raising one’s eyebrows for no reason
• Letting one’s mouth hang open

10. Use a Blueprint (Not a script)

Minimize the chance of a misstep by working with a blueprint.

Not a script!

With a blueprint to refer to, you should be able to give your presentation without having to glance down more than once every three minutes and certainly no more than once per minute.

Of course, you can take a quick look “for free” as long as the audience doesn’t catch you at it.

The way to distract them is by giving a directional or asking for questions.

For example, you could say something like…

• “Look at the screen…”
• “Turn to page X…”
• “Write that down…”

In time, you may become an expert presenter who can go for five minutes without looking at your blueprint for reference.

How does that sound?

Acquiring that skill will help a great deal in making you look less nervous and more credible.

So there you have it!

You can eliminate all those fears and appear less nervous with these 10 tips.

It may be a lot to handle all at once…

We suggest trying to incorporate just 3 of the above tips in your next big presentation.

Once you have those 3 mastered, you can focus on another 3…

…and before you know it you’ll look totally RELAXED and have your audience in the palm of your hand.

Not a Rule the Room Public Speaking Member? Click here to join the RTRPS Community

About Craig Czarnecki

Craig joined the Rule the Room team in January of 2015, and serves as Rule the Rooms Operations Manager. He's known as a swiss army knife around here, tackling many duties including videographer and editor, content writer and social media and customer relations manager. Craig knows Rule the Room's techniques inside and out, and other than Jason, probably knows this stuff better than anyone else.