Presentation Skills
We talked about techniques to help you handle your nerves and nervousness in the Delivering Your Presentation > Presenting section of this module—but what if your experience goes beyond simple nervousness and has become a fear of public speaking?
In this section, we'll talk about how to manage this kind of anxiety and point you to some resources as well.
Watch the video or read the strategies below to learn some techniques to help with presentation anxiety, so that you can deliver your presentation confidently.
Being well prepared will help you feel more confident about your presentation.
Do you really have any evidence to support them? Try some positive self-talk instead, like “I can do it” or “I’m well prepared".
The better you know your presentation, the more confident you’ll feel. Practicing in front of a mirror or a webcam is best because you can see how you’re doing.
You might tell someone climbing a ladder “don’t look down”. What you’re telling them is to focus on the task, not on their nervousness. The same advice applies to presentations. As you present, focus on your content instead of concentrating on yourself.
Smile and keep breathing, look at people’s foreheads not their eyes, and stand naturally.
Anxiety is your body's response to anticipated danger—it's typically associated with worry or fear, and it's often accompanied by cognitive issues (like difficulty concentrating) and physical symptoms (like nausea, shaking, and muscle tension).
It's normal to be anxious about important events, like giving a presentation to your class; however, excessive fear or anxiety can cause a combination of physical, psychological, and social symptoms that can impact daily activities such as school, work, personal time, and relationships.
Feeling anxious can be very unpleasant, which causes some people to avoid anxiety-inducing situations. We might feel temporary relief by avoiding the situation, but we end up reinforcing our anxiety by creating an anxiety cycle that changes our mindset and our behaviours in the long term.
When you learn how to handle your fear of public speaking, you'll feel more confident in yourself and your message.
Check the boxes below to learn how to first change your mindset and then how to change your behaviour to help you control your presentation anxiety.
Watch the video or read the text below to learn 6 tips to change your mindset about public speaking:
These are signs you're about to do something important!
Nervousness and excitement are two sides of the same 'emotional coin'—remind yourself that at least half of what you're feeling is excitement about doing that challenging things.
Your listeners can't tell how you feel, only what you show them.
Our most intense anxiety happens 30 seconds before we start speaking and 30 seconds into our presentations, but it goes down once we get going. If you can get past those 60 seconds, you'll feel much better!
Even professional speakers admit to getting nervous before public speaking, but their nerves don't stop them from giving great presentations.
Everyone in your class wants you to do well, just like you want them to do well too! We've all done some public speaking and we know what's it like to be in that position.
Watch the video or read the text below to learn 6 behavioural tips for public speaking:
Practicing is not a quick fix, but it can help you feel better. Practice at least 10 times spread out over a few days before your presentation.
Speakers who get the most nervous will focus more on themselves. Instead ask yourself, "How can I best help my listeners?"
Visualizing is another way to rehearse. Take a moment to imagine your professor calling you up to present, and picture your classmates sitting and looking happy to hear the first few lines of your presentation.
You'll likely give your presentation in your own classroom, but getting to class early will help you relax in the space and even feel what standing in front of the room will feel like during your session.
Chances are you'll know at least some people in your class before your presentation—you could distract yourself from your own nervousness by chatting with the people in the front row to help you relax.
Slow, deep breathing lowers our heart rate and blood pressure, which tells our body to relax.
If you're nervous about delivering your presentation, you're probably worrying about all the things that can go wrong. If you prepare for those potential problems, you can prevent them from happening and learn to deal with them if they do happen.
Try this activity from Algonquin College and The Learning Portal to learn how to avoid some common presentation problems. You can also use the tip sheet below as a quick reference when preparing for a presentation.
If you’re having difficulties managing stress, adjusting to college, or feeling sad and hopeless, please reach out to the Counselling Services team on Sheridan Central.
Sessions are free and confidential.
