How do you stay calm during presentations?

Answer 1

Are you doing a presentation? Here are some tips from wiki contributers;

1) The common answer is to imagine your audience in their underwear. I suppose this is supposed to put you at ease or keep you amused in an uncomfortable situation, but who wants to give a presentation to a bunch of out of shape, sweaty, fat people sitting out there not paying attention to you. Disgusting!

2) The only way to stay calm during the presentation is to know your subject and be prepared to answer questions about it. 3) I am a trainer, and we are taught to time the presentation beforehand, so that you will not be panicking about when it will end. Also to list everything you need to say and then practice that. You can use your dog or cat. The key is in being confident that you know your presentation inside out. That way if all else fails you can at least keep a cool head and carry on, you can also use small cards to prompt you of the next stage, if you get stuck. Hope this helps.

3) You are always gonna be nervous before a presentation. But the more you do one, the less nervous you get and the more you get used to it. But while it may be nerve racking beforehand, once you get started it all just melts away and you just get into it. You just show your presentation and you're "in the zone". Just remember though, you'll still be nervous, but the more you do it the more you'll get better and things will be less of a big deal. So just take a deep breath. Get ready, get set, and go. Just remember two things, breathe through the presentation, and don't talk too fast. Take your time, and make sure your words flow. 4) I find it easiest to look through the people I am talking to rather than at them, looking at the back wall helps you keep your head held high and your voice strong. If your keep your head high a smile on your face and your shoulders back it tricks your body into thinking you are ok and so you feel less shakey. Once you have got into the flow of your speech you can try looking at peoples' shoulders or their seats, it gives the impression you are looking at them from a distance. Its also good to remember that most people are nervous giving speaches and the people in the audience probably know exactly how you are feeling.

5) Breath deeply, bend you knees a little bit, and remember: the if you mess up, don't make abig deal about it. fix the mistake and move on. everybody gets nervous and everybody makes mistakes when they are pressured. relax and give your presentation. when it is over you can jump up and down and shout "I did it!" at the top of your lungs. ;)

Answer 2

Practice deep breathing or visualization techniques before presenting to help calm your nerves. Focus on positive thoughts and remind yourself that it's okay to make mistakes. Remember that the audience wants you to succeed and are usually more forgiving than you think.