That nervous feeling many people get just as they’re about to deliver a presentation is completely normal—and even happens to some of the best public speakers. Here’s what happens behind the scenes. The part of your brain that is responsible for fear (the amygdala) senses a threat. In this case, the threat is your audience or the atmosphere wherever you’re doing your presentation.
The amygdala will then send a distress signal to the hypothalamus, which triggers the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline makes your heart race, breathing more difficult and palms sweaty. But these reactions don’t mean you’ll do badly in your presentation―they indicate that you’re ready to perform and that you care.
You can start calming your nerves by shifting your mindset. Rather than fear and worrying about impressing your audience, you can move toward focusing on your delivery and aiming to connect with them. The tips below can guide you on how to not be nervous for a presentation. Mastering these tips can help you overcome overall presentation anxiety and deliver them with less stress.
How to Calm Nerves Before a Presentation
So, how do you stop feeling nervous when it’s your turn to speak? Here are some simple ideas of how to relax before a presentation. Try these tricks before and during your presentation:
1. Breathe Like a Zen Master
Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7 and exhale for 8. We can equate this action to hitting the reset button on your nervous system. This technique is called the 4-7-8 method and is proven to be effective in calming your body down by knocking you out of adrenaline-induced “fight-or-flight” mode. Also, take a sip of water to give yourself a chance to pause.
2. Relax Those Tense Muscles
If you’re trying to calm down before a presentation, this tip could be highly effective. Try progressive muscle relaxation—squeeze your muscles for five seconds, then let them go, working from your toes to your face. It’s like a mini-massage without the awkward spa music. This technique is also effective against general anxiety and can help ease presentation anxiety when practiced regularly.
3. Visualize Yourself Succeeding
Picture yourself crushing your presentation. Imagine the audience nodding along, engaged, maybe even laughing at your jokes. Having a positive mindset may be the only difference between succeeding and falling flat in your presentation.
4. Be Well-Prepared (But Don’t Overthink)
Know your material so well that you can keep going like a boss even if a rogue PowerPoint slide betrays you. Overpreparing is a highly discouraged approach—and overthinking can contribute to nerves and anxiety—but being comfortable and well-prepared can help ensure you’ve mastered your material.
To be as well-prepared as you can, consider going over your presentation notes as frequently as possible. You might also think about delving deeper into anything that might not be clear to your audience.
5. Practice Like You Mean It
Once you’ve mastered the content of your presentation, talk to a mirror, record yourself or present to an unsuspecting pet. The more you practice, the less your brain freaks out when it’s go-time. You may have everything at your fingertips, but the delivery is equally important.
6. Strike a Power Pose
Stand like a superhero—arms up, chest out—for two minutes before your talk. Some research suggests that striking a power pose can boost confidence and improve performance. Plus, you’ll feel like you just won an award for “Best Presenter Ever.”
Quick tip: Keep in mind that not every approach to combat nerves and anxiety will work for every person. Try a few techniques out to see what makes you feel the best and adds to your confidence—then leave the ones that don’t behind.
7. Get There Early
Running late is a sure way to throw yourself off before you even begin. With that in mind, one of the best tips for how to get over anxiety for a presentation is to arrive early, test the tech and walk the stage. Get comfortable before the crowd arrives. A smooth start will help in getting rid of the nerves.
8. Start With a Smile
Besides bringing happiness, smiling is contagious. It also contributes to positivity, boosts mood and relieves stress. When you smile at your audience, they are likely to smile back—or at least you might make them subconsciously happy. By smiling, you and your audience may be more comfortable. Helping convey a relaxed and positive feeling may have them on your side and rooting for you in no time. This positive energy should see you sail through the presentation.
9. Focus on Your Audience (Not Your Nerves)
The more you worry about your nervousness, the more likely you are to mess things up. Look at your audience’s faces; they are most likely listening keenly. Assume that you know your stuff—then take advantage of that and deliver your message. The deeper you get into your presentation, the more confident you’ll get and the less nervous you’ll be.
10. Engage the Audience
Connecting with your audience is also important in learning how to improve presentation skills. Ask questions, crack a few jokes and open the floor for questions from your audience. You’ll connect with them, and when you do, you’ll be more comfortable and gain more confidence to see through a successful presentation.
11. Use Prepared Notes (But Don’t Read)
Before your presentation, ensure you have prepared notes, preferably in bullet-point form. You can always glance at them so that you don’t forget to deliver the most important points.
Having this kind of backup system will grant you more confidence as you continue with your presentation. This is especially helpful if anxiety and presentation nerves tend to get the best of you. While at it, avoid reading verbatim or you’ll sound robotic and your audience will lose interest in your presentation.
12. Pause Whenever Necessary
One of the most powerful tools in presentation or public speaking is silence. Pauses in between critical points not only give your audience time to digest the information but also give you a break during your presentation. Well-timed pauses will usually be just as powerful as the words you’re going to speak.
13. Accept The Small Mistakes
No one is perfect. If you stumble, keep going—most people won’t notice, and if they do, they’ll understand. Anxiety and presentations often go hand in hand, but what matters most is whether you get your message across by the end. The key is to move past any stumbles and focus on acing the rest of your presentation.
14. Reward Yourself After The Presentation
Set a reward for yourself in advance. Doing so will motivate you to strive toward better preparation and, consequently, a great presentation when the actual day comes. Celebrating your presentation efforts will also help with building confidence for future presentations. Keep the momentum going.
Related: How to Give a Great Presentation: 4 Scientific Principles
How To Get Over Anxiety For A Presentation
You can use advanced techniques like meditation to overcome general anxiety, but these simple, actionable steps can help to deal with presentation anxiety:
1. Break It Down
If you find yourself thinking of your presentation as one giant, terrifying block of words, stop and break it into bite-sized sections. Focus on one idea at a time instead of stressing over the whole thing.
2. Make It About Them, Not You
Stop thinking, “What if I mess up?” and start thinking, “How can I help my audience?” Shift your focus from impressing people to giving value. People love useful info way more than perfect delivery.
Related: 11 Subtle Signs of Anxiety You Might Not Notice
3. Accept Nervousness as Part of Public Speaking
Nerves and excitement exhibit the same physical reaction. Tell yourself “I’m pumped” instead of “I’m panicking,” and your brain just might believe you. This mentality will gradually turn into confidence, and your presentation will be a success.
4. Remember—Nobody Wants You to Fail
Your audience isn’t there to judge—they want you to do well. No one is waiting for you to stumble. They’re rooting for you, especially if they notice you’re nervous and want to learn from you.
Nerves Are Just a Sign You’re About to Crush It
Stop trying to eliminate nervousness. Instead, embrace it. Those sweaty palms and racing thoughts mean you’re about to do something that matters. Start small—try one or two of these techniques before your next presentation. Maybe it’s the 4-7-8 breathing trick or power posing in the bathroom before your big moment. Confidence isn’t built overnight, but every step you take makes you a stronger speaker.
And the next time you’re on stage and your heart is doing the Macarena? Just remember that as many as 3 out of 4 people would feel just as nervous in your shoes. You’ve got this.
Photo by Adene Sanchez/iStock.com
