HOW TO BEAT PANIC WHEN YOU PRESENT

If you panic at the thought of making a presentation, you are not alone.
Several studies have shown that public speaking is the thing that people
fear most – more than snakes, flying or even death. That means that,
at a funeral, most people would rather be in the coffin than making the
eulogy!

How can you get over this fear? Here are some tips:

Get there early. Make sure you get familiar with the room. Stand where
you are going to give your presentation until you begin to feel relaxed
standing there. Try out the audiovisual equipment you will be using.

Introduce yourself to as many members of the audience as you can before
you start. This helps turn the audience into a group of friendly faces
rather than a wall of strangers.

Whilst you are doing this, pick out a couple of `friendly
faces'. During the presentation, maintain regular eye-contact with
your `new friends'.

Keep a photo of a child, a spouse or a pet near you. Look at it from
time to time for reassurance.
Breathe deeply and rhythmically. This will bring oxygen into your
system, relax your throat and help you breath more slowly.

Act confidently even if you are not feeling confident. You will find
yourself becoming confident.

Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Snap it if you are feeling
negative thoughts.

Remember that it will soon be over. Twenty minutes is not very long in
your lifetime!