6 tips to reduce public speaking anxiety

Imagine that you are giving a speech today. Are you already feeling nervous? Does your heart race?

Speaking in public is one of the most feared tasks that we all encounter at some point in our life. Regardless of whether you are in school, college or work, public speaking is a task that we all have to do. Fear of public speaking ranks second among the most common phobias (spiders are number one). To put things in perspective, people are more afraid of public speaking than of death, marriage, or bankruptcy. This feeling is common among most of us. Everyone shares the feeling of anxiety when there is the perception of being evaluated.

While anxiety is a common emotion, it can become a problem when it affects our functioning. In the case of public speaking, we begin to feel anxious even before we start speaking in front of people. In other words, we prepare for impact before impact. So why is this happening? Cognitively, anxiety serves as a reinforcement of a negative experience. In our minds, we began to associate disgust with public speaking. (A friend of mine commented that since childhood, while in school, the punishment was to go to the blackboard and write. It could be that we associate being in front of people also as punishment). Every time we feel vulnerable, our first reaction is to withdraw. The retreat begins by generating thoughts about our performance.

We begin to think of multiple fallacies that we must reject through critical thinking. The most common irrational thought is that everything will go wrong, such as forgetting the material or how people will judge you. This is known as the catastrophe fallacy. This fallacy activates our sympathetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. That is why when we are nervous we can have sweaty palms or aspen. Another irrational thought is approval fallacy. This line of thinking leads us to believe that no one will like what we have to say. Well, I have news for you, not everyone will like what you say. Some people will and some will not. There is nothing you can do about it except deliver your message.

Another irrational thought is the belief that people will notice everything. This is known as the fallacy of exaggeration. During a speech, some of us will tremble a little. Because we are constantly self-evaluating during a stressful situation, we believe that people will notice. Finally, the last fallacy is the fallacy of perfection. There is an implicit belief that we must execute the most perfect speech that has ever existed. We are our harshest critic. We believe that mispronouncing a word or skipping a sentence will ruin the whole speech.

Well, we understand what causes anxiety, but how can we overcome it? Here are some tips to help you on your next public speaking experience:

1. Hello anxiety!

We all get nervous and you will be nervous before your next speech. Welcome to anxiety! The feelings you are experiencing is a fear of performance. Tell yourself that it’s okay to be nervous and that we can function with it. This approach can be achieved through “icebreaker” comments. Some people may have a small talk before the official presentation to reduce anxiety.

2. Know the material

Of all the tips, this one is crucial. Knowing what you are talking about will help reduce anxiety. It is recommended to practice your speech. This exercise helps build confidence and confidence will help reduce anxiety. Practice in front of a mirror if necessary.

3. Organize

How many times have you heard someone speak and you feel lost? Once you know the material, you need to organize it consistently. Ask yourself, what is the goal of my speech? Make sure to present your material in an organized way (beginning, middle and end). This process gives you a map that, if lost, can help you find your way back. With practice, if you forget what you were saying, it will help you collect your thoughts and know where you were.

4. View

Once you’ve prepared your game plan, imagine yourself giving the speech. Visualization is a technique that helps you become familiar with the event. Imagine that you are giving the speech in front of a large group. The more you practice the material and the more you see yourself doing it, the less anxious you will be.

5. Speech Take-Two

It’s okay to have a mistake or two. Many people, as mentioned above, think that every word or every sentence must be perfect. Keep in mind that your audience does not know what you have planned for them. If you omit a word or sentence, they won’t notice. Remember that public speaking anxiety is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he thinks the speech will go wrong, he will seek validation of the errors. Also, if you use visual aids, make sure if it doesn’t work, you’re prepared. That is why it is recommended that you know the material. I have seen many presentations where the presenter relies heavily on visual aids. Remember, the message is the important thing. Everything else complements your message.

6. Talk

Finally, have a conversation with the audience. When presenters tend to read visual aids or cards, they disengage from the audience. Remember that your speech is not about you, it is about the audience. You are giving them something, a message. Engage them in a conversation. This approach will and will feel more natural. More importantly, it will help you reduce anxiety.

Speaking in public is something we all have to do at some point. The more we do it, the easier it will be for you. Remember that it will not always be perfect, but with practice you will improve a lot. The goal is not to get rid of anxiety, but to learn to control it.

Does public speaking make you nervous? What do you do to reduce your anxiety?

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