You’ve prepared your presentation. You know what you want to say. But it’s the day of the presentation and you can feel the nerves starting to build.
Now what you do in the minutes beforehand is more important than you might think because it can affect how ready you feel when you start to speak.
What do you do 30 mins before you present?
I came across an interesting idea in Caroline Goyder’s (really good) book Find Your Voice.
In theatre, actors have a period before a performance when they prepare themselves to go on stage. They might warm up their voices and bodies, run through their lines, focus their minds or follow a familiar routine. This period is known as “the half”. Sports professionals do something similar to help them get into the ‘zone’.
I like the idea of creating your own version of “the half” before an important presentation. It gives you some time to step away from everything else and focus on getting yourself ready to speak.
Creating your own pre-presentation routine
There are lots of things you could include in your pre-presentation routine, depending on what helps you feel ready.
Get moving
If you’re holding tension in your body, a short walk, some stretching, dancing or simply moving around can help you loosen up. You don’t need to do anything strenuous. The aim is to release some of the physical tension you might be holding before you speak.
Warm up your voice
If you’ve ever started speaking and thought your voice sounded a little croaky, try some gentle humming, tongue twisters or other vocal exercises before you begin.
You could try the vocal exercises recommended in Julian Treasure’s TedTalk on ‘How to speak so that people want to listen.‘
Take a few moments to breathe, slow things down and focus your attention
A few minutes of slow, steady breathing or mindfulness can give you some space to settle before you start speaking. I find it helpful to get out of my head and into my body, focusing on my breath or different parts of my body rather than getting caught up in distracting thoughts.
If you’d like to try it, I’ve shared a simple breathing exercise.
Reconnect with your purpose
Remind yourself why you’re giving the presentation and what you want your audience to take away from it. When nerves start to take over, bringing your attention back to the reason you’re there can help you focus on what you want to say rather than how you’re feeling.
I’ve written more about using your purpose to feel more confident when speaking.
Use whatever helps you feel confident
You might find it helpful to use a power pose or a few affirmations before you speak. I’ve used both myself and find them useful as a way of shifting my mindset before I present. You could try standing in a posture that makes you feel strong and grounded, or repeat a few phrases that remind you of what you’re capable of.
I have a list of ten powerful affirmations you could try.
Finding Your Routine
There is also something to be said for having a routine. Doing the same things before you speak can give you something familiar to focus on when you’re feeling nervous. Research into pre-performance routines in sport suggests that having a consistent routine before performing can support performance, including when we’re under pressure.
Your routine doesn’t have to be elaborate. It might be the same few things each time you speak: movement, some vocal exercises, a few minutes to breathe and a reminder of what you want your audience to take away. Doing familiar things can give you something to focus on when you’re feeling nervous, rather than getting caught up in everything that could go wrong.
Preparation happens beforehand
Try not to use these final minutes to go over every word again. You might want to remind yourself of your key points, but repeatedly rehearsing the whole presentation can leave you feeling more anxious rather than more prepared. Instead, use this time to shift your focus from preparing what you’re going to say to getting ready to say it.
I explore some of the reasons women can feel pressure to over-prepare in How To Prepare For An Important Presentation: Tips To Help You Feel Ready And Confident.
Want some support with public speaking?
If you’re preparing for an important presentation and would like some support my 1:1 coaching can help you prepare, practise and feel more confident when you speak.
Find out more about ways to get support.
