Help with nerves during a presentation

Curious_George_2

if it helps, i had some anxiety problems last year and whn i got into the state you describe i was in danger of having a panic attack,
in order to combat this i learnt a trick to relax myself, its basically the same as the people who snap a rubber band around thier wrist at moments of stress (have you heard of that?) but i didnt want a grotty band! lol

start today and by the time you need it its already in your head....
squeeze your thumb and forefinger tips together, like your crushing something in your grip and while your squeezing imagine a time in your life that you felt amazing, a time that you would like to go back to because you felt great, or a place you would love to revisit, a favourite holiday perhaps? I visualised a holiday to new york with my OH, we had the most amazing time and it was the best brthday present / holiday of my life


so... think about your feelgood time/place and squeeze, do it often (even though it feels stupid, but the excellent thing about this is NO ONE will know your doing it) and remember how good you felt
eventually when you do the squeeze the relaxing feelgood images and feelings you want will come without you actively having to think of them,
when you feel the panic start to rise, just do the squeezing action and you should calm down

i know.. it sounds stupid, but it has helped panic sufferers for years, i suppose its like self hypnotism!

Becles

I pretend I'm somebody else as well.

Is there a punchy upbeat song that fills you with confidence? We sing one at church called "be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you", and I sing that in my head. It sort of fires me up and I feel better. It's similar to footballers running out to an energetic tune to get them and the fans fired up.

jackomk

I have to do presentations to dentists and their nurses. Most of whom dont want to be there and are only attending to get CPD hours clocked up !! The best advice I can give is, find a friendly interested face in the group and direct most of it at them, briefly looking at the others. It makes me think theres not so many in the room. At the end of the day, you know what you're talking about so have faith in yourself. I always take prompt cards with me. Much better than being nervous and pressing the wrong button on the laptop sending the presentation haywire !!

Alternatively........imagine them all naked !!!

DKLS

jackomk wrote: »

I have to do presentations to dentists and their nurses. Most of whom dont want to be there and are only attending to get CPD hours clocked up !!

I know exactly where you are coming from, I used to do about 3 CPD presentations a week within the nhs.
I hate presenting to nurses, they are only interested in freebies and the points, Give me clinicians any day.

Some great tips above, One I would add in related to the naked audience, is to practice the presentation in the mirror whilst you are butt naked after all if you can deliver when you are most vulnerable you can deliver anywhere, I did that when I had to present to 600 people and was bricking it.

princessamy86

Practice definitely does make a huge difference, if you get to the stage (like my sister does) where you literally blank out and your knees start knocking then if you know it really well you should be able to say it all anway. Another thing she does is have a key or a hairgrip with a sharp end in her palm as her hands shake really badly, when she feels like they're going out of control she gives it a quick squeeze-not sure how it works but apparently it does! Good luck OP!

Paparika

imagine them all naked.. but then i think i would get the fits of giggles..

or how about some herbal kalms?

Good luck i bet you'll be fine..

I worried for 2 months driving to France and on the day i was fine, god knows why i worried in the first place ... silly me