How to Prepare for Public Speaking

I have seen multiple surveys that rank the fear of public speaking higher than the fear of death. I used to be a very shy person and was petrified of speaking in public. As I got older, I had to do it however in college and later my career. In this article, I'll share some things that I've found helpful.

1) First of all, being prepared with your material can help reduce some of the tension.

Give yourself plenty of time to research your topic so you don't feel rushed to do everything at the last minute.

2) The other side of this fear is being in front of people.

This was such a strange thing to me in that the same people I was fine speaking with at my seat suddenly changed when was in front of them! The physical symptoms of this fear--dry mouth, increased heart rate, etc. --unfortunately are hard to immediate stop and have to go extinct over time (with practice). What I found helped at the beginning was what I did before I had to speak. I didn't let worry build. Instead, I would do something fun or relaxing earlier that day such as watch a funny movie. I would still be nervous, but it was easier to control.

3) Add some entertainment value to what you're doing.

In school and often work situations, people are used to dry, boring material. The bored response of your audience will make you nervous, thinking it's you and not the material. A few jokes that relate to the topic don't hurt, and doing this often caused me to get a better grade. I found this out by accident on a project where I had to fill time, but it works! If you're afraid to try humor, an interesting or unique angle on the material will work as well. Just give it some thought.

More Tips:

• Sometimes a prop related to your material is helpful to keep in your hands as you make your way away from a podium.
• It's a little scary at first, but moving around will help you once you get used to it.
• Have some water on hand in case your mouth gets dry trying to talk. Keep it at room temperature, as cold ice water will actually make it harder to talk.
• I know it's hard, but don't hide behind your report paper or turn your back to your audience. This makes people think your disinterested.