The day of a big speech is stressful, to say the least. I see the terror and fear in my classes regularly. I would like to offer some quick and easy tips for managing speech anxiety. Remember these three P's to avoid going into a panic before your next speech: 1.) Preparation. Avoid procrastinating by breaking your work down into smaller chunks. Carefully review the speech instructions. You must know the structure of your speech, your main points, attention getter and overall theme. It's hard to mess up when you know your material well. Also, be sure to rehearse as much as possible. This will all help to alleviate your nerves. 2.) Presence. You can only prepare up to a certain point. When it's time for you to speak, you must approach the event with as much composure as possible. Bring your attention to the room and to your body. Remember to take pauses, and most importantly, to breathe . Preparation is key, but when preparation is no longer possible, calmly d...
Tips and resources to help you become a better speaker