| Causes of Anxiety
Lack of Preparation and Practice Making a Fool of One's Self Being the Focus of Attention: All Eyes focused on You, the Speaker Fear of Making a Mistake Fear of Humiliation |
| Overcoming Speech Anxiety
Prepare thoroughly and practice adequately. Preparation takes a lot of time, procrastinating to the last minute results in a poor delivery. Practice adequately. Practice aloud; 5 - 6 times, relax, practice 5 - 6 more times. Avoid practicing too many times during one session. Practicing too many times causes ideas to run together and become unclear. Approach fear realistically. Everyone is in the same boat. You are not competing with your neighbor. Your objective is to improve each time you speak. Do your best to improve with each new presentation and to grow calmer each time you deliver. Develop a positive mental attitude. Before speaking, give yourself a pep talk. Convince yourself that you are well prepared and that you will do the very best job you can do. Imagine that your best friend is seated in the audience. Hold a conversation with him or her. Downplay the idea of a "mass" audience. Gain experience. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to speak, whether in class or on the job. Each time you speak your self-confidence will grow. Physical Activities Silently, before going to the podium and without disturbing others, take several deep breaths. To relax, meditate immediately before entering the room. Think about your favorite sandy white beach in the tropics. Relax the muscles of the body. Rotate the arms and hunch your shoulders to relieve tension in the upper body. Clear the mind immediately before speaking.
Practice thoroughly, the put the speech away until you're ready to
deliver. |