This article was developed via a partnership with Better Help. If you’re someone who starts sweating or whose heart starts fluttering at having to deliver a speech or presentation at work, you may have glossophobia or the irrational fear of public speaking. Phobias are a form of anxiety that may cause you to make catastrophic predictions about all the possible outcomes of a situation. However, a little exposure and thorough preparation can make the symptoms of anxiety a little easier to bear.
Here’s how you can prepare yourself for a public speaking situation for work if you have a fear of public speaking:
Be Familiar With Your Topic
If you have to deliver a speech about a specific topic, the best thing you can do is familiarize yourself with it beforehand fully and even consider any questions you might be asked. This will make it less likely for you to slip up and help you feel confident that you know at least what you’re talking about.
Organize All Of Your Materials
If you have various materials you’ll need for your presentation, such as any audio or visual materials, make sure you get those in order before your presentation. If you can, consider visiting where you’ll deliver your speech beforehand to set those up early. This reduces the likelihood that there’ll be any technical difficulties that cause you to prolong your time in the spotlight.
Practice, Practice, Practice
You’re going to want to practice your speech as many times as you can so that you know it from top to bottom by the time you have to present it live. It may also come in handy to film yourself delivering the presentation so that you can rewatch it and correct any mannerisms you think are distracting, as cringeworthy as it sounds.
Try Positive Visualization
A fantastic way to ease your anxiety symptoms is to visualize how well it will go instead of ruminating on all the ways it can go wrong. This way, you actively counteract and reframe your negative intrusive thoughts and comfort yourself by seeing how great it can all turn out.
Practice Deep Breathing Exercises
This is great for right before your presentation when the physical symptoms of nervousness start kicking in. Regulating your breathing can slow down your heart rate and make you feel less tense as you go up to the podium or before the conference room. Breathe in for three counts and do the same when you breathe out.
Focus On Getting It Done, Not On The Audience
It can be challenging to keep your mind away from thinking about what everyone in the audience is thinking about, how they’ll judge you when in reality, people will be eager to learn new information and will not be paying attention to how it’s delivered. In fact, the audience will likely be rooting for it to go well.
Perform In Front Of Other People First
Try performing in front of people you trust or even people you don’t know at all in order to get a feel for presenting in front of groups. You can even look into groups that offer support for those wishing to get more comfortable with public speaking, such as Toastmasters, a non-profit that helps train people in the skill.
When To Seek Professional Help
Your social anxiety may become too difficult to handle on your own, and that’s okay. You’re human. If this is the case, you may want to consider getting skilled help from a licensed professional to teach you how to manage your symptoms better and provide you with evidence-based coping strategies that will make living with anxiety a lot easier. You can read more here if you’re struggling with a phobia and want to learn more about where they come from.
