1. The document provides 10 tips for reducing stage fright and nervousness when giving presentations. 2. Some of the key tips include memorizing the first 30 seconds to start confidently, practicing your talk multiple times so it feels easy and extempore, relaxing yourself with deep breathing before presenting, and writing down your worries to realize most fears are unlikely to occur. 3. It also recommends not changing your normal routine the day of the presentation to avoid undue stress, preparing contingency plans for potential issues during your talk, and taking your mind off your presentation while waiting to speak to ease nervousness.

1. 10 Tips to Reduce Stage Fright (Nervousness)
If presentations make you nervous, here are 10 tips to help you. These tips are from the
book 'Speaking Up without Freaking Out' by Matt Abrahams. I reviewed the book in
my last post. Many of these 10 tips will apply in your case and help you overcome
nervousness.
#1 You are not alone
Tell yourself that being anxious is normal. Even the most seasoned presenters do get
tense and nervous before a presentation. This fear is what makes you prepare well and
do a good job. If you are feeling nervous, tell yourself, "This is the way I should be
feeling. This is normal."
#2 Memorize the first 30 seconds of your talk
Your anxiety is maximum at the start of your presentation. You are nervous and worried
that you will forget your content. If you memorize the start of your talk then you will
surely start confidently and well begun is half done. As you move further, your anxiety
will keep coming down. I can personally vouch for this technique since I have used it
myself.
#3 Practice your talk till it becomes easy
Practice a presentation so many times that you don't have the fear of forgetting. By
practice, I mean actually give the entire talk (with slides) and do it many times over. Do
not memorise the content, goes go through the entire talk and keep it extempore every
time. The key messages need to be memorised not how they will be said. Will you feel
anxious before a presentation which you have practised 10 times?
#4 Relax yourself before your talk
Deep breathing will help you relax yourself before you go to present. You can also try
sequential muscle relaxation, wherein you focus on each part of your body and try to
relax that area. These techniques will make you calm and composed.
#5 Write down your worries
Write down everything you are nervous about. What are you worried about? That you
will forget your content. That you will skip something important. That you will be asked a
tough question. That your video will not work. Writing down all your worries on a piece
of paper, will make you relaxed.
Now make a small table. On the left, write down your worries and on the right the
chance it will happen (very high, high, low, very low). You will suddenly realise that most
of your fears are just in your head and are unlikely to happen. This exercise will calm
your mind.

2. #6 Do not change your normal routine
If you sleep 8 hours a day, then do not sleep 5 hours the night before the presentation.
Make sure you do everything on the presentation day, which you do on a regular day.
Do not break any routine and cause undue stress to yourself. Eat the regular stuff and
sleep normally.
#7 Prepare for contingencies
Certain events happening during your presentation can also make you nervous. Your
PPT is not working. Your wireless remote has run out of cell (battery). Your projector is
causing problems. Think of most problems you could face during a presentation and
have a contingency plan to manage the situation. If your projector does not work, carry
handouts. Also remember that something can always go wrong and you cannot prepare
for everything. So accept the fact that life is unpredictable and move on with your
presentation. Being nervous does not help.
#8 Divert your attention away from your presentation
While you are awaiting your turn to speak, you will be constantly thinking about your
presentation and will begin to get nervous. In this situation, take your mind away from
your presentation and play a video game or listen to music. You can also spend some
time with a person who cares for you and with whom you feel comfortable. This will
ease out your nervousness. Do whatever takes away your focus from the presentation
to something else (something which you enjoy).
#9 Take the challenge
You know you are the tenth and the last speaker. You are at the venue along with the
organisers. Volunteer to speak first. This courageous act is known to reduce fear. Take
your fear head on. Imagine finishing early and then enjoying the talks of the balance 9
speakers. If you speak the last, will you be able to really enjoy the talk of others. You
will be so preoccupied. So take the plunge and reap the rewards.
#10 Analyse your fears
There are three kinds of nervousness; One, audience based. Two, state based and
three situation based. Audience based anxiety is caused because of the kind of
people sitting in the audience. An entrepreneur will get nervous when big investors are
sitting in his audience.
State based anxiety is linked to your goal. Your final objective can make you nervous.
The stakes of your presentation are so high and you are scared of failure.
Situation based anxiety is the environment at the event. If there is a very large
gathering, you can become nervous because of that. Had it been a gathering of five
people, you would not have felt nervous at all.
Find out what is making you nervous, and then use techniques to handle your

3. nervousness. Know the problem and then seek a solution. Just because a technique
works for me does not mean it will work for you as well