Why Being Relaxed is Important for Presenters

For most people, the thought of giving a presentation in front of an audience is quite scary. In fact, studies have shown that some people fear public speaking more than death! Nerves and anxiety are common before a presentation but they can be debilitating for a speaker. When you are nervous, your body is on high alert. Your heart begins pounding, your blood pressure rises, your palms get sweaty, and your entire body is flooded with adrenaline. It can be difficult to deliver a dynamic presentation when you are feeling this way. For this reason, it’s important for presenters to take the necessary steps to calm their nerves prior to speaking. This will allow them to slow their heart rate, bring their blood pressure back to normal, and breathe normally. In doing so, they will learn to stay calm and deliver a powerful message even under pressure. Here are just a few reasons why relaxation is important for presenters.

It Decreases Their Stress Level

Our body naturally reacts to fear and anxiety in a number of ways such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. This can leave you feeling panicked and your brain can become fuzzy and confused. By taking the time to calm your nerves and practice relaxation techniques, we slow our heart rate and allow oxygen to flow freely to our brain. This will decrease your stress level and help you to focus on your thoughts. 

We Develop Optimism

When our nerves get the best of us we begin to doubt our abilities and we often begin negative self-talk in our minds. We say things like, “I’m going to embarrass myself†or “What if I trip and fall?†When we are nervous, we have a tendency to focus on potential catastrophes rather than success. If we can learn to decompress and relax, however, we can eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with optimism. We begin to believe in ourselves and we focus on our strengths. 

We Develop a Positive Mindset

When we are relaxed, it becomes much easier to handle stressful situations by focusing on the positives. Rather than thinking about the stress of speaking in front of our executives, we focus on the ability to showcase our strengths and skills to them. We remember why we were asked to speak in the first place and we develop confidence in our ability. 

It Helps to Remember Our Speech

We have all been in a situation where we were nervously fumbling through notes. Nervousness affects our ability to think clearly and we become heavily reliant on notes and slides. When we relax before a presentation, however, we are able to remember the information and deliver it confidently and with ease. 

We Are Perceived as Confident and Credible

Whether we like it or not, the audience will be judging us from the moment we step on stage. A speaker who stands up straight, commands the stage, and speaks unwaveringly will appear far more credible than the speaker who fumbles through notes, fidgets with their hands, and continuously says “Um†throughout the presentation. Taking the time to calm and relax your nerves before a presentation will dramatically improve the way your audience perceives you. A relaxed speaker immediately comes across as knowledgeable and confident.