Why 6? Because it’s the magic number!
We have all been there – the fear of speaking in the public. The phobia of opening up in public is as common as a common cold (too much of common?). In fact, the fear of speaking in public is (hilariously) common than the fear of death; as put by a survey http://www.statisticbrain.com/fear-phobia-statistics/.
So don’t consider yourself an outcast if you just can’t open up in front of everybody as we are here to help. Follow these 6 tips which can reduce your fear of public speaking:
1. Preparation (but not procrastination)
Improvisation is certainly not your cup of tea if you are already procrastinating about the prospect of speaking out to all. The obvious of all things to consider is preparing a couple of days (or weeks!) rigorously before your big day. It is often said that practising in front of a mirror helps a lot (and is actually true). The greatest example to this would be Steve Jobs as he would spend days rehearsing on his presentations.
2. Pick up your mess, sort out your fear
As brilliantly stated by Matt Haughey in his “An Introvert’s Guide to Better Presentation,” https://medium.com/@mathowie/an-introverts-guide-to-better-presentations-be7e772b2cb5#.ldka74wqo the only way to come out of your fear of speaking in public is to understand the biology of it. It is very normal to be under pressure when there are hundreds and thousands of people staring at you while you speak. You can calm yourself by setting up a mindset that those curious eyes are not sticking around to judge you but to learn from you.
3. Relax!
Prior to your ‘big day,’ be sure to spend a healthy time and have fun. Go out with friends (or a date), watch movies and inspirational speeches. According to a study, listening to music (especially energetic-tunes) helps a lot in revving up. Read more at https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201005/sports-psych-techniques.
4. Play it cool, go easy!
The worst consequence that this phobia can impose is make you look like a robot while you are giving out your presentation. So cut some slack, loosen your shoulder, flex those muscles and take deep breaths. Most importantly, show humanness. In other words, be the real you and effuse authenticity, share your personal stories and even crack some jokes. Letting your audience get amused by your sense of humour which will make your presentation worthwhile.
5. Fun up your presentation
Don’t be a smartass and present your audience with supernumerary of information to the point that they get bored (and even pissed off!). To engage your audience towards the message that you want to portray, incorporate fun tidbits in between. Make your point short and easily digestible; this way you’ll save the day.
6. Be ready to make mistakes
Bear in mind that you are not an automated program and you are liable to make human errors. Don’t expect your presentation to go perfect, especially if it’s your first. To go pro in this department, you need experience and the more you present yourself out to the public, the better you’ll get in gaining popularity.
Best Psychiatrists in Kolkata
If these (carefully selected) tips still don’t help you in getting over with the fear of speaking in public, then consult with a psychiatrist. If you stay in Kolkata, consult with our expert psychiatrists.
