How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Presentation

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 25, 2021 References

Whether it’s a wedding speech, work presentation, or school project, presentations can be a lot of fun if you adopt a positive attitude. Even if you do find your nerves acting up, there are plenty of simple measures that you can take to prevent your fears from getting the best of you. Adequately preparing your body and mind will ensure that you’re feeling great on the big day. There are also several simple exercises that you can use to trick your body into calming down before the presentation. If all else fails, there are plenty of ways to distract yourself!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Using Simple Tricks to Maintain a Positive Attitude

1
Slow your breathing and count to 10 to cool your nerves. Relax your body and focus on the feeling of your chest rising and lowering as you breathe. Slow your breathing until you’re at a calm pace, and listen to the natural flow of your breath. Start counting at 1 on the inhale, and 2 on the exhale. Continue until you’ve reached 10, and then start over at 1. This will naturally calm your body and mind and make it easy to remain confident at the start of your presentation.^{[1]
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Tip: Performing this breathing exercise at least once a day is a good way to combat general performance anxiety.
2
Visualize positive outcomes to prevent spiraling out in your head. Minutes before your presentation, close your eyes and picture yourself pulling off an incredible presentation. Imagine the smile on your face as the audience claps and congratulates you. Run through what you’re going to say one more time in your head, and picture it going perfectly. Positive visualization will put you at ease and increase the likelihood that you’re going to do well.^{[2]
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- Visualization can turn negative feelings and thoughts into positive ones. Nervousness can become enthusiasm if you relax and refocus your energy.
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3
Strike a power pose to trick your body into being confident. Raise your arms over your head and stretch your hands out like you’re finishing a race in first place. Flex your biceps like you’re a model and do a few fist pumps with a smile on your face. Physically enacting success will actually trick your body into thinking that you’re doing something right, and you’ll feel the stress leave your body as you’re posing, even if you feel a little silly doing it.^{[3]
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- If you aren’t going to be alone before your presentation, go the bathroom and strike poses in the mirror.
- Smile. Even if you aren’t happy, you’ll trick your brain into thinking you are. There’s some truth in the adage that you should fake it until you make it!
4
Interrupt negative thoughts with goofy jokes and humor. The moment you feel yourself imagining a worst-case scenario, tell yourself a silly joke. Laughing at yourself will ensure that you aren’t wound up when you get up to present, and your humorous energy will translate into a good presentation.^{[4]
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- If you’re presenting a speech where humor is appropriate, consider starting with a joke to alleviate tension in the room.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Distracting Yourself to Calm Your Nerves

1
Listen to calming music before your presentation. Take your headphones with you and listen to some calming tunes before taking the stage. This will naturally relax you while taking your mind off of the upcoming presentation at the same time.^{[5]
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- Even if you aren’t a fan of it, uplifting classical music is an excellent way to subconsciously relax yourself. Mozart’s “Sonata No. 17 in C” and Prokofiev's “Classical” Symphony are excellent choices.
Tip: While up-tempo hip hop and heavy metal may be good at hyping you up for a basketball game or tough conversation, it’s not going to do a good job of calming your nerves.
2
Doodle and let your mind wander before the presentation. Break out a piece of paper and a pencil and let your mind wander on the page. Doodle characters, objects, or words. If you don’t know what to draw, do some free association and let your pen wander aimlessly. Doodling will have a calming effect on your body and mind in the moments leading up to the presentation.^{[6]
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- If you’re drawing faces, put a smile on them for a double-dose of positivity before you get up to speak. It won’t hurt to imagine a smiling face staring up at you from the audience!
3
Play around with a fidget spinner or stress ball. Fidget spinners, stress balls, and other small toys are an easy way of keeping your mind from going to a negative place before your big presentation. To spin a fidget spinner, hold the center with your thumb on one side and your index on the other. Use your other hand to turn the blades in one direction and watch it spin. To use a stress ball, repeatedly squeeze the object in your hand over and over to calm yourself down.^{[7]
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- Fidget cubes and Rubik’s puzzles are other solid options for keeping your mind free from stress.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Preparing for Your Presentation

1
Get enough sleep and eat a good breakfast the day of your presentation. Prepare your body by getting at least 8 hours of sleep the night before your big presentation. This will ensure that you’re well-rested and remain focused throughout your day. Eat a healthy breakfast to ensure that you aren’t hungry or feeling lethargic when it comes time to present.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- Drinking too much coffee in the morning can make you jittery. Try to keep it to just one cup if you can.
- Don’t overeat. Too much food in the morning may make you feel sluggish or slow in the hours leading up to your presentation.
2
Practice your presentation in the days leading up to it. Compose an outline and jot down the first 3-4 sentences of your presentation. Practice alone before moving in front of the mirror to see how your presentation looks and sounds. Having a well-organized speech that you’ve practiced performing will ensure that you remain confident during your presentation and don’t get stuck.^{[9]
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- Memorizing the first 3-4 sentences of your presentation is an easy way to make sure that you don’t get jammed up early on. It will also boost your confidence as you run through the rest of your presentation.
- If you can, record yourself speaking and play it back to see if there’s anything that you need to fix or work on.
- To simulate a real audience, ask a friend, roommate, or family member to sit through a practice session. They may be able to give you some advice as well!
3
Do some yoga or stretch a few hours before your presentation. Performing some basic physical exercises will engage your body and make sure that you’re feeling good in the hours leading up to your presentation. Do some simple yoga poses or stretch thoroughly at least 1 hour before you need to get ready in order to alleviate any anxiety or fear that you may have. If your body feels good, your mind will too.^{[10]
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- Don’t overdo it. If you strain your body, you could end up in pain. Nobody wants to present when they’re sore! A simple 15-20 minutes is more than enough to ensure that you’re feeling loose and ready.
4
Get used to your surroundings by showing up early. Being in a new or unfamiliar setting can cause anxiety for a lot of people. Showing up to your presentation early will give you time to adjust to your environment and calm your nerves while you wait.^{[11]
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- Showing up early will also give you plenty of time to set up a PowerPoint or any other technology that you need to use.
- Arriving early can give you an opportunity to practice one more time right before your presentation.
Tip: Rushing to show up on time is another cause of concern for a lot of people. Showing up early will remove this fear by giving you plenty of time to get where you’re going.
5
Be willing to improvise and change your direction. Don’t let your preparation trick you into thinking that the world is going to end if you don’t stick to the script. Practice improvising by asking a friend to throw out some questions related to your presentation so that you’re confident when it comes time to respond to your audience. Don’t worry if you haven’t prepared for every single thing that may come up in your presentation—excessive worrying will lead to a poor performance.^{[12]
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