When you’re giving a presentation, the last thing you want is to convey a sense of anxiousness or nervousness.  It’s no secret that speakers who don’t appear calm, cool, and collected don’t gain the complete confidence of their audience.  As a result, they lose much-needed credibility and authority with their attendees.

But, keeping it together isn’t always so easy – particularly for first-time presenters, or people who are just nervous by nature.  What are some of the best ways to keep your anxiety in check – or at the very least, to hide it from your audience?

1. Be Over-Prepared
The more comfortable you are with your content and planned delivery, the less nervous you’ll be.  Careful preparation of your slide deck, and lots of practice in front of the mirror means you’ll be far less likely to make mistakes.  And, that will go a long way towards easing your fears and boosting your confidence.

2. Just Breathe
Your voice is shaking, and your heart is pounding.  What now?  It may sound cliché, but take a nice, long, deep breath. The extra oxygen will help calm your nerves, while the brief pause will give you a moment to collect your thoughts and get back on track.

3. Hold Something
Shaking hands are one of the most common symptoms of nervousness, and send a clear signal to your audience that you aren’t comfortable taking command of the room.  By holding something – perhaps a laser pointer or a wireless mouse – you can minimize any obvious jittery movements.

4. Choose a Focal Point
It may help to pick an object in the back of the room, one that requires you to point your gaze in the same direction as if you were making eye contact with the audience.  By diverting your attention to that object, you can mentally block your attendees out, while giving the impression that you are looking right at them.

5. Keep a Glass of Water Nearby
Dry mouth is another common side effect of the presentation jitters.  But when your mouth and throat get dry, your voice cracks – something that will only exacerbate your nervousness.  Always have a glass of water readily available.  It will not only keep your thirst quenched, taking a few sips will buy you a few moments to compose yourself.

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