4 ways to stop panicking before giving a major talk

4 ways to stop panicking before giving a major talk4 ways to stop panicking before giving a major talkSometimes you have to give a huge presentation when the thought of sinking through the floor sounds much more appealing. Heres how to make it go more smoothly.Remember to drink some waterPatrick Allan, a staff writer at Lifehacker, writes about this on the site.Make sure youre drinking plenty of water. Dehydration canmake you feel tiredand it can make your mouth, throat, and lips dry - all bad things when youre trying to speak in front of people. Suddenly you cant think of your talking points because youre distracted by the fact that your mouth feels like a desert. Then youre not only stressed about how youll be received, but youre also stressed about whether you can even get the words out, he writes.Get acclimated to the venueYou dont want to be thrown off by the fact that theres no projector for your presentation, hours before it happens.Larry Kim, former founder and CTO of WordSt ream and current CEO of MobileMonkey, writes in Inc. that you should adjust to your surroundings.The more adjusted to your environment you are, the more comfortable youll feel. Make sure to spend some in the room where you will be delivering your presentation. If possible, practice with the microphone and lighting, make sure you understand the seating, and be aware of any distractions potentially posed by the venue (e.g., a noisy road outside), he writes.Lighten things up a bitHallie Crawford, a freelance blogger, certified career coach, author and speaker, writes in U.S. News World Report that you should establish rapport when presenting.If its appropriate for the topic and purpose of your speech, ask an audience participation question as soon as possible. For example, What brought you here? What piqued your interest about this topic? What are you wanting to learn? If asking a question isnt appropriate, tell a joke early on to relax the room. It will relax you as well. Test out yo ur joke on friends first to be sure it will go over well, she writes.Be ready to hit the ground runningIts important to start out the right way.A Harvard Business Review article features insight into this from Beth Levine,an author and founder of SmartMouth Communications.The most important thing you can do is prepare and practice the opening of your presentation, which will set the stage for everything that follows. As Levine says, The adrenaline rush of nerves usually dissipates in about two minutes. Start by saying something positive or unexpected to set the tone, the piece reads.