I'm noticing my inner chatter much more these
days as I have started to TRY to meditate. My
brain is a very noisy place! I tell it to be
quiet and all it wants to do is remind me of
all of the things it thinks I should be
worrying about, doing, planning, etc.
I have to keep telling it to BE HERE
NOW---not in the future, not in the past.
Then I pay attention to my breathing and that
helps some.
Inner chatter can be very distracting and
derailing as you try to prepare a
presentation. And, if you are anxious about
giving a presentation, it can push you into
procrastination mode and prevent you from
planning or rehearsing a presentation.
So, what to do?
For a quick way to focus, try using my
Presentation Jump-Start process to prepare
your next presentation.
1. Physically prepare a clear space to
develop your presentation. Clear your desk of
anything that might distract you. If you are
a pile person, set your piles on the floor
where they won't call to you. Or, go
somewhere you won't be found by a ringing
phone, colleague, or boss.
2. Close your eyes for a moment and take a
few deep breaths noticing the inhale and
exhale. Place your hand on your belly and
feel it expand as you breathe in and feel it
contract as you breathe out.
3. Use a clean sheet of paper or blank Word
doc and answer these four questions:
- What is the purpose of my presentation?
- What do I want my audience to know?
- What do I want my audience to do?
- What do they need to know in order to do
that?
Once you've answered those questions, your
brain will be primed and raring to go to
develop your presentation. You can do it!
