How [not] to manage your nerves before a presentation
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Just take something to take the edge off Alcohol does calm down the nerves, there's no denying that. The problem is that it also interferes with a lot of other brain functions: it makes your speech production less fluid, you will have trouble concentrating on your storyline, and maintaining eye contact with the audience becomes problematic. In an experiment at the University of Cologne, people who drank a shot of alcohol felt better during a presentation, but were rated as worse presenters by the audience [1]. It is true that alcohol isn't the only anti-anxiety drug available, but it's important to remember that the effect of any drug is highly dose-dependent. One minute you're anxious, then you're calmer, but next you're spacing out.
How [not] to manage your nerves before a presentation
How [not] to manage your nerves before a…
How [not] to manage your nerves before a presentation
Just take something to take the edge off Alcohol does calm down the nerves, there's no denying that. The problem is that it also interferes with a lot of other brain functions: it makes your speech production less fluid, you will have trouble concentrating on your storyline, and maintaining eye contact with the audience becomes problematic. In an experiment at the University of Cologne, people who drank a shot of alcohol felt better during a presentation, but were rated as worse presenters by the audience [1]. It is true that alcohol isn't the only anti-anxiety drug available, but it's important to remember that the effect of any drug is highly dose-dependent. One minute you're anxious, then you're calmer, but next you're spacing out.