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How to Avoid Being Late

Last Updated: November 30, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Zach Pontrello . Zach Pontrello is an Embodied Leadership & Relationship Coach and the Founder of One Thought Growth & Sovereign Man Academy. His expertise lies in helping people build better relationships with themselves and with their partners, focusing on communication and honesty. Zach received his degree from John Carroll University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 128,949 times.

Tired of showing up late to different places and events? It's never fun being tardy—but luckily, there's a lot that you can do to improve your timeliness. We've put together plenty of tips and tricks to help you get started. With enough focus and dedication, your days of being late will be a thing of the past.

Give yourself enough time to get ready.

Don't give yourself permission to be late.

Allow ample time for your journey.

Avoid overextending yourself.

Refrain from accepting invites to events you can't make.

Always give yourself more time than you need to get there.

Expert Q&A

• Set your clock forward by an odd number of minutes. (Setting back by 10 or 15 minutes is too easy to calculate instantly). For example, if the real time is 10.10, change yours to 10.17. This way, you think you have less time than you do. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Empathize with the person who is waiting for you. Even if it is not intentional, it is not fun to be kept waiting. If you put yourself in the position of the person waiting for you, you will better gain a sense of urgency and try harder to avoid being tardy. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

• Recognize that tardiness, especially consistent tardiness, is a trait that illustrates your lack of respect for others. It also suggests that you think that you are more important than those who are waiting for you. Ultimately this arrogant nature will eventually create feelings of animosity from the people who you consistently keep waiting. Thanks Helpful 49 Not Helpful 13
• On the flip side, your tardiness may be illustrating lack of self-esteem. Perhaps you think that your presence doesn't really matter. If that were true, why were you included in the planning/invitations? They want you there, so don't disappoint them. Thanks Helpful 46 Not Helpful 12

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• ↑ https://www.npr.org/2021/12/06/1061811764/how-to-be-on-time
• ↑ https://www.rit.edu/behindthebricks/content/travel-tips-top-10-modes-transportation
• ↑ https://downloads.lww.com/wolterskluwer_vitalstream_com/sample-content/9780781770040_Kronenberger/samples/97190.Ch6.pdf
• ↑ https://shakerroadschool.org/2018/10/teaching-timelinessand-benefits-arriving-school-early/

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Never Be Late Again: 15 Tips to Guarantee You'll Always be on Time Are you always late? Here's a roadmap to help you be more punctual.

By John Rampton Sep 10, 2019

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

As an optimist, I don't think we intend or plan to be tardy. But if you don't plan to be on time, you're planning to be late. Showing up late for anything can be stressful, disrespectful, and can be costly -- one estimate is that tardiness costs U.S. businesses more than $3 billion annually in lost productivity . Despite this, between 15 and 20 percent of people admit that they're constantly late .

If you don't want to fall into this camp, then here are 15 ways to guarantee you'll always be on time.

1. Remind yourself why you want to be more punctual.

When you're launching your own business, you need to determine the reason behind your actions. Doing so will keep you motivated and ensure that you stick with it. This may also help you identify potential roadblocks and solutions to overcome them.

The same is true of why you want to be more punctual. For example, is your tardiness adding stress to your life? Is it putting a strain on your relationships? Is it harming your reputation because you're seen as someone who is unreliable or constantly missing deadlines?

Reflect on why you want to stop being late. Think about how this is going to make your life better, and after you've done this, make being on time a priority.

2. Know yourself.

Let's say that you're always late to work. Is it because you aren't waking up early enough? Does your commute take longer than you think? Are you underestimating how long it takes for you to get around?

You can't fix your tardiness problem if you don't get to the root of the problem. You may notice that it could be a simple solution, like setting your alarm 15-minutes earlier in the morning.

Also, get to know your personal clock so that you can plan your day around that. For instance, let's say you're the type of person who needs an hour or two to get moving after waking up. Then it would be counterproductive to wake-up at 8 A.M. and expect to be at work by 9 A.M. Instead, you either set your alarm earlier or arrive at work later in the day.

3. Become a scheduling pro.

Perhaps the main reason why being on time is an issue is because you aren't managing your time effectively . The best way to correct this is by becoming a master at scheduling.

Start by tracking your time. This includes everything from the length of your commute, the time spent responding to emails and how long it takes you to complete your work. You can do this manually or use a time-tracking app . Regardless of how you go about this, you need to know how you're spending your time so you can be realistic with your plans.

Ideally, you should do this for a couple of weeks to give you a more accurate picture. After that, you can schedule everything into your calendar to prevent conflicts like being late. For example, if you found out that it takes you two hours to finish a specific task, and you start it at 9 A.M., then you wouldn't schedule a meeting across town at 11 A.M. There's just no way you would get there on time.

Related: 7 Tips for Managing Your Schedule Like a Pro

4. It's always better to overestimate.

Speaking of scheduling, it's usually for the best to overestimate. That's because no matter how organized you are, you can't predict the unexpected. This could be sitting in traffic because of an accident or not being able to get in the zone when working. Heck, sometimes we spend more time getting dressed and ready to leave the house than we thought. There have been several times when I underestimated how long it took for my clothes to dry, which led to me leaving later than planned.

The worst thing that could happen is that you arrive early, and you could use that time to catch up on some reading, emails or prepping for your next to-do-list item.

5. Take into account transition activities.

Most of us give ourselves just enough time to get from A to B or jump from one task to another. Overestimating is one way to handle unexpected events. However, I feel a lot of people don't take into account transition activities.

For example, if you have a lunch meeting that starts at noon, did you block out the appropriate amount of time to get from your office to the restaurant? If not, you may have inadvertently scheduled something else onto your calendar that butts right up against the meeting leaving you not much time to get to the event on time.

As a rule going forward, place time buffers between your calendar entries. This way you have extra time in case of an unexpected event. And, most importantly, you're avoiding any potential scheduling conflicts.

6. Plan the night before.

Instead of rushing around every morning, establish an evening routine where you prep for tomorrow tonight. Examples include laying out your clothes, packing your lunch, knowing where your keys and wallet are and reviewing your calendar. If you have a presentation, practice and have all documents and equipment packed, organized, and ready to go.

Related: By Failing to Prepare, You Are Indeed Preparing to Fail

7. Set your watch later.

Here's an easy enough hack that can trick your brain into thinking it's later than it is. Just set your watches and clocks 5 or 10 minutes later than the actual time. Just make sure that they're all synched so that you won't get confused when you wristwatch and clocks on your phone, computer, and wall are displaying various times.

8. Use reminders and notifications.

These days, reminders and notifications are automatic. For example, if you bought tickets to a concert using your Gmail address then you'll receive an email reminding you of the event. Whenever you add an entry to your calendar you'll also receive reminders.

Here's the thing: Most people don't alter these reminders and notifications. In other words, if you have a meeting at 3 P.M. and you may receive a reminder five minutes prior, that's all well and good. But, if you set the reminder to 30-minutes, that would ensure you leave the office with plenty of time to get to the meeting.

9. Under-schedule yourself.

Remember when you tracked your time? That information can prevent you from spreading yourself too thin . For instance, if you know that you have meetings all day, and you need time to travel and prep between each, then you're not going to commit to a last-minute conference call or helping an employee out with a problem. Instead, you would schedule them for another date when you have the availability.

10. Rethink your semantics.

"Instead of thinking "We have to be at the recital at 5:00,' think "The curtain goes up at 5:00,'" writes Ellen Hendriksen on HuffPost. "There's a big difference between being in your seat, program in hand, versus having technically arrived, but still cruising around looking for parking at the appointed hour."

Hendriksen suggests changing the wording in your head. For example, "I need to be in the restaurant at 7:30," "The meeting begins at 2:00," or "I have an hour to finish this and drive there and park."

11. Stop trying to squeeze in "just one more thing."

We've all been guilty of this. You look at the clock and realize that you have to leave in 10 minutes. As opposed to just sitting there, you decide to respond to an email or return a phone call. Next thing you know, you've spent 20 minutes cleaning out your inbox or chatting on the phone.

I know that you don't want to waste any valuable time . But, you need to keep that urge under control. If not, you'll end up being late. My solution around this would be to just get up and leave. If you're super early, you can spend that time replying to emails or whatever soft tasks you need to cross off your list.

12. Schedule events during off-hours.

Even if you don't commute to work, I'm sure that you at least have an idea on when peak travel times are. Usually, this is right before 9 A.M., noon, and a little after 5 P.M. Instead of joining in on the rat race, schedule events when things aren't hectic.

Since you're your own boss, this shouldn't be an ordeal. Set your schedule where you come into work after 9 and leave around 6. If you wake up early, then leave your home before rush hour begins or work from home until it's time to go. Plan an early lunch meetings when it will be less crowded on the roads and the restaurant itself.

13. Play the host.

Want to avoid travel time? Host more events. For example, instead of leaving your office and traveling across town, have the meeting in your conference room.

Related: 10 Tips for Hosting a Wildly Successful Event on a Tame Budget

14. Be ruthless with your time.

When you have something scheduled on your calendar, then that's the only thing that you should be focused on. That means not getting distracted with smartphone notifications or stopping whatever you're doing to grab coffee with a friend. It may also involve saying "no" more often. For instance, if you've already committed to attending a social event then you may have to decline an invite for another even on the same day.

15. Prioritize your sleep.

What does sleeping have to do with tardiness? Well, oversleeping is one of the most common reasons why people run late. It's impossible to get to work by 9 A.M. when you slept in until 8:30.

Make it a point to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night. It sounds ridiculous, but the best way to do this is by waking up and going to bed at the same time. Avoid blue light at least an hour before hitting the hay and keep your bedroom cool and dark like a cave.

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How to Stop Being Late

Try these ten tips to build sustainable habits to be on time..

Posted September 20, 2021 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

• Condition yourself for punctuality by planning ahead and expecting the unexpected.
• Rethink and embrace being early, particularly in the context of respect for others' time.
• Experiments with different techniques to see what works for you and your busy life.

We all have a horror story about being late, from arriving at a wedding just as the bride and groom are running off in a shower of birdseed to spilling popcorn kernels in front of miffed movie-goers when we’ve arrived mid-film. Being late even shows up in our nightmares—who hasn’t woken up in a sweat from a late-for-a-final-exam dream? Before you’re late for your next important date, consider these 10 tips for being right on time:

Tip #1: Re-estimate how much time you think things will take.

Optimism (or, ahem, delusion) is the biggest driver behind our underestimation of how long tasks will take. Try adding a buffer of at least 25 to 50 percent more time than you’ve estimated. The bigger the task or the longer the travel time, the more wiggle room you have to build in. Especially if it’s a task you’ve not yet encountered before, err on the side of caution even if it sounds like a breeze.

Tip #2: Account for transition activities.

These include traffic, getting kids out of the house (“You have to poop now ?”), and the big one-two punch, parking and walking. These are the mundane tasks that stealthily (yet all too consistently) throw off our estimates. Too often we look up the drive time on Google Maps and take the estimate as gold. Instead, consider bookending that estimate with extra time to find your kid’s other shoe and feed the parking meter. It seems obvious, but it’s not. Try it and watch your life change.

Tip #3: Beware “one more thing.”

This also falls under the optimism umbrella, but deserves its own tip. Oftentimes we’ll try to squeeze in one more thing—get gas, check email—which inevitably makes us late. A college friend once said he had to do “just one thing” before a road trip. I envisioned a trip to the ATM or mailbox, but he then proceeded to replace his transmission. By himself. With an acetylene torch from the art department.

Even though we know better, we think that the last errand will magically take no time at all. So, make like Jacques the shrimp in "Finding Nemo" and tell yourself, “I shall resist.”

Tip #4: Beware “I’ll just do everything else faster.”

We might be tempted to press the snooze alarm or squeeze in one last task, agreeing with the devil on our shoulder that all we need to do is hit fast forward for the rest of our morning. But trying to hurry just makes us stressed (and, of course, late). It’s worth it to get up on time—you can even place your phone or alarm clock on the other side of the room. This might require a shift of evening habits to allow you to go to bed earlier (but that’s a whooooole 'nother article).

Tip #5: Rethink your semantics.

Instead of thinking, “We have to be at the recital at 5:00,” think “The curtain goes up at 5:00.” There’s a big difference between being in your seat, program in hand, versus having technically arrived, but still cruising around looking for parking at the appointed hour.

Therefore, change your wording: “I need to be in the restaurant at 7:30,” “The meeting begins at 2:00,” or “I have an hour to finish this, and drive there, and park.” Spelling it out gives us a sense of the magnitude of the steps involved.

Tip #6: Being early isn’t a waste of time.

Most of us hate wasting time. When we’re kept waiting, like in a doctor’s waiting room or a restaurant where we have a reservation, we get annoyed and agitated. Therefore, we assume that deliberately getting somewhere early will feel the same way. Not necessarily! When you’re deliberately early, you’re in charge, so you get to fill the time however you want, knowing that it doesn’t come at the expense of someone else’s convenience. Indeed, that last email, crammed in before leaving the house, could actually be written leisurely once you’ve actually arrived and are in the waiting area.

To this point, though, a tip I often hear is to keep something productive on hand to fill in those empty few minutes: write a thank you note, catch up on email. If it works for you, great. But also consider using the time for something pleasant, not just productive: look through photos on your phone, read a real book (how quaint!), or strike up a conversation with other early birds (bonus: at a business event, casual conversation beforehand builds relationships, which qualifies as super productive).

Tip #7: Aim for 10 minutes early, if only to increase your margin of error.

Here, punctuality is boiled down to a math problem. Think of it this way: aiming to arrive precisely on time gives you basically a one-minute window of arrival. If your event starts at noon, you aim to arrive at noon, and you arrive even at 12:01, you’re late. The margin of error is too small. Stress is guaranteed.

Instead, if your event starts at noon and you aim to get there at 11:50, you have a 10-minute window of arrival. Much more realistic and much less likely to make you drive like a stunt double.

Tip #8: Transfer your biggest morning headache to the night before.

You don’t have to be extreme—please don’t sleep in tomorrow’s clothes—but consider taking the biggest time drains from your morning and doing them the night before. Packing kids’ school lunches, putting your keys, phone, and wallet in one place, even showering and laying your clothes out for the morning can all be done before you hit the sack.

Tip #9: Get into the habit of thinking ahead.

Most tips you’ll find here (or elsewhere online) are based on the assumption that we think ahead about our tasks. For example, do X early, estimate Y more accurately. But most of us are late precisely because we forget to think ahead. We look up the appointment’s address at the last minute and realize it’s farther away than we thought. Or we forget that our reservations are at the height of rush hour.

Thinking ahead is a part of organization and time- management skills, something that takes time to develop. But the greatest added value can come from this: In addition to packing those kid lunches, consider visualizing the next day the night before. If you break it down by chunk or by scheduled meetings and events, it’s easier to picture what preparation may go into each, and to plan accordingly. (Or for true punctuality ninjas, look at the upcoming week on Sunday night.)

Where do you have to be and when? Are there new addresses to map out online? Are there any really important events, like an interview, a funeral, or a kid's recital you can’t be late for? Anything scheduled back-to-back-to-back? An always-punctual colleague blocks 45 minutes for 30-minute meetings to allow a buffer for surprises (like the inevitable "that guy" who makes the meeting run over with questions specific only to him). Pinpoint the weak spots and plan (or reschedule) accordingly.

Tip #10: Try it once and see.

If you’re chronically late, pick one upcoming event for which you’ll be on time. Then do it up right: Plan ahead, account for all transitions, leave early, and aim to be the first one there.

Then, observe the process of everyone else’s arrival. Notice how you feel calm instead of frantic, that you don’t have to feel guilty, and most importantly, notice how you feel when others arrive late.

There’s a French saying, which translates loosely to, “While you keep a man waiting, he reflects on your shortcomings.” I might add, “...even if you’ve texted that you’re running late.” Putting yourself in the shoes of those you’ve kept waiting is a powerful motivator to change for the better. You’ll come off as more professional, more respectful, and more competent. Not to mention more relaxed.

Call it prompt, punctilious, or just plain old on time. There’s no zealot like the newly converted; try it out a few times. You’ll love moving from being put on the spot to getting there on the dot.

Ellen Hendriksen, Ph.D. , is a psychologist at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

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clock This article was published more than  2 years ago

Late for everything? Here are 7 tips to help you break the habit.

Elise Volkmann spent years operating on EST: Elise Standard Time. Her close friends and family knew that meant she would always be 15 minutes late.

“I didn’t like it, but I didn’t know how to fix it,” says Volkmann, 30, a massage therapist in Seattle. Until one day she did: She started leaving home at least 30 minutes before she needed to and realized that not being in a hurry was “awesome.”

Christina Garrett, 36, a mom of five in Montgomery, Ala., describes herself as a recovering chronically late person. Being on time felt like “climbing Mount Everest,” she says. Something would inevitably pop up as she was on her way out the door, and eventually “it was expected of our family that we would arrive after the start time of any designated activity.”

Garrett reached a turning point when she was pulled over by the police three times in one week because she was rushing. One of the officers pointed out that lots of people get into accidents because they’re running late and driving too fast — and reminded her that she had “precious cargo” in her minivan.

Like Volkmann and Garrett, many of us are chronically late — to work, to dentist and hair appointments, to birthday parties and to anything else with a start time.

Ask Amy: Readers respond on how to handle chronic lateness

This tardiness can be explained by a number of factors, including specific personality traits and a lack of time management skills, experts say. Often, it’s caused by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which is characterized by traits such as inattention and impulsivity.

Chronic lateness is “extremely common among people with ADHD — more of them have it than not,” says Mary Solanto , a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine in Long Island. Those with ADHD who don’t struggle with chronic lateness typically did in the past but “were able to come up with ways to overcome it,” she says. “It’s a very big problem: People have been fired because they’re chronically late. It has significant consequences.”

In general, people with ADHD don’t have a good sense of time, says Solanto, who developed a popular cognitive-behavioral intervention program for adults with ADHD. “They tend to fly by the seat of their pants and do things spontaneously, and they don’t plan for many things.”

Beyond people with ADHD, there are a handful of personality types more likely than others to be late, theorizes Linda Sapadin , a clinical psychologist in New York:

● The perfectionist, who might fuss over her hair or the font size on her work presentation, determined to get it right even at the cost of being late.

● The crisis-maker, who “needs an adrenaline rush to get going.”

● The dreamer, who “doesn’t pay enough attention to detail.”

● The pleaser, who says yes to everyone.

● The defier, who rebels against expectations.

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome chronic lateness, whether you have ADHD or simply struggle to prioritize punctuality. Here are experts’ favorite strategies:

Figure out exactly how long it will take to get somewhere, then build in extra time. People often underestimate the amount of time it will take to reach their destination, says Ellen Hendriksen , a clinical psychologist based in Massachusetts. You might assume it will take 20 minutes to drive to the movie theater — but that’s not accounting for traffic, finding a parking spot, walking to the entrance, standing in line to buy a ticket (or snacks), finding the right theater and then settling into your seat. Go ahead and check Google Maps for an estimate on travel time, but don’t overlook all those transition activities.

And don’t plan to arrive right on time — say, 7 p.m. if that’s when the dance recital starts. “That literally gives you a one-minute window in which to be on time,” Hendriksen says. “And then anything after that, you’re late. If you aim to be 10 minutes early, now you have a 10-minute window in which you can be on time.”

Surround yourself with clocks. “We’re all familiar with digital clocks, but analog clocks — the ones with faces — give you a different visual cue, and you can actually see the passing of time,” says Rashelle Isip , a New York-based time management coach. Prominently display clocks everywhere you spend time, she suggests, including your living room and office. And even if you always have the time in your pocket — on your phone, that is — don’t discount a “good old-fashioned wristwatch.” Wearing one can help you get in the habit of checking the time and ensuring your day is proceeding according to schedule, Isip says.

Set lots of alarms. This is one of Solanto’s favorite tips for people with ADHD, but she notes that it can be useful for anyone who struggles with punctuality. “Set one for the time you have to start getting ready to leave and one for when you actually have to leave the house,” she says. Set another alarm for whatever time your appointment starts. These frequent audible reminders can help get your attention if you’ve lost track of time.

Create artificial deadlines. If you’re what Sapadin describes as a “crisis-maker,” you crave the thrill of a tight deadline. So set an extra early deadline for yourself: If you absolutely have to be out of the house at 7 p.m., tell yourself you’ll leave by 6:30, or else. “You’re fooling yourself, but we do lots of things to fool ourselves, and it works,” she says.

They’re late. They’re great. Hurry up and read these stories of the non-punctual.

Don’t start an enjoyable — or important — activity before a pressing event. Solanto advises not diving into your favorite video game, or even beginning to tackle a work task, in the hour or so leading up to your intended departure time. “Putting the brakes on” is challenging, especially for people with ADHD, she says. It wouldn’t be surprising if you were still engrossed in the activity hours past the time you were supposed to leave.

Plan what you’ll do if you’re early. “Waiting is really anathema for people with ADHD,” Solanto says, and many prefer to be late than to wind up with time to kill. The solution? Bring something you’ll enjoy, like a magazine you don’t get to read often or a special game you downloaded on your smartphone. That can make the waiting time more palatable, she says. (This can also serve Sapadin’s perfectionist well — having something to look forward to can be reason enough to, for example, head out rather than finishing up “one more thing” at home.)

Envision how you’ll feel if you’re late. When an alarm goes off, signaling that it’s time to start getting ready, imagine what it will be like if you’re late to your appointment. As Solanto puts it: “How is the other person going to feel? How is the employer going to feel, or the teacher? How are you going to feel walking in late, especially when there’s a group involved?” Transporting yourself to that moment, and imagining the consequences of being late in visceral detail, can be very motivating.

Bonus tip: If you’re punctual but dealing with a person who’s chronically late, address the tardiness in a one-on-one conversation. “Try to understand where they’re coming from and what challenges they might be facing,” Isip says, and talk about how you can best provide support. For example, if you’re about to go on a road trip together and need to leave at 10:30 a.m., plan to check in with each other around 10. “You can see how things are going,” Isip says, and ensure that preparations are proceeding on time. And be patient: “Like anything, we can’t expect people to change right away or on a dime.”

Angela Haupt is a freelance writer and editor. Follow her on Twitter @angelahaupt .

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Were you happy about it? Or were you mad that they now put you behind for your next appointment? Or did you leave before they wrapped up?

In this article, we examine the importance of finishing on time and give 5 tips for staying within your time constraints.

Is finishing your presentation on time important?

In most situations, yes!

Always assume that your audience is busy (because they are).

Always assume that could have chosen other places to be (because they could have).

Always assume that they have something planned immediately after you finish (because they usually do).

Audiences get uneasy if you are approaching your time limit and you aren’t wrapping up.

• They start to consider walking out .
• They start to get nervous thinking about their next appointment , and how they may be late.
• They start wishing you’d wrap it up already.
• Most importantly, they stop listening to you!

Not only do you lose credibility with your audience and risk offending them, but you also lose the opportunity to make a strong conclusion because they either aren’t listening or they aren’t in the room!

Is it better to end early, or right on time?

If it’s really bad to finish over time, then one might assume that you should always try to end well under your allowed time. However, that’s not always good either.

If you finish your presentation considerably under time (e.g. 20 minutes early in a presentation scheduled for one hour), your audience may feel cheated, particularly if they paid to listen to you speak. They may feel that you promised 60 minutes of value, but only delivered 40.

For this reason, one safe rule of thumb is to speak for between 90-100% of your allowed time . So, if your presentation is planned for 60 minutes, you should speak at least 54 (or 55 for a nice round number). This ensures that your audience doesn’t “feel cheated”, but also ensures that you don’t go over time.

There are all sorts of exceptions to the above rule of thumb, so use your judgement and do what makes sense in your situation.

5 Steps To Keep Your Presentation Within Time

It’s really not that hard to finish your presentation on time. Just follow these five simple steps:

#1 — Know Your Allowed Time

Have you ever heard a speaker walking away from a venue muttering: “I thought I had longer”?

This is the result of poor communication between the speaker and the event organizer. Both the speaker and the event organizer end up looking bad in this scenario.

Make sure you are always aware of how long you have to speak. Verify with the event organizer before the event.

#2 — Plan Your Content and Edit as Necessary

For many speakers, the problem is not knowing how much time the audience is giving them. The problem is being unreasonable with how much they can say within that allotted time.

Most people overestimate how much material they can adequately cover within a given time. They want to “share everything” and “leave nothing back”. On the other hand, the wise presenter develops strong self-awareness about how long it takes to effectively deliver their message.

When you are planning, also consider:

• Q&A : Allow time for audience questions, either within your presentation or at the end.
• Activities : Allow adequate time for any planning audience activities or exercises. One of my challenges is that I tend to underestimate how long it takes to explain an activity and “break into groups” before the exercise even starts.
• Breaks : For longer presentations, budget time for breaks for stretching, bathroom visits, coffee, or meals. This all comes out of your allotted time. In a typical full-day (8-hour) training course, for example, you might only have 6 hours of instruction once you subtract out all of the breaks.

Cut mercilessly to make sure the material you intend to deliver can be delivered within your time constraints. It’s better to present the appropriate amount at a pace which the audience can absorb rather than whizzing through too much material so the audience grasps nothing.

#3 — Rehearse Effectively

Until you gain experience as a speaker, you may not be able to accurately gauge how much content fits within a given time. For example, how many pages would you write if delivering a 30 minute commencement address? How many case studies can you cover in a lunch-time seminar?

“ If you go over time while rehearsing, you’ve got to cut material. ”

The best way to measure how long it will take is to time yourself while you rehearse effectively:

• Rehearse standing up and speaking out loud . Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can just “whisper” your way through your slides while sitting in front of your computer. Your pace will be different while standing.
• Speak to a test audience , even if all you can arrange is one person. This eliminates the tendency to “practice within yourself” as some speakers do while rehearsing. Just one audience member forces you to make eye contact and look for audience feedback. It also simulates a bit of the pressure you may feel with a real audience. You can also get valuable feedback by asking “How was my pace? Did I go too fast?”
• Make it as close to the real thing as possible . If you’ll be using a presentation remote to advance your slides, then rehearse with one. If you’ll be moving around in the “real presentation”, then do so as you rehearse. If you can rehearse in the room where you’ll be presenting, do so. The more closely you can mimic the real thing, the better your time estimate will be.
• Make it a dress rehearsal . If I’m planning to wear a suit when presenting, I like to rehearse in one. For me, the act of dressing up creates the same nervous energy and tends to give me more accurate timing.

Rehearsing in this way allows you to accurately time your presentation under close-to-real circumstances. If you go over time while rehearsing, you’ve got to cut material.

#4 — Start on Time

How many times have you seen a presenter ask for “just 5 more minutes” at the end of a one-hour presentation, despite having started ten minutes late?

Do everything in your power to start on time. Arrive early, sort out your technology, and make sure everything is set to go when your time starts. Don’t waste a moment.

Your exact start time isn’t always within your control. For example, I know of one company where “lunch-time seminars” always start at 12:15. If you are invited to speak in this forum, you’ve got to know that. A thorough discussion with the event organizer should reveal this.

#5 — Measure Your Progress and Adjust

For short speeches (say, under 15 minutes), you can probably just launch into it and hit your end time target within reason (assuming you have rehearsed it).

For longer presentations, however, you can use a more strategic approach:

• As you rehearse your content, note how long it takes for each “block” of your presentation. (Get someone to time you if necessary.)
• 12:05 – Start presentation
• 12:15 – Introduction and case study introduced
• 12:30 – Case study and lessons learned complete
• 12:50 – Live demonstration complete
• 12:58 – Q&A complete. Applause.
• Write down these targets and have them with you as you present, perhaps on a small notepad by your water. (I do it with red pen and big letters.)
• As you reach the end of each “block”, check the clock . If you are running behind, you can adjust your pace. For example, if you are starting the live demonstration at 12:35, then you know you are 5 minutes behind, and you’ll have to cut planned material to “catch up.”
• If necessary, recruit an assistant with a watch to help you monitor your intermediate targets.

Speaking over your allowed time is disrespectful and will annoy at least some people in your audience. It’s a privilege to have their attention, whether it’s for 5 minutes or 5 hours. Don’t abuse it! End on time — every time.

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We’ve all been there. The speaker speaks for far longer than anyone expects and as an audience member you just sit there thinking “when will this end?” I’ve seen it time after time at public speaking clubs in particular.

It’s worth reinforcing that when you are speaking in front of an audience, it will always take longer to cover the same material adequately. That extra time is necessary to let the message sink in with a real, live audience. Rehearsal time can be misleading, so don’t get caught out!

I would love to share this with clients. Your 5 minutes is not the same as mine, just make sure you finish on time. Great read!

this is great advise ur really smart dude keep doing you

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5 Tips to Stay On Time and Avoid Audience Wrath http://t.co/6es9Vmug — Presenting Away Dec 19th, 2012

Presentation timing: 5 tips to avoid audience wrath http://t.co/Dw4Je0rz — Diane Dec 21st, 2012

recommend reading for presenters at conferences http://t.co/LfnlikwXp6 — @tweetsimon Jul 7th, 2014

@VMart speaks the truth! 5 tips to keep yourself on time and your audience happy. http://t.co/SWeQFQEcDE #AFS145 https://t.co/bxbn7wDSjQ — @pseanmc Aug 19th, 2015

.@6minutes Andrew! I just read your article on speech timing, so great! Also giving it to my students to read ~ https://t.co/JzheERLxNz — @JacksonHoleRose Oct 25th, 2015

Presentation Timing: 5 Tips to Stay On Time and Avoid Audience Wrath https://t.co/qjXmwcjwZ4 by @6minutes — Sleiman Skaf (@SleimanSkaf) Apr 20th, 2016

#TuesdayTips Good tips by @6minutes about keeping your presentation within the allotted time. https://t.co/Rk2GtzReRv — PitchVantage (@pitchvantage) Jul 26th, 2016

There is nothing worse than when speakers go on and on and on . . . https://t.co/XZVnTmNvHO — @speakers4change Oct 5th, 2016

#DMCIT Might be of interest for the upcoming presentations. https://t.co/oeGhqqc5F8 — @Zeet66 Nov 1st, 2016

Of course, you don’t want to go way under time, but, in my opinion, it’s much better than going over time. I like… https://t.co/4FPFvPxB6R — @justineldees Oct 28th, 2018

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3 Tips to Avoid Being Late to Your Own Presentation

July 18, 2016 / Blog being on time, credibility, lateness, presentation tips, Rick Enrico, SlideGenius, tardiness, time management

Time is an essential factor in most professional presentations.

It’s important to keep yourself on a schedule not only before your speech, but after it as well. However, even with the precautions against poor time management, people still end up showing late to meetings and presentations.

As a listener, tardiness is slightly forgivable. As a speaker, however, being late could cost you your credibility and your listeners.

If you’ve been late to your own presentation before, repeating your mistake definitely sends out the wrong message. People might stop attending your talks once you’ve become associated with tardiness. It doesn’t matter if it’s five or thirty minutes. People will remember.

Be on time by following three tips:

Don’t Stall

Lateness is often associated with laziness. According to management consultant Diana DeLonzor in her book, Never Be Late Again , this image is countered by a type of tardiness that’s caused by wanting to cram too many things in too short a time. In trying to get everything done at once, you might lose track of time and forget to get going.

If you find yourself identifying as a crammer, don’t let it get in the way of proper planning. Keeping a timetable to track your progress avoids procrastination. The definite outline of a set schedule prevents you from squeezing in any extra last-minute activities.

Know what time your presentation is going to start and plan your agenda around that. Give yourself a five-minute allowance for any unexpected complications you may encounter mid-preparation. Having spent all your time, gather all the materials you need and leave.

Don’t stall with extra activities. Get up and go.

Prepare for Downtime

Studies show that late people are really afraid of being early . Being punctual may trigger a deep-seated fear of not knowing what to do.

For presenters, arriving before the audience causes anxiety while waiting for the room to fill up. In such cases, learn to plan for the downtime. You don’t have to sit idly and let your stage fright consume you. There are a number of helpful activities you can do before your presentation. You can start doing warm-up drills that can improve your body language. It’s also possible to do some breathing exercises to ease your nerves. Simple things like stretching and taking deep breaths will keep you preoccupied long enough.

Once you’ve established that you have something to do with the spare time, you’ll find it easier to come on time.

The most effective way to combat lateness is to be mindful. Check the time every now and then to see if you’re still on track. You may lose yourself in preparation and forget about doing the other things you need to do.

Another timetable comes in handy here. Being aware of how much time you spend on a task lets you improve your pace. However, this isn’t limited to pre-presentation. You can also apply this to your actual speech. Monitor yourself as you speak and make sure to end on time. Keeping your audience longer than the allotted span will also frustrate them and make them zone out on you.

Learn to overcome your tardiness.

Don’t stall during your preparation. Once you’re done, head out the door. If you arrive early and get anxious with the long wait, prepare activities to keep you busy during the downtime. Be mindful of the time you spend on everything to avoid upsetting your audience.

Delivering a good presentation involves improving all aspects of your performance, including your time management.

Need help with your presentation? Contact our SlideGenius experts today and get a free quote !

References:

Durayappah, Adoree. “The Real Reason Some of Us Are Chronically Late.” Psychology Today . November 14, 2014. www.psychologytoday.com/blog/thriving101/201411/the-real-reason-some-us-are-chronically-late “Here’s How You Can Stop Being Late All the Time.” Time . May 22, 2014. www.time.com/106815/stop-being-late

Featured Image: “ Time ” by Moyan Brenn on flickr.com

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15 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before a Big Presentation

Banish public speaking nerves and present with confidence..

I've been doing a lot of presenting recently, and I have no problem admitting that it's tough. For those not born with natural eloquence, public speaking can be remarkably nerve-racking.

We can't all deliver the next Gettysburg Address, but there are several small things you can do prior to your next big presentation that will help calm your nerves and set you up for optimal oration.

1. Practice. Naturally, you'll want to rehearse your presentation multiple times. While it can be difficult for those with packed schedules to spare time to practice, it's essential if you want to deliver a rousing presentation. If you really want to sound great, write out your speech rather than taking chances winging it.

Try to practice where you'll be delivering your talk. Some acting strategists suggest rehearsing lines in various positions-standing up, sitting down, with arms open wide, on one leg, while sitting on the toilet, etc. (OK, that last one may be optional.) The more you mix up your position and setting, the more comfortable you'll feel with your speech. Also try recording your presentation and playing it back to evaluate which areas need work. Listening to recordings of your past talks can clue you in to bad habits you may be unaware of, as well as inspiring the age-old question: "Is that what I really sound like?"

2. Transform Nervous Energy Into Enthusiasm. It may sound strange, but I'll often down an energy drink and blast hip-hop music in my earphones before presenting. Why? It pumps me up and helps me turn jitters into focused enthusiasm. Studies have shown that an enthusiastic speech can win out over an eloquent one, and since I'm not exactly the Winston Churchill of presenters, I make sure that I'm as enthusiastic and energetic as possible before going on stage. Of course, individuals respond differently to caffeine overload, so know your own body before guzzling those monster energy drinks.

3. Attend Other Speeches. If you're giving a talk as part of a larger series, try to attend some of the earlier talks by other presenters. This shows respect for your fellow presenters while also giving you a chance to feel out the audience. What's the mood of the crowd? Are folks in the mood to laugh or are they a bit more stiff? Are the presentations more strategic or tactical in nature? Another speaker may also say something that you can play off of later in your own presentation.

4. Arrive Early. It's always best to allow yourself plenty of time to settle in before your talk. Extra time ensures you won't be late (even if Google Maps shuts down) and gives you plenty of time to get adapted to your presentation space.

5. Adjust to Your Surroundings. The more adjusted to your environment you are, the more comfortable you'll 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).

6. Meet and Greet. Do your best to chat with people before your presentation . Talking with audiences makes you seem more likeable and approachable. Ask event attendees questions and take in their responses. They may even give you some inspiration to weave into your talk.

7. Use Positive Visualization. Whether or not you consider yourself a master of Zen, know that plenty of studies have proven the effectiveness of positive visualization . When we imagine a positive outcome to a scenario in our mind, it's more likely to play out the way we envision.

Instead of thinking "I'm going to be terrible out there" and visualizing yourself throwing up mid-presentation, imagine yourself getting tons of laughs while presenting with the enthusiasm of Jimmy Fallon and the poise of Audrey Hepburn (the charm of George Clooney wouldn't hurt either). Positive thoughts can be incredibly effective-give them a shot.

8. Take Deep Breaths. The go-to advice for jitters has truth to it. When we're nervous, our muscles tighten-you may even catch yourself holding your breath. Instead, go ahead and take those deep breaths to get oxygen to your brain and relax your body.

9. Smile. Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm and making you feel good about your presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence and enthusiasm to the crowd. Just don't overdue it-no one enjoys the maniacal clown look.

10. Exercise . Exercise earlier in the day prior to your presentation to boost endorphins, which will help alleviate anxiety. Better pre-register for that Zumba class!

11. Work on Your Pauses. When you're nervous, it's easy to speed up your speech and end up talking too fast, which in turn causes you to run out of breath, get more nervous, and panic! Ahh!

Don't be afraid to slow down and use pauses in your speech. Pausing can be used to emphasize certain points and to help your talk feel more conversational. If you feel yourself losing control of your pacing, just take a nice pause and keep cool.

12. Use a Power Stance. Practicing confident body language is another way to boost your pre-presentation jitters. When your body is physically demonstrating confidence, your mind will follow suit. While you don't want to be jutting out your chest in an alpha gorilla pose all afternoon (somebody enjoyed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a bit too much), studies have shown that using power stances a few minutes before giving a talk (or heading to a nerve-racking interview) creates a lasting sense of confidence and assurance. Whatever you do, don't sit-sitting is passive. Standing or walking a bit will help you harness those stomach bats (isn't that more appropriate than butterflies?). Before you go on stage, strike your best Power Ranger stance and hold your head high!

13. Drink Water. Dry mouth is a common result of anxiety. Prevent cottonmouth blues by staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water before your talk (just don't forget to hit the bathroom before starting). Keep a bottle of water at arm's reach while presenting in case you get dry mouth while chatting up a storm. It also provides a solid object to hurl at potential hecklers. (That'll show 'em.)

14. Join Toastmasters. Toastmaster clubs are groups across the country (and the world) dedicated to helping members improve their public speaking skills . Groups get together during lunch or after work to take turns delivering short talks on a chosen topic. The more you present, the better you'll be, so consider joining a Toastmaster club to become a top-notch orator. Just don't forget, it's BYOB (Bring Your Own Bread).

15. Don't Fight the Fear. Accept your fear rather than trying to fight it. Getting yourself worked up by wondering if people will notice your nervousness will only intensify your anxiety. Remember, those jitters aren't all bad-harness that nervous energy and transform it into positive enthusiasm and you'll be golden. We salute you, O Captain! My Captain!

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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Mistakes Happen: How to Handle Slip-ups in Presentations

To err is human; everyone makes mistakes . But if you handle mistakes and slip-ups in presentations with confidence, your presentation will end smoothly and successfully.

Admitting that mistakes happen and have to be dealt with is the first step in creating a recovery plan. By practicing how to handle mishaps in advance, you’ll be well equipped to deal with an emergency.

Ask yourself what mistakes and slip-ups could occur and prepare yourself

Preparing for a presentation is not just about going through the slides and checking equipment. Considering any potential mistakes that could arise is key to delivering the best presentation possible . Ask yourself how you can proactively address your mistakes with a positive attitude and what mishaps might occur in presentations.

Go through the individual points of your presentation and think about how you can answer questions from your audience. Even elements that you may not consider very important can lead to problems and mishaps.

Consider the little things

Thinking beyond the presentation itself will help you avoid any unnecessary mistakes. Be on time. Being late is the first serious mistake you should avoid. First impressions are everything and being late to your own presentation will make you look unprofessional. Plan in advance how long it will take you to get to the venue and factor in other issues, such as whether there are enough parking spaces or if public transport is running on time that day.

Also, think back on any mishaps that may have happened to you in past presentations. As we all know, you learn from your mistakes – so use them to improve yourself!

You need to radiate confidence, particularly during presentations that are extremely important to you or your company . The right preparation will allow you to remain calm during your presentation and show your audience that you have everything under control – even if you slip up.

Avoid or solve technical errors

The days of straightforward presentations are over. Nowadays, virtually all presentations involve PowerPoint or other media which require the right equipment. This technology is one of the most frequent causes of mishaps (e.g., projector or microphone failure) in presentations. Presenters need to stay on top of it all to ensure a smooth presentation.

Take the time to check on-site equipment before you give your presentation. If, despite all your preparation, you run into technical problems and don’t know what to do, ask the audience if someone tech-savvy can help or if someone is familiar with the problem.

Sometimes, no matter what you do or who helps you out, the equipment just doesn’t want to cooperate. In that case, be prepared to deliver your presentation without PowerPoint so you can continue confidently.

Use back-ups

Back-ups can be lifesavers for presentations. It may be worth packing a second charger or even a second laptop. Having a paper version of your PowerPoint on hand is also a great idea.

When does it make sense to repair equipment?

If an important piece of equipment fails during your presentation, the first thought is often to fix it. If the issue is minor – think broken laser pointer – it makes more sense to just continue with the presentation.

If your tablet or laptop battery is dead, announce a short break and connect your device to the power supply.

For more complex technical problems, notify the building management or a technician.

The classic: How to handle a mental blackout with confidence

Although it happens to everyone, it can still be really embarrassing. Losing your train of thought in a presentation is something every dreads.

When it happens, it can often help to take a breath and pause before you continue. Smile openly at your audience; this will make you appear more confident. Even if this pause seems like an eternity, your audience won’t notice as much, and it will give you a moment to calm your nerves.

Summarizing what you’ve already shared with your audience can also help you recover from a mental blackout. This gives you the opportunity to remind your audience of the most important points and gives you the time you need to get back on track.

And if you still can’t remember where you left off, ask your audience for help. No one will hold it against you if you ask, “Where was I?”.

Disturbance from the audience

When thinking about possible mistakes that can occur during a presentation, many people only have the presenter in mind.  The audience, however, can be just as responsible for disturbances as the presenter. Interruptions coming from the audience may include ringing phones, people that arrive late or conversations that are being held during the talk. Sometimes, presenters may even have to face interruptions in form of the audience loudly commenting on the topic

In this paragraph, we’re going to explain how to handle such disturbances and how to potentially incorporate them into your presentation. Because even though interruptions might not always be helpful, they come with the chance to interact with your audience. 

If some members of the expected audience aren’t present at the time you set your talk to start, it might be worth thinking about delaying the start for 5-10 minutes. If you do decide to delay your presentation it is important to tell the audience that is present, as this gives them the opportunity to prepare for a later start. On top of that, it is advisable to kindly ask your audience to mute their phones as this will prevent disturbances caused by ringing or vibrating phones. But if interruptions occur, there are a few ways to handle them.

If there is a disturbance, the first thing to do is to ask yourself whether it’s just you that is distracted by it or if it distracts your whole audience. Based on this decision you can then react either passively or actively to the disruption.

Given you decide that you as the presenter are the only person affected by this, the best option is to simply ignore it and to proceed with your talk . Another option to passively react to a disruption is to tolerate it . An example for this would be a person that is late to your presentation. As this is an interruption that everyone in your audience might notice, it’s worth addressing it in a friendly way without seeming annoyed or rude.

Besides the listed ways of passively reacting to an interruption, there are also ways to actively address them. As disturbances, such as the audience saying something, often mean that your listeners are interested in what you’re saying, it’s a good idea to integrate their interruptions into your presentation .

If you are comfortable with alternating your presentation plan as you present, it’s worth answering any questions regarding the topic of your talk, there and then. Alternatively, you always have the option to do a Q&A at the end of your presentation.

In rare cases, you might face situations during a presentation, in which people shout things that aren’t constructive or relevant for your presentation. If those people refuse to be quiet after you have kindly asked them to, ask them to leave so your presentation won’t be disturbed further.

Use composure and humor to communicate strength and confidence

A mistake isn’t a problem until the presenter makes it one. For example, no matter how big the goof up, a smile always communicates a sense of composure and shows that you’re not so easily thrown off your game.

Although a mistake or technical snafu during your presentation may seem like the end of the world, handling it with humor will keep things light and upbeat. There’s not much you can do if the microphone breaks down or if it’s too loud outside the meeting room. Sure, it may disrupt your presentation but if you treat the situation with humor, you’ll diffuse any tension or discomfort you and your audience may be feeling.

Mistakes in presentations happen. Handle them with confidence and score points with your audience!

No matter how professional and experienced you are, mistakes and mishaps happen to everyone. Follow our tips and tricks and keep calm during your presentation. Your audience will keep following your presentation and focusing on your content, regardless of any mishaps.

Whatever may come, try to remember the following tips for mistakes in presentations: Don’t lose your sense of humor; it will always trumps irritation and impatience. So, even if something goes wrong, avoid harsh or snide remarks. Instead, stay friendly and positive. After all, every problem can be solved somehow!

If you have any questions about preparing a PowerPoint presentation, feel free to contact us at [email protected]

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How to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really!)

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Why do I get nervous before presenting?

How not to be nervous when presenting, 5 techniques to control your nerves, quotes for inspiration, speak with confidence.

If you feel nervous or scared about talking to someone new, giving a speech, or being on stage, rest assured: you’re not alone. 

Experiencing symptoms of performance anxiety like an increased heart rate, trembling hands, or excessive sweating is perfectly normal. In fact, people often fear public speaking . But the more you’re immersed in these types of situations, the more comfortable you’ll become . 

We’ll explore how to not be nervous for a presentation and offer inspirational quotes to help you step out of your comfort zone.

Based on data from the National Social Anxiety Center, fear of public speaking is the most common phobia . The official term for this fear is glossophobia, colloquially termed stage fright.

Stage fright typically arises from the perception that when you're in front of a group of people, they'll judge you. The brain’s frontal lobe aids in memory, and when we’re stressed, increased stress hormones temporarily shut that region down . This is what causes us to freeze up and stop talking. 

There’s nothing wrong with being nervous. We all have different social comfort zones, communication styles, and presentation skills. But we can expand and improve our skills if we’re cognitively flexible .

Cognitive flexibility plays a big role in our behavior and attitudes and impacts our performance. You can use your fears as a catalyst for growth and learning — including giving a great presentation.

The following techniques will help you shift your thinking from reactive to proactive to combat nerves throughout the presentation experience:

Before the presentation:

1. Know your topic

Don’t wing it when it comes to presenting any topic. The better you understand your subject matter, the more confident you’ll feel. You can answer questions right away and won’t have to rely on your notes.

If there are a few points or any information you think might arise during the presentation or Q&A, research it and become comfortable speaking to the subject.

Here are a few ways to study: 

• Break down concepts onto notecards
• Practice answering questions  (especially the hard ones you hope no one asks)
• Explain complex information to peers and colleagues

2. Be organized

Take time to thoroughly plan each aspect of the presentation. Often, that means designing PowerPoint slides or other visual aids like videos. Clarify with the organizer what format and technology you’ll be using.

If it’ll be virtual, get your background and room organized, too. This ensures the presentation will go smoothly, in turn reducing stress.  Consider the following preparations:

• Invite your support network to the event
• Arrive early to set up tech and get comfortable in the space
• Practice timing your presentation with the time tracker you’ll use day-of
• Bring a water bottle and a snack
• Contact your manager or venue staff to discuss any accessibility or tech concerns

3. Practice, practice, practice

Whether you’re rehearsing in front of a mirror, family member, or pet, you can never practice enough. Ask for feedback about your body language , eye contact , and how loudly you project your voice.

If you’ll be giving the presentation on a video conference, record it on the platform to see how you look and sound.

4. Visualize your success

Thinking through possible outcomes is a great way to prepare — but it can also backfire on you. If you obsess over negative what-ifs, this failing mentality might become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

The more often you fill your mind with positive thoughts and visualize your success, the more automatic they’ll be. Positive self-talk can make a big difference to your confidence. Run through the presentation — successfully — in your head.

During the presentation:

5. Focus on your material, not the audience

Your audience is there for your presentation — not to assess you. They’ll be looking at your colorful slides and listening to what you’re saying. Don’t let your mind fill with insecurities . 

6 . Don't fear silence

If your mind suddenly goes blank, that’s okay. It may seem like an eternity to you as you try to figure out what to say next, but it’s only a few seconds at most. 

Pausing isn’t a bad thing, anyway. You can use dramatic breaks advantageously to draw attention before the most important bits. 

7 . Speak slowly

Presentation anxiety often causes nervous energy, so we speak faster than normal. This might make you fumble your words or forget important details.

Slow down. Audience members will be thankful since they can understand you , and drawing out your speech will give you time to calm down, ground yourself , and stay organized.

8 . Take deep breaths and drink water

Breathing delivers oxygen to your brain, allowing you to think more clearly. Drinking water ups your energy, and also gives you a moment to pause. 

Smiling is a simple yet effective way to soothe your nerves. Doing so releases endorphins, helping you physically feel more confident. And a friendly face will make the audience more open to what you’re saying. 

10 . Remember the three "audience truths"

These include: 1) for the duration of the presentation, the audience believes you’re the expert, 2) they’re on your side, and 3) they don’t know when you make a mistake. 

After the presentation:

11. Recognize your success

Giving a presentation is something worth being proud of — celebrate it! In addition to family, friends, and coworkers, you deserve a high five from yourself, too.

1 2. Collect feedback

Feedback is a wonderful gift if you use it as a tool to help you do even better next time. Ask some of your audience members what they liked and what they didn’t. Remember, you can learn a lot from your mistakes . 

1 3. Don't beat yourself up

You did the best you could, and that’s all anyone — including you — can ask for. 

Nervousness is perfectly normal, but sometimes our symptoms hold us back from doing — and enjoying — scarier tasks. Here are five tips for overcoming nerves:

1. Practice impression management

Impression management requires projecting an image that contradicts how you actually feel. It’s essentially a “fake it ‘til you make it” strategy.  Let’s say you’re about to make a corporate-wide presentation and feel worried you’ll forget important information. You’ll counteract this worry by imagining yourself remembering every detail and delivering it entertainingly.

Learn from this practice by noting the information chosen in your hypothetical and how you expressed it effectively. 

2. Talk to someone

Emotions are contagious. We absorb others’ positive vibes . Chatting with people who are excited about and confident in our presentation abilities rubs off on us. 

Before a presentation, call a cheerleader in your life — someone who’s on your side and understands your nerves. Be specific, discussing which parts of presenting are nerve-wracking and what you need from them.

3. Do breathing exercises

Mindful breathing is when you pay attention to the sensation of inhaling and exhaling while controlling and deepening breath length. Breathwork has several health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety and improving memory, attention, and focus. 

Before the presentation, find a quiet and solitary space. Breathe deeply for at least a minute, focusing on sensation and depth. This practice brings you into your body and out of your mind (away from nerve-wracking thoughts).

4. Practice reframing 

Reframing is a technique used in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to improve negative automatic thought patterns over time. One such pattern is viewing certain emotions as bad, and others as good. Nervousness feels the same in the body as excitement. Instead of panicking even more when realizing you’re nervous, reframe your impression of nerves as excitement for what you’re about to do.

This excitement will propel you forward with confidence and pride for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something scary.

Here are seven inspirational quotes to help you feel confident and excited when doing something you’re nervous about:

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” John Ford

“ When speaking in public, your message — no matter how important — will not be effective or memorable if you don't have a clear structure. ” Patricia Fripp

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”  Sir Ralph Richardson

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” Lady Bird Johnson

“It’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in public.” Tony Robbins

“The worst speech you’ll ever give will be far better than the one you never give.” Fred Miller

Like any other skill, learning how to not be nervous for a presentation takes time and practice. Acknowledging this hurdle is the first step to making a change in the right direction.  Facing your fears will empower you to take on scarier — and more fulfilling — goals and enjoy the experience along the way. You don’t have to start with a TED Talk. Tackle small challenges like presenting an idea to your manager or practicing a short speech with a friend.  We won’t sugarcoat it — it’s hard to change our minds and habits. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be rewarded with increased confidence and new experiences.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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3 Ways to Gracefully Handle Presentation Interruptions

Written by: Ashish Arora

No matter how many presentations you make and how confident you become with your skills to intrigue an audience, sooner or later you will have to deal with an unexpected interruption in the midst of your remarks.

How you handle it is what more people will remember than what you actually said during your presentation.

That’s because humans are programmed to remember bad things more than good things according to this research conducted by Elizabeth Kensinger Boston College.

She and her team discovered that things which are generally positive, such as an average presentation or a regular day at work, generally don’t trigger our brains to focus on one specific detail. But if we see something unexpected that is negative, it is tucked into our memory banks forever.

With your reputation at stake when an interruption occurs, how do you handle it so successfully that it doesn’t become the primary memory of your presentation?

Consider a three-point approach:

• Imagine what kinds of interruptions could happen.
• Research what other presenters have done to handle such interruptions.
• Create an effective strategy to manage yourself and the situation.

RELATED: How to Get Over Your Presentation Fears (Especially If You're an Introvert)

Most Common Kinds of Interruptions

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All interruptions fall into one of three categories.

• They are instigated by people (i.e. hecklers).
• They are linked to the physical or technical structure of the place where you are presenting (i.e. power outage, collapse of speaker’s platform).
• They are linked to the world outside of your presentation (i.e. an out-of-control forest fire or terrorist attack).

Each of them requires a different approach, but they all require one common strategy.

Stay Calm and In Control

In all cases, the most important strategy is to manage your emotional responses. Make sure that you do not allow a heckler to push your emotional buttons or a technical failure to ignite a show of temper.

You will regret any and all displays of being out of control even for a moment because that is what people will remember.

Remember that you have the microphone and the camera is on you. If there is potential for somebody to become the biggest loser of the event, it will be you, however inappropriate the actions of another person might be.

Dealing With Hecklers

Hecklers, those people who shout questions or slogans at you or who come in numbers and wave placards, are rude and annoying and often very capable of pushing your emotional buttons.

The practice of heckling as a form of protest to disagree with or humiliate the speaker at a presentation is not new. In fact, the term was actually popularized back in the days of the vaudeville theater.

The word itself has origins in the textile trade. To heckle meant to tease or comb out hemp or flax fibers. Using the word to describe people who interrupt others seems to have started in Scotland in the early 19 th century in a radical community called Dundee.

Be ever aware that you cannot depend on the person who heckles to do the right thing. If they were polite and reasonable, they would have written you a letter or scheduled a meeting through your office manager. They want to get their point across for their own reasons, and they don’t care how they accomplish that. Their behavior is rude, but you cannot respond in kind.

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Much Depends On Who You Are

There are a variety of ways to handle hecklers and the kind of behavior that is appropriate as a response depends greatly on who you are (as in your position in life) and the environment in which the interruption is happening.

Here are some unique ways people have handled hecklers and how it worked for them:

Make It Part of Your Act

Responding to hecklers is a dangerous strategy unless you are a world class comedian like Milton Berle and you make it part of your act. In this video, watch how he engages with two hecklers in an episode of The Muppet Show.

Note the dangers of asking hecklers questions when you can’t control the answers. This humorous approach was appropriate for the accomplished comedian; it would likely be less effective to a more serious presenter.

Handle It With Humor

Sometimes a single gesture can be worth a thousand words when you are responding to a heckler.

Watch this video to see Tony Gwynn’s humorous gesture to a persistent heckler who threatened his concentration when the baseball player wanted to present his focused game.

Listen to the laughter in the background as the audience starts to empathize with Gwynn and turn against the heckler. Hint: Watch his glove in this video.

Handle It With Philosophy

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld takes philosophical approach to hecklers. He regards them philosophically. In this AMA Reddit interview , he describes his approach this way:

“Very early on in my career, I hit upon this idea of being the Heckle Therapist. So that when people would say something nasty, I would immediately become very sympathetic to them and try to help them with their problem and try to work out what was upsetting them, and try to be very understanding with their anger.

It opened up this whole fun avenue for me as a comedian, and no one had ever seen that before. Some of my comedian friends used to call me, and I would tell them that I would counsel the heckler instead of fighting them.

I would say 'you seem so upset, and I know that’s not what you wanted to have happen tonight. Let’s talk about your problem.'"

The audience would laugh and the heckler would be disarmed.

Seinfeld says he never went against the hecklers. Instead he took their side.

The late comedian Andy Kaufman just surrendered to hecklers and, after telling them “If you want to heckle me, you win,” he started to cry .

Some who knew him well later suggested it was all part of an act, but only he knew. It was, however, a clear case of how the heckler wins when you lose emotional control.

Create Your Own Authentic Response Strategy

What can you do? Select a style of response that matches your personality and the circumstances of your presentation. For example, if humor can work, use it. If compassion can work, offer to meet the heckler in person after the presentation and listen uninterrupted to what he has to say.

If you feel endangered or the heckler is particularly threatening, stop for a moment, fully in control of the situation, sip water and let security personnel do their job.

Do not apologize for the heckler’s behavior. Inhale, collect your thoughts and calmly return to your presentation. It’s a case of better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing. The more controlled you are, the faster people will be able to move back to the topic.

Handling Physical or Technical Problems

You created the world’s best PowerPoint and are just getting your audience warmed up when there is a power outage in the building. Emergency lighting is in place and you are urged to continue the program, but there is no way you can show your PowerPoint.

Do you have sufficient notes and familiarity with your subject to fly solo and still make a successful landing?

Other less dramatic things can throw you off your game and interrupt your presentation.

Here are some examples of how some presenters managed to pull it together when structural issues were the source of the problem.

Watch how deftly President Barack Obama handled the scene when he was interrupted during his presentation to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit. In the midst of his remarks, the presidential seal fell off the podium.

The President stayed in control of his emotions. He paused as he ascertained what happened and then calmly and humorously said: “That’s all right. All of you know who I am.”

Then he promptly returned to his message and the tension effectively diffused.

For Whoopi Goldberg, the interruption was more serious. Doing a show in Moncton, New Brunswick at the Casino there, she was about three quarters through her comedy presentation when a uniformed firefighter walked on the stage and advised her there was a fire and she had to leave.

She had actually seen a few people starting to leave at the back of the room just before the interruption occurred. In this video, she explains her surprise and worry that she had offended the people:

She kept her calm and told people in a very level voice that she had to leave because she had just been advised there was a fire. She thanked the audience for attending and suggested they follow the directions of the firefighters who had entered the room.

She did calmly exit the building and only then realized that it was her bus that was on fire. It was parked close to the wall of the building, threatening to spread inside where she had been performing.

Goldberg remained calm and gracious about the interruption, asking the firefighters who got the blaze under control for a group picture with her. In her follow-up video, she thanked the local people for their assistance.

She mixed up the name of the Canadian province she was visiting (calling it Ontario instead of New Brunswick), but nobody took offense. They were thankful that the star was safe. It was a good example of how to turn an interruption into good public relations.

What can you do when the unexpected happens?

• Stay calm like Whoopi. Your calmness sends a message that despite whatever has happened, you are still in control.
• Process the information quickly and turn it into a PR advantage. Respond with lightness and humor when appropriate. If the interruption requires a more serious issue, like a fire, keep your composure and let your audience know what is happening.
• Work with whatever resources you can summon if the resources you were counting on fail you. If technical difficulties won’t allow you to use your PowerPoint to accompany your presentation but natural light allows you to continue, come down into the audience and make your presentation more interactive, for example.
• It is not necessary to apologize for situations you did not create. Instead, return the audience to your presentation as quickly as possible.

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About the Author

Ashish Arora is the Co-Founder of SketchBubble.com , a leading provider of result-driven, professionally built presentation templates. Travelling the world to gather new creative ideas, he has been working in the digital marketing space since 2007 and has a passion for designing presentations. You can also find him on  Twitter or  LinkedIn .

How to Never Be Late or Unprepared for a Meeting Ever Again

We all want to be our best selves at work, but for many of us there’s this one thing we just can’t shake: being late.

Greg Savage’s manners manifesto “No You Are Not ‘Running Late,’ You Are Rude and Selfish” has been shared and reposted thousands of times since it was published in 2010. Not to mention, you know it’s not a good look when you show up to a staff meeting after everyone’s already seated. But aside from feeling bashful that you’re being called out, what can you do about it in your own life?

Tackle it on a micro level.

If you work in an office environment that uses Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar, here’s a two-step tactic for being both on time and totally prepared for every meeting you have on your calendar. Since both Outlook and Google Calendar have default alarms set to ring 10 minutes before any scheduled appointment, use that as your window to make sure you’re truly ready for what’s next. Then, once it goes off:

10 Minutes Before

Whether this is a meeting you’re leading or just attending, use this time to make sure you have what you need. When the alarm sounds, stop whatever you were doing previously and answer these questions:

• Do I have all the correct materials?
• Are my team members prepped?
• Am I ready for any updates or announcements I need to make ?
• Are the meeting room’s space and equipment ready?
• Do I need to give a heads-up to people currently using the space that I have it reserved?

Of course, you don’t have to wait until just before the meeting to address these questions (in fact, it’s helpful to make them part of your morning routine). By facing them now, however, you’re doing your part to make sure your 1 PM meeting doesn’t start with you waiting at the copy machine.

5 Minutes Before

If all goes well with the first five minutes, pat yourself on the back and head directly to the meeting table. Even if you’re feeling antsy while you’re waiting, avoid the temptation to return to your desk or start a new major task. A bathroom trip and starting a new email can take longer than you expect and make you late to the meeting after all.

Instead, acknowledge that urge to check one more thing off your to-do list and use what time management expert Eva Wisnik calls the “parking lot.” Throughout your day, keep a single Post-it note on your desk to jot down those non-critical tasks that jump into your head like pop-up ads (think tracking that UPS order, scanning news homepages, or checking your social media feeds). Surprisingly, I’ve found that adding items to my parking lot gives a feeling of resolution, even though I’m not completing them at the time.

Then, in those last five minutes before the meeting starts, while everyone is (hopefully) entering the room, see if you can clear one of those tasks from your lot.

Depending on how large your office space is, you may need to adjust the “10 minutes” to account for travel time between floors, but the principle still holds: Stop, get ready, and go. By doing this, you’re planning not just to be on time, but to be early. Best of all, you’ll feel productive and look good to your team. Oh, and no one will have to know that you were checking your “likes” before the meeting—that’ll be our little secret!

Photo of clock courtesy of Shutterstock .

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A Late Person’s Guide to Being on Time

I used to be a chronic Late Person. In my time-warped brain, lateness seemed like an immutable trait — a facet of my identity that I was destined to drag around for life. A close friend once told me that it was my only major personality flaw, which was sort of a compliment (I think?) but also pathetic. Why couldn’t I figure out how to get myself where I was supposed to be at the appointed time instead of arriving ten (or 30) minutes late, panting, stressed, and sorry, so sorry?

Meanwhile, my status as a Late Person was at odds with the person I wanted to be — thoughtful, organized, dependable. My husband, an inveterate Early Person, has told me repeatedly that being late conveys disrespect for other people’s time — if not their whole existence. “It’s not just rude and selfish. It shows me that you don’t consider me important,” he once fumed after sitting in the car outside our apartment for 20 minutes after I said I would “be right there.”

In addition to hurting my credibility and relationships, being late was costly. I don’t even want to think about the amount of money I’ve spent on Ubers and Lyfts because I ran out of time to walk or take the train. In 2015, I missed a $500 flight to Chicago. A few years later, I threw out half the contents of my luggage when I arrived at the airport too late to check a bag. I’ve been turned away from haircuts and workout classes, despite paying in full, when I showed up past the grace period. I was once late for a job interview — for a position I really wanted and, obviously, did not get. I’ve picked up the tab for countless friends’ drinks and dinners to compensate for the fact that I was late to meet them.

Naturally, I got tired of this. I realized I had certain friends I’d never seen arriving anywhere, because they always preceded me. I would hustle in to find them sitting peacefully — in control of their time and with nary a bead of sweat on their brow. So I started asking them how they did it and trying to copy what they said.

These days, I’m far from perfect, but I’m a lot better. In the past year, a number of my loved ones — including my husband, the ultimate judge and witness of my timeliness — have remarked on my progress. I’m delighted with this on-time version of myself, but it’s not my natural state. So I spoke with several experts about what’s working, what to keep in mind, and how I can stick to it.

Being on time is a skill that takes practice. 

Fuschia Sirois, a psychologist and professor who  studies self-regulation and time management , tells me that promptness is a behavior that can be learned. Conversely, so is lateness: “At some point, being late was modeled to you as acceptable behavior,” she explains. “And if it’s what you know, you’re more likely to repeat it.”

This realization shattered my excuse that I was beyond hope and doomed to carry out the Late Person habits I was raised with (I was always the last kid left at school pickup). As it turns out, I am not a helpless victim of the relentless clock. My time is mine to plan — for better or worse.

That said, changing your habits requires effort. “Being at a certain place at a certain time takes a set of skills,” says Laura Vanderkam, a speaker and author of five books on time management including Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done . “But you do have to prioritize learning them.”

Changing my mindset toward punctuality might sound overly simple, but when I recognized that being on time was just like any other proficiency I’ve acquired in my adult life (cooking, Google Docs, taking care of a baby), I felt more confident in my ability to work at it. I became more forgiving of myself when I messed up. What once felt like an innate quality suddenly became attainable if I put my mind to it.

Visualize your future self.

Many late people are more “present oriented,” says Sirois, which means that they tend to get deeply absorbed in whatever they’re doing. This can be a positive thing. My ability to focus and block out distractions comes in handy. But it means that I lose track of time, and the next thing I know, I’ve been drafting an important email for 30 minutes instead of attending an equally important meeting.

It’s tough to change this about yourself, and I’m not totally sure I want to. But it is possible for present-oriented people to become more connected to their future selves, says Sirois. “One reason people are late is that the future seems too abstract. If that’s the case, spend more time visualizing your future self and what you want her life to look like,” she explains. “What happens when you’re on time? What are the benefits? Do you gain a reputation as someone who’s reliable? Do you get to spend more time with the people you care about? Do you worry less about disappointing people?” Once you have a stronger idea and attachment to this version of yourself, Sirois adds, you’ll be more motivated to take the steps to become that person.

Understand where your lateness comes from.

When I am late, it’s for the dumb and obvious reason that I have failed to account for how much time I need to do things. But there might be deeper issues at play. “Some people might not be fully committed to a plan, so lateness is their way of manifesting that,” says Sirois. “Or they might feel annoyed and rushed, so being late is a subconscious way to rebel and assert their freedom.” Unfortunately, I can relate to both scenarios.

On a more depressing note, lateness can be a sign of low self-regard. “If you don’t have respect for your own time, it’s going to be easier to disrespect other people’s time and be late,” says Sirois. “Whereas if you view your own time as valuable, you’re probably going to extend others the same courtesy.” A friend of mine — a former Late Person — once arrived late to therapy and her therapist asked why she didn’t love herself enough to arrive places on time. She is now consistently prompt.

My main problem, though, is that I want to do a lot. And being on time means that you often have to do less , says Vanderkam. “If you pare down your commitments, that’s fewer things that are going to pile up with inevitable delays,” she says.

I hate that this is true. I want to unload the dishwasher, respond to one more email, and finish an article before my baby has to go to a doctor’s appointment, but I can’t. (I hate how much this bothers me.) But if I want to be the future me who’s on time, I have to get over it.

Set alarms, make schedules, and do whatever you can to structure your time.

When I started tackling my lateness problem in earnest, I tried setting alarms for when I needed to leave for things. This proved helpful when I got so absorbed in a “task” (texting with a friend) that I didn’t realize I was going to be late for a 2 p.m. Zoom call. It’s great when you’re talking to someone and don’t want to awkwardly interrupt them to check the time — the alarm does it for you! Vanderkam confirms that this is a smart tactic. She recommends it if you have trouble putting yourself to bed at a reasonable hour. (How did she know?)

Another of Vanderkam’s nuggets that I’ve adopted is to get very granular with planning out my day. Yawn, I know, but allow me to explain. When I became a parent, I surprised everyone (particularly myself) by becoming more on time to things. The reason is straightforward: We have to follow a consistent schedule or the baby will become a psychopath and our lives will explode.

As a result, I will frequently sit down with a notecard and write out, hour by hour, what we need to do so that my husband and I can wrap our heads around it. Vanderkam says this approach helps if you have trouble realizing how many steps it takes you to do things. “Maybe getting to work took you 20 minutes that one time when there was no traffic and the weather was perfect,” she says. “But most other days, it takes you five minutes to get out the door, because you need to figure out what outerwear to put on, then the commute itself is 25 minutes, because it’s raining and everyone’s going more slowly.”

If this is a major issue for you, tracking your time — literally logging the minutes you spend doing things (on an app or in a notebook) — can be a useful exercise, Vanderkam adds. (I tried this for one humiliating week and learned, among other things, that it does in fact take me longer than 15 minutes to take a shower and get dressed.)

Be prepared to be early.

My cousin once told me that the trick to being on time is to try to be early, which I could not conceptualize. Being early seemed like the ultimate waste of time. Why would you choose to just  sit there  like an idiot with nothing to do? It still makes me a little antsy to think about it. Thankfully, we have weapons to combat this type of social anxiety: phones.

Sirois recommends having a plan for when you are early — like reading a book or article or even bringing a notepad. “I carry a journal wherever I go, and if I have a few minutes, I take it out and jot down notes and thoughts on things I’m working on,” she says. That way, being early feels like gaining bonus time instead of losing it.

When you are running late, take accountability for it.

During one of the many blowout fights my husband and I have had about my lateness, he implored me to simply own up to it. “As soon as you know you’re running late, figure out what time you will actually be there, then just tell me,” he said. “I promise that I will be much less mad.”

This sucked at first, because it forced me to abandon my wishful thinking. I was not going to walk 20 minutes faster than Google maps predicted. I was going to show up for a 7 p.m. dinner reservation at 7:25, and that was embarrassing.

But then, when I accurately communicated my lateness, two things happened: The people waiting for me were less annoyed, because they weren’t stranded in limbo and could use the extra time to do something else, and I realized how long it actually took me to do stuff. Which is, of course, always longer than I think.

The Cut’s financial advice columnist, Charlotte Cowles, answers readers’ questions about personal finance. Email your money conundrums to  [email protected] .

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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