What are some effective mindfulness techniques to reduce anxiety and distractions during a presentation?

Use mindfulness to create a mindset to position yourself as more than a presenter - to be an active listener of your audience. Do you see how the whole dynamic just changed? Mindset generates perceptions; perceptions generate behaviours and behaviours generate actions, and in this case, the performance of your presentation. By having the mindset of a listener more than a presenter, your perception of presenting will change and hence the way you deliver the presentation will be elevated. You will get control of the room and you will truly engage with your audience.

Great article. From my experience, reading books also has helped me to be more conscious, present, and aware of my emotions. Some are The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.

To alleviate anxiety and bolster your self-assurance, ensure you've thoroughly researched the topic you're presenting. By doing so, you'll become the foremost expert in the room, equipping yourself to respond confidently to any inquiries. Another effective strategy is to communicate as if you were teaching the concept one-on-one to a junior colleague in a relaxed, private setting. This approach enables you to explain the material naturally, just as you normally would.

To be mindful on what you feel in front of people is important. My suggestion on the same is accepting the situation which you are into and levitating the feeling of butterflies in the stomach will be helpful rather fighting with the situation and ending up with nothing. Also, two major thoughts I have for those who feel anxiety and distractions during presenting: 1. Ask yourself if you know the audience and if the answer to this is "Yes" then accept that you are from the same group and there is nothing worse happening. 2. If the answer to the question in point 1 is "No" then no need to worry as it's the first impression that you are having on the audience and just be yourself.

There is a goal for every lecture or presentation. With that in mind, while running through your presentation material, do so in front of a mirror and visualise yourself as though you were actually delivering the lecture/presentation already. While in front of the mirror, you would be able to see what your audience would see in terms of body gestures and then make adjustments where necessary. You can also record yourself and evaluate yourself to see how well you have performed. This would help you make necessary adjustments and boost confidence.

When I think about being mindful after an event, whether a presentation or something else, I immediately think about letting go of what what. The presentation is over, so instead of Monday morning quarterbacking your performance, be in the present moment. You are finished. Maybe you are now sitting down to enjoy a coffee or tea, or maybe a bite to eat. Enjoy it. Maybe you are talking to someone from the audience. Be fully present with that person in the current conversation. Maybe you are driving back home or to the office. Be in the car, notice the sights you are passing by. Being mindful means being in the present moment, not holding yourself in the moments that have passed.