You’ve prepped your slides. You know your key points. You’ve even practiced a few times. But as the moment gets closer, your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, and suddenly, even your own name feels hard to say.
Sound familiar?
That’s because nerves don’t care how prepared you are – they show up anyway. The good news? You can train your body and mind to switch from anxious to ready in just five minutes.
Here’s a simple but powerful 5-minute pre-presentation warm-up routine to get you feeling confident, focused, and in control before you step up to speak.
Minute 1: Get Out of Your Head (And Into Your Body)
Nerves are just excess energy that need somewhere to go. Instead of letting it build up, move.
✔️ Stand up and shake out any tension – your hands, your shoulders, your legs.
✔️ Take a few deep breaths, inhaling through your nose for 4 seconds, holding for 4, and exhaling for 6.
✔️ If you’re in a private space, do a few power poses – stand tall, hands on hips, chest open. (Yes, this actually works.)
Why? Because your body tells your brain how to feel – and if you act relaxed and confident, your mind will start to follow.
Minute 2: Warm Up Your Voice
Have you ever started speaking and realised your voice sounds shaky or weak? That’s because, like any muscle, your voice needs warming up.
✔️ Humming – Gently hum a tune or say “mmmm” to activate your vocal cords.
✔️ Lip trills or tongue twisters – Try saying “Red leather, yellow leather” or “Unique New York” a few times.
✔️ Vary your pitch – Say a sentence in a low tone, then a high tone, to bring flexibility to your voice.
This wakes up your vocal cords and makes sure you sound clear, strong, and confident from the first word.
Minute 3: Lock in Your Key Points
Now, let’s sharpen your focus. Instead of panicking about remembering every detail, lock in your three main points.
✔️ Say them out loud. “Today, I want my audience to walk away with these three things…”
✔️ Visualise them as bullet points in your mind.
✔️ Remind yourself: If I hit these key messages, I’ve done my job.
This shifts your mindset from “I hope I don’t mess up” to “I know exactly what I’m here to say.”
Minute 4: Get in the Right Mindset
The way you think before you speak directly impacts how you perform. Instead of focusing on fear, shift your focus to the value you’re bringing.
✔️ Reframe your nerves as excitement. Instead of “I’m nervous,” tell yourself, “I’m energised and ready.”
✔️ Think about your audience. What do they need? What will help them?
✔️ Picture success. Visualise yourself speaking clearly, making eye contact, and engaging the room.
Your brain believes what you feed it – so feed it confidence.
Minute 5: Breathe, Smile, and Walk In with Purpose
Now that your mind and body are ready, take one last deep breath, smile, and step into the room with intention.
✔️ Walk in confidently – shoulders back, head up.
✔️ Make eye contact with someone in the room before you start.
✔️ Remind yourself: You’ve got this.
By the time you start speaking, your energy is focused, your voice is warmed up, and your mind is in the right place. That’s how you own the room.
Final Thought: A Routine That Sets You Up for Success
Great speakers don’t just wing it – they prepare, not just with slides and practice, but with their mindset and body.
So next time you’re about to present, try the 5-minute warm-up above. It’s fast, effective, and designed to get you out of your head and into your best speaking self.
Now – go crush that presentation!
