Practice TIPS For PUBLIC Speaking
This might sound crazy, but the subway is a perfect place to practice your public speaking.
That’s right, commuting time can be much better used than scrolling. Practicing on the train, in the car or walking to work is one of my favorite timesavers.
Too often people don’t practice for presentations.
If you’re walking into a presentation never having rehearsed out loud, you’re doing yourself and your audience a disservice.
Your commute time will be a lot more productive if you use 10-15 minutes of your travel time rehearsing.
And sure, you might look a little funny, but there are far weirder things on the New York City subway than you quietly talking. I’m far more worried about walking into a presentation cold than raising a few eyebrows on the train.
Why practice out loud?
Things that sound great on paper don’t always sound great in person
You smooth out the rough spots before you’re under pressure
You get better at articulating your ideas
Why practice on the train?
You become a more fluid speaker when you’re not just reading notes.
You learn to work through distractions since audiences aren’t always rapt with attention.
It gives you defined time boundaries instead of the hours that can be lost in front of a computer.
If you’re working through a section and want to capture new ideas, put in your headphones and record yourself on voice memo. It allows you to time yourself, capture changes and integrate practice instead of siloing it to the end.
I’d love to hear how it goes if you try this out. And if you only work from home, these are 5 more ways to practice if you’re pressed for time.
Practice while you’re cooking dinner
Practice while washing the dishes
Practice for kids or their stuffed animals (or anyone else you live with)
Practice for the pictures on the wall (use them to practice eye contact)
Practice for your dog (or cat or pet lizard)
Want to get expert guidance and practice with a professional?