Public speaking is a skill that can benefit you in many aspects of life, such as your career, education, and personal growth. However, many people struggle with public speaking anxiety, which can prevent them from expressing themselves effectively and confidently.
Fortunately, there are some simple and fun exercises that you can do anywhere, even in your pajamas, to improve your public speaking skills and overcome your fears. These exercises will help you practice your voice, body language, eye contact, and content delivery, without the pressure of a formal setting or audience.
Here are some public speaking exercises you can do anywhere (even in your PJs):
1. Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are phrases that are difficult to pronounce, especially when repeated quickly. They are a great way to warm up your vocal cords, improve your articulation, and reduce your filler words (such as “um”, “uh”, “like”, etc.).
Some examples of tongue twisters are:
- She sells seashells by the seashore.
- How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
- A proper copper coffee pot.
- The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.
Try to say these tongue twisters as fast and as clearly as you can, without making any mistakes. You can also make up your tongue twisters, or use ones from different languages. You can do this exercise in front of a mirror, or record yourself and listen to your pronunciation.
2. Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful way to engage your audience, convey your message, and showcase your personality. You can practice storytelling by telling a story about anything that interests you, such as a personal experience, a book, a movie, a joke, or a lesson learned.
The key to a good story is to have a clear structure, a captivating hook, a vivid description, and a satisfying conclusion. You can use the following formula to structure your story:
- Situation: Set the scene and introduce the characters, the setting, and the problem.
- Action: Describe what the characters did, how they felt, and what challenges they faced.
- Result: Reveal the outcome, the solution, and the lesson learned.
You can do this exercise by telling a story to yourself, to a friend, to a family member, or to a pet. You can also record yourself and watch your body language, facial expressions, and gestures.
3. Impromptu Speech
An impromptu speech is a speech that you deliver without any preparation or notes. It is a good way to test your ability to think on your feet, organize your thoughts, and speak with clarity and confidence.
You can practice impromptu speech by choosing a random topic and speaking about it for a few minutes. You can use the following steps to structure your impromptu speech:
- Introduction: State the topic and your main point.
- Body: Provide two or three supporting points, with examples, facts, or anecdotes.
- Conclusion: Summarize your main point and end with a call to action, a question, or a memorable statement.
You can do this exercise by picking a topic from a hat, a book, a website, or a newspaper. You can also ask someone to give you a topic, or use a timer to challenge yourself.
At Iccomipe, we’ve helped countless individuals like you overcome their fears and develop the skills to become confident, persuasive speakers. Here’s what you can achieve with my personalized coaching:
- Conquer stage fright and nervous habits: Learn effective techniques to manage anxiety and deliver your message with poise.
- Craft compelling and persuasive messages: Master the art of storytelling, structure, and audience engagement.
- Develop a powerful and authentic voice: Find your unique communication style and project confidence with clarity.
- Connect with your audience and win them over: Learn to use nonverbal and verbal cues, language, and storytelling to move hearts and minds.
- Achieve your specific goals: Whether it’s landing your dream job, leading impactful meetings, or inspiring others, I’ll tailor your training to get you there.
Our Approach:
- Personalized coaching: we assess your individual needs and challenges to design a training program that fits you perfectly.
- Evidence-based methods: we use proven techniques and strategies that have helped hundreds of people overcome public speaking and presenting hurdles.
- Supportive and encouraging environment: we provide a safe space for you to practice, experiment, and grow your confidence.
- Actionable steps and feedback: You’ll walk away with concrete skills and exercises to put into practice immediately.
Ready to transform your public speaking and presenting skills and unlock your full potential? Schedule a free consultation today to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve them.
Conclusion
These are some of the public speaking exercises you can do anywhere, even in your PJs, to improve your public speaking skills and overcome your fears. By doing these exercises regularly, you will become more comfortable, confident, and competent in speaking in front of any audience. Remember, practice makes perfect, and public speaking is a skill that you can master with time and effort
