Top Tips for Handling Brain Freeze During a Presentation.

Almost every speaker has experienced it, that moment when your mind blanks, your brain freezes and all you hear is white noise. The most typical cause is anxiety, but distractions—very common when working from home—can throw off a speaker as well.

How do you handle it when your mind grinds to a halt during your presentation?

Beforehand~

  • Practice. The more confident you are with your material, the less likely this is to happen.
  • Prepare. Have clear notes with bullet-points in an easy to read font. 
  • Prepare. Have a few questions lined up. 

When it happens~

  • Breathe. Avoid the urge to fill the air with words. Breathe and give your brain a chance to unglue the bottleneck.
  • Facial expression. Avoid the deer in the headlights expression and try to relax your facial muscles.
  • Ask a question of a colleague. Throw the spotlight on them, thereby allowing yourself to gather your thoughts.
  • Act as though you intended to stop. Say something like, “let me repeat that last point, so we remember its importance…”
  • Drink water. Stop as though you need a drink, and take a moment to refer to your notes.
  • Communicate. If you know the group well, be honest and let them know you lost your way. People are more forgiving than we realize.