Speech
Day
On the
day of the speech the speaker should try and be on top form.
The night
before you should sleep the necessary hours. You need to feel fresh
when you get to the event, with your mind clear and with 100% capacity.
It should
be a relaxed day.
You need
to avoid activities that can tire you or that can make you neervous.
You
need to make sure you have a clear diary the week running up to
the event: not too many meetings, commitees, presentations, work
lunches, etc. As if you do these things you will be practically
"exhausted" on the day of the event.
As mentioned
in the previous lesson don't rehearse on the day of the event.
In the
hours that lead up to the speech try to be relaxed, you can have
a quick look at your speech or support notes.
It is a
good idea to eat a few hours before the speech, so that you have enough
time to carry out digestion.
The food
that you eat should be light, not too heavy.
You
shouldn't drink too much coffee (it increases nervousness) or alcohol
(it confuses), don't take tranquilizers either (as they make you
sleepy). All of these substances can cause unexpected reactions
once you are on stage.
Also you
should try and avoid, if possible, travelling away from the city,
as you could get caught in traffic jams, car might break down.....these
situations could cause a heart attack!
If the
event is at a place which is quite far away, it is always better to
travel there the day before with the objective of waking up in the
actual place where the event is. Therefore you will be able to relax
until the moment of the speech.
If you
are travelling on the same day, unexpected things problems come
up, which are difficult to solve (the aeroplane is delayed, you
miss your train, your car doesn't start, etc).
If
you don't have the option of travelling the day before then make
sure you travel with enough time (don't think about hurrying there)
and if you can, avoid driving (as this can tire you out).
Try to
get to the place where you are going to speak with plenty of time,
avoiding last minute rushes (you can't find a taxi, there is a traffic
jam in the street, etc).
You can
use the extra time to check that everything is in order (stand,
projector, microphone, lights, etc).
Finally,
it can sometimes be a good idea to carry out some physical activity
a few hours before the event (go for a run, play tennis, etc) as doing
this will burn energy and calm your nerves.
