Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

154 Studying online 
Exercise, of course, is an ideal way. However, people who prac-
tise yoga have also been shown to have lower anxiety levels when 
speaking in public (Radecki, 2020). Yoga is known to trigger a 
range of biological responses within the body. It is a natural way 
to help reduce anxiety levels. 
QUICK TIP: Take up yoga classes if you suffer from bouts of 
anxiety when presenting. Regular yoga has been shown to cut 
public speaking nervousness. 
Other biological impacts on anxiety can be produced by practising 
mindfulness. Mindfulness itself is explored further in Chapter 11. 
However, for public speaking, mindfulness techniques have been 
shown to help in a range of diferent anxiety-provoking situations 
(Hoge et al., 2013). Furthermore, in research on students from 
Tailand who were asked to make presentations in English, mind-
fulness was a clear help in reducing anxiety (Charoensukmong-
kol, 2019). Researchers have found that mindfulness has a direct 
biological efect on the brain (Powell, 2018). One of the funda-
mental methods of mindfulness that works well for presentation 
nervousness is a simple breathing exercise. Sit still in a quiet room 
and close your eyes. Breathe in and out slowly. Concentrate on lis-
tening to the breath going in through your nose and out through 
your mouth. Focus on that noise and try to stop your mind from 
wandering. It will, but just keep bringing your attention back to 
the breath itself. As you breathe in, count to four before exhaling 
for a count of eight. Te time it takes for you to breathe out is 
twice as long as your breath in, you will feel calmer. 
Some additional methods of making sure you reduce your presen-
tation nerves will also help. Tey are not biological, but will make 
you feel better. Te top of the list is preparation. If you are not pre-
pared, you will inevitably feel nervous. Make sure you know what 
is expected of you for the presentation. Check the assignment 
instructions carefully if the presentation is assessed. One excel-
lent student I taught lost signifcant marks on their presentation 

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