Featured Article: Fast Talkers...Talk Fast.

If you are someone who talks fast it can be hard to slow down you speech. Speaking quickly feels natural and constantly thinking to yourself slow down can make it difficult to keep focused on what your are saying.

Here are 4 Tips to help you slow down when speaking in presentations and conversations.

Relax

This can be hard to achieve. Sometimes when talking or giving a speech we are nervous, anxious, excited or passionate. All of these emotions can cause us to speed up while talking. Practcing self calming techniques can help.

Pause every sentence or two to take a breath.

Fast talkers normally take a lot of quick shallow breaths. This can leave you feeling breathless by the end of your speech or conversation. Practice pausing to take a breath after every sentence or two. Pausing to take an adequate breath can help your body naturally relax.

Enunciate

Relax your jaw and enunciate the words. Often times fast talkers do not open their mouths very wide while speaking, which can lead to words sounding mumbled. Practice speaking clearly and enunciating each word.

Record yourself

If you are practicing a speech a great way to help plot your pace is to record yourself. This will help you decide where you can add pauses and slow down.