How to avoid distracting the audience

It makes all the sense in the world to prepare thoroughly on a topic, but it is crucial to be selective in including that content in our presentation. The "less is more" technique emphasizes the importance of focusing, focusing and prioritizing certain words over others.

As presenters, our goal is to guide the audience creatively towards the assimilation of new knowledge, avoiding at all costs the mental overload it may generate. Our duty is to offer a captivating experience that facilitates the proper understanding of the content. To achieve this, it is important to take into account some tips that will be presented below.

Working memory: A study by Stanford University in 1999 yielded significant results. It showed that presentations that combine written text and auditory content, such as the presenter's voice, can generate a greater mental load.

This additional cognitive demand is due to our limited ability to process written and auditory information at the same time. Working memory is responsible for holding and manipulating information in our minds in the short term. However, it is challenged when trying to simultaneously process and retain several stimuli that require attention.

Cognitive overload: Cognitive overload occurs when the amount of information presented exceeds the capacity of your working memory. If the slides are full of text, and the presenter is speaking rapidly, your working memory can become saturated. This makes it difficult to retain the information.

When we experience cognitive overload, our cognitive abilities are compromised. The ability to concentrate, concentrate, and perform critical thinking decreases. It can also negatively affect our ability to make decisions, solve problems and understand complex concepts.

White space: White space on slides can be as powerful as images and text. Use white space strategically to give your slides a clean, uncluttered look.

If you are trying to highlight the benefits of physical exercise, place a large image of a person running outdoors in the center of the slide.

Having white space around the central image makes it easier to read any text you might add, such as a title or a short descriptive sentence. The contrast between the white space and the text allows the text to be easily understood without additional effort.

The "less is more" technique: Let's imagine you are giving a presentation on the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Instead of filling the slides with long paragraphs of text, you can employ:

• The "less is more" technique: Use an eye-catching image, such as a colorful salad, along with a short, powerful phrase that summarizes the main message, such as "Feed your body, nourish your life."

• Summarized: Create a visual representation that highlights the different food groups and their health benefits. Use keywords such as "protein," "vitamins" and "fiber" to make it easy for the audience to quickly understand.

The "single focus" technique: An additional technique you can use is the "single focus" technique. This technique consists of focusing each slide on a single concept.

Imagine you are giving a presentation on the benefits of a balanced diet. Instead of addressing all aspects of healthy eating on a single slide, you can break them into separate slides, each focusing on a specific benefit.

On one slide, you can highlight the benefits that promote good cardiovascular health. To do this, include a representative image of a healthy heart and highlight related words, such as "reduces the risk of heart disease", "improves blood circulation".

On another slide, you can focus on the benefits for bone health. Show an image of a glass of milk along with keywords such as "strengthens bones," "prevents osteoporosis," and "improve