Triple Take #21: gargling, pausing and breathing

Voice Confident's Triple Take - your fortnightly trio of tips!

Voice - hydration via gargling, steaming and sipping

Gargling and steaming are great quick fixes to give your vocal folds a bit of surface hydration if your throat is dry or tired. Steaming sends warm moisture straight where it’s needed, while a quick gargle can make your throat feel instantly fresher.

But they only work on the surface - it’s superficial hydration. If you really want your voice to feel and sound its best, you’ve got to back that up by drinking plenty of water - this is systemic hydration, hydration from the inside, which is the most important.

Drinking water keeps your voice happy and healthy - and has a whole load of other physical and mental benefits too!

Presence - pausing for effect

One of the simplest but most powerful tools in public speaking is the pause. Too often, we rush through our words, filling every silence with sound. It's as if we think we might lose the audience if we stop speaking for a split-second. But a well-placed pause does the opposite: it gives your audience space to take in what you’ve said, and it makes you sound more confident and in control.

Pauses can create suspense, highlight a key point, or give listeners a chance to laugh before you move on. They also give you time to breathe, collect your thoughts, and stay grounded in the moment. Far from making you look unsure, a pause communicates authority and shows that you trust your message enough to let it land - you are 'taking up space', which is a 'high status' thing to do.

If you know that you rush through when you're speaking, have a word that you can repeat in your head three times between phrases or sentences (a short phrase or counting also works). So I could choose the word elephants and say something like this: "Hello, I'm Kaffy, I'm a voice and confidence coach. (elephants elephants elephants) I help people be themselves in public and come across as they wish to. (elephants elephants elephants) If you ever feel like..." etc.. This is an easy way to leave a few seconds in between each phrase and will help you form the habit. (I would also suggest smiling as the words are running in your head and making eye contact. All about connection!)

Next time you’re speaking, experiment with leaving a few seconds of silence after an important idea. You’ll be surprised how much weight and impact it adds to your words.

Confidence - breathing for calm

One of the most effective ways to manage anxiety is by regulating and slowing down your breathing.

When we’re anxious, our breathing often becomes shallow and quick, which only fuels the feeling of panic. A simple way to break the cycle is the 4-4-4-4 technique, often called box breathing: breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out for four, then pause for four before repeating. This rhythm helps slow everything down, sending a powerful signal to your body that you are safe.

Once you’re comfortable with the pattern, try gently lengthening your outbreath, maybe to five or six counts. A longer exhale activates the body’s relaxation response, the parasympathetic system, calming both mind and body. You don’t need to be sitting down or in a quiet room to do this, it can be done anytime, anywhere.

With regular practice, this simple breathing exercise can become a reliable tool for easing anxiety and finding calm.

(Join my email list at https://www.voiceconfident.com/subscribe for access to a video all about breathing and these techniques, and a box breathing video graphic that will slow your breathing down as you follow it, bringing yourself calm in just 5 min)