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My 3-step ritual before every presentation

Plus: Trim function 🤝 Squeaky clean spreadsheets

February 29, 2024

Hey there! Do any of these thoughts sound familiar? 💭

“If I was better at Excel, I could get hours of my week back.” 

“I know Excel can be a powerful tool, but right now it’s a time-sucker.” 

“My spreadsheets are a mess and I don’t feel comfortable showing them to my boss.”  

Then I have just the thing for you! I’m hosting a LIVE 60-minute class where I’ll share hidden tricks for optimizing and automating your spreadsheets with Data Cleaning and VBA Macros! Here’s the class schedule: 

  • Wednesday, March 20 at 3 PM ET 

  • Thursday, March 21 at 12 PM ET 

  • Friday, March 22 at 12 PM ET 

Click here to register. See you soon! 

Can’t attend live? No worries! You’ll get access to a 48-hour replay when you register.

How To Get Squeaky Clean Excel Spreadsheets 

The spreadsheet you’ve just imported is full of white spaces and a total mess. The last thing you want to do is spend your afternoon cleaning, but what choice do you have? 

I’ve got you. Introducing: The TRIM function. This function removes (or trims 😉) all spaces from text except for the single spaces between words. 

Excel Tip: 💡The TRIM function goes beyond tidying spreadsheets. It also fixes major headaches caused by (unnoticed) blank spaces, such as when: 

• Your XLOOKUP formula persistently returns N/A errors (the worst). 

• You’re hunting for duplicates but your COUNTIF formula comes up dry.

• Adding numbers from two columns results in zeroes instead of the correct sum.

Here’s how you’d clean this spreadsheet in 20 seconds: 

Step 1) In your desired cell, type =TRIM 

Step 2) Highlight the cell you want to trim and close it out. 

Step 3) Copy the formula down and you’re all set! 

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what data cleaning is capable of. If you’re ready to create beautiful, functional spreadsheets (that’ll blow your boss away) register for my free data cleaning class!

The 3 Things I Do Every Time Before Presenting 

I hosted 80 virtual trainings in 2023, many of which had thousands of students watching. But just a few years ago, the mere idea of presenting terrified me. 

So what changed? I implemented these three pre-presentation rituals:

Tip 1) 🌎 Use a Grounding Mat. These mats are made up of conductive materials that mimic the sensation of touching the earth’s surface. It sounds wild, but there are scientific studies that prove grounding can reduce high blood pressure, anxiety, and even inflammation. 

Slip one of these mats on your chair or under your feet (this pillowcase is my go-to) before your next virtual presentation. And if you’re presenting IRL, grounding socks are an option too! 

Tip 2) 💃🏼 Shake. Right before I go on my virtual stage, I’ll—in the words of T-Swift—“shake it off” to regulate the nervous system and calm the body. 

Think about it! It’s a primal thing: Animals do it to release the excess energy generated by a threatening experience. Signal to your body that the threat is over, and your presentation won’t be as intimidating. 

Tip 3) ☕️ No Coffee. Now listen, I’m still a coffee girl…but I’ve noticed my presentation jitters decrease when I skip the caffeine. 

When you’re presenting—virtual or in-person—you absorb the room’s energy. Adding caffeine to the mix could overstimulate you, so tread carefully! You can always place a mobile order the second the presentation is over. 

These tips have helped me ditch the anxiety and show up as my best self when I present. Now, giving presentations has become one of the biggest unlocks for my career.

I officially launched my second business, Miss Optimize! I share my top business, mindset, and productivity hacks to help you work smarter and feel happier (we’re already 1,000+ followers strong!). 

To get tips to help you become your best self, join the party here. 🤍

Stay Exceling,

Kat