We tend to rush even before we have started speaking. By wanting to deliver our message quickly, we have put our bodies in a stressful state and this tension is expressed by our voice as rushing, or an irregular pace. When we are rushing, it is difficult for others to follow our message even if they are clear and well-articulated. Delivering your message at a steady pace is not about stretching out the words, but about leaving a gap between words so that each word can be perceived and understood.
The first thing to do is to get a sense of the length of a sentence. Pick a short sentence, speak it, then try to speak it again at half the pace you just did, while maintaining the same intonation. You can already hear how much clearer you sound when you give your voice time to produce the sounds. Repeat this exercise often so that you can develop an inner sense of the timing of a sentence. The next thing to do is to stop thinking that your pace is something you can control by thinking about it. It won’t work. Your body will keep rushing even if you think you are not. What will help your pace is your breathing.
If you deliver your message on a steady breath, your voice will not rush. If your breath is finished, stop your sentence. This is a simple rule that will help you maintain a steady pace and avoid the tendency to push too many words in one breath. Here is a simple exercise you can do every day to help you anchor this ability. Take three deep breaths, read one paragraph of text aloud, making sure you are delivering one sentence per breath.
Then, do the same paragraph again without reading it aloud, and deliver one sentence per breath. This will help your voice learn how to pace itself even when you are not reading a text. Listen to the recording and observe moments where you are rushing. You will be able to do better next time. When you are speaking on the fly, you are more likely to rush when you are not sure what to say next. You fill the void with words, and that just adds pressure. Instead, just pause for a brief moment.
This will give you time to articulate your next thought so you will not feel the urge to rush. With time, this pause will become part of your natural flow instead of something you want to avoid. Another exercise you can try is to identify the words in a sentence that you want to emphasize. Choose one or two words and slow down when you say them. This will create a flow, will help you vary your pace and will avoid a flat and rapid delivery.
With time, this will become part of your natural flow and will make your message sound more controlled without you even making an effort. A steady pace is something that you can achieve with practice and by being mindful of your breathing, your pause and your emphasis, not by obsessively monitoring your speed. With time, you will find a flow that will feel comfortable and natural for you.