January is always full of good intentions: Inbox zero, more focus time, fewer meetings. And yet our approach to presentations stay the same… Same bloated decks, same walls of text, same “we’ll clean this up later” energy.

So with the new year upon us, here are a few simple resolutions that are easy to keep and will actually stick beyond January.

1. One slide = one idea

If a slide needs a paragraph to explain what it’s about, chances are it’s doing too much.

Resolution: Every slide gets a single takeaway. If you have three points, you should likely have three slides. Clear slides are easier to build, easier to present, and easier for the audience to understand.

2. Stop using slides as a teleprompter

Your slides are not your speaker notes. Nor are they insurance against forgetting your talking points.

Resolution: Balance slide content with spoken detail. Use slides to convey your key message and your voice to provide further explanation and nuance.

3. Retire the spreadsheet screenshot

If someone needs to squint, zoom in, or ask about the numbers, your slide has failed.

Resolution: Show the insight, not the export. You’ll save time explaining while helping your audience to remember the main point.

4. Design for skimming, not for studying

No one is reading your slides from top to bottom, especially not in Q1.

Resolution: Assume your deck will be skimmed and design accordingly. Strong visual hierarchy helps your audience better understand the story in seconds, not minutes.

5. Build slides that live beyond the meeting

If your deck only works when you’re in the room, it’s not done.

Resolution: Design slides that can be shared and repurposed into other content assets, without a live narration. You’ll do less rework, need fewer follow-ups, and get more mileage from the work you’ve already done.

6. Kill the “we’ll fix it later” slide

During the rush of first quarter, we know that later never comes. That slide will ship exactly as-is.

Resolution: If it’s not clear enough to present, it’s not ready to keep. Future-you deserves fewer apologies and fewer rushed edits.

7. Remember that clarity beats clever

Animations, buzzwords, and stock photos don’t make a message stronger.

Resolution: If it doesn’t clarify the story, it doesn’t belong. Clear beats impressive especially with execs, boards, and buyers.

🥂 Here’s to a year of better presentations and content that’s clearer, sharper, and actually useful all year long.

New year resolutions that will make you a better presenter