Posture & Body Laguage: Tips for communicating during the pandemic

Improving posture can help allivate back pain, improve your breathing, and your ability to focus. Posture also affects how we come across to others

In a recent article in Town and Country that I was interviewed for, writer, Garrett Munce, his the nail on the head in regards to the side of posture that is social and how it relates to the world at present. "Posture is especially important today, when we communicate virtually or through masks that block our faces," Munce points out.

Posture has a significant effect how we communicate. Our often unconscious postural hobits can affect how we come across. Have you ever caught a photo or video of yourself and were surprised to see how you were holding your body or moving? Many people are because they might not be aware of their habits in the moment when their not just sitting, standing, and walking, but communicating with others.

Now that we're communicating differently, posture is often even more obvious. With a mask covering some of your facial expression, the rest of your body language may communicate even more.

When you're on Zoom, how you sit is important to how you speak with someone on a screen. Many people crane their necks, move their faces toward the screen, and speak much more loudly than they need to, all creating a lot of tension and strain, which can affect breathing, and vocal expression, and effect the impression the person makes..

Here's one tip that you can use on Zoom and at the grocery store when you're trying to speak to someone through a mask and plexiglass while maintaining social distancing...

Don't push your face forward.

Pushing your face forward strains your neck and makes your head rotate back and down and compress your spine. Not sure what I mean? Look in a mirror from the side.

Why is this a problem? Here are a few reasons:
1. It creates strain and too much tension in your neck and possibly your shoulders as well.
2. It won't make you louder. It's more likely to strain your voice and make you hoarse.
3. You won't be centered. When we're physically centered, we come across as both calm and assertive, and not agressive, rushed, or discombobulated.

Being centered creates a better connection with other people. It might free up your breathing and maybe in turn the breathing of the person your speaking with (people often mirror each other). You might find it's easier to listen and to make yourself heard.

When we're centered our posture is good, which means not stiff or collapsed. Being centered doesn't mean holding one position. It means standing, sitting, and moving in a way that is balanced.

What helps? Don't focus too much on adjusting your head or neck. Avoid pushing your neck back and overstraightening it. Make the change more subtle. Before you go to speak, just think of letting the back of your neck soften.