Understanding Body Language and Aligning it with Verbal Cues

Understanding Body Language and Aligning it with Verbal CuesUnderstanding Body Language and Aligning it with Verbal CuesHow to Make Sure Yur Body Language and Verbal Cues AlignEnd goal you want your body language to match your oral language, and ultimately enhance it.Its believed that as much as 90 percent of our communication comes from nonverbal cues, marking the importance of body language. Cues include gestures, stances, fidgeting, and whatever you do with your physicality in the moment of an interaction. These cues can negate what youre verbally saying. In other words, your body is doing the talking.Controlling and understanding your body language isnt as easy as it sounds. Like emotional intelligence, its about becoming aware, harnessing it, and managing it. In plain terms, when you understand your body language, you can use it to your advantage. You just need to learn the difference between negative and positive body language. When done right, body language is a shortcut to co mmunicating whats important.In order to ensure youre using it to get ahead and communicate whats most important, you first need to know the difference between whats perceived as positive body language and the language thats perceived as negative.Positive body language.Positive body language is perceived as openness. Envision a straight back, relaxed shoulders and a confident wide stance. Other features include graceful flosse gesturing, smiling, and self-assured eye contact. Someone with positive body language will have an unbarred face, too. That translates to relaxed eyebrows, wide eyes, and a poised mouth. You can achieve openness by aspiring to feel open.Negative body language.Negative body language includes posture, gestures, and tics that wordlessly communicate negative emotions like anxiety, stress, anger, and disengagement. From a weak handshake to fidgeting, twitching, crossed arms, and aggressive hand gestures, there is a slew of behaviors that scream internal emotional tu rmoil.When we feel negative about a situation, it will practically seep out of our pores and demonstrate itself in those nonverbal cues, like furrowed brows and a clenched jaw. Escaping negative body language isnt the answer either because its a biological and primal way to communicate that we will always revert back to.To master positive body language you must treat it like emotional intelligence and focus on heightening your awareness first. Then you can think about harnessing it and managing it for your betterment.Start with awareness.To get an idea of the body language you use, departure with watching yourself. You can film yourself performing a speech or just use a mirror and practice talking about something you would talk about at work or in an interview. After you do this exercise, take note of the gestures and tics you displayed. Now imagine, if you were not practicing in front of a mirror, would you have had more tics? Possibly. We tend to be on our best manners when we pra ctice like this, so imagine yourself in a high pressure situation and think about how you may change your body language.Once you get a sense of your body language, start keeping track of it for the next few weeks. Pay attention to the cues you use and tap into an awareness of your body. It also helps to observe others body language, as well. What do you pick up when you start matching what people say to what their bodies are doing? When youre paying attention to your own cues, you might also want to think a bit about your own triggers.There are certain situations, people, and places that spark nervousness and negativity within us. What signals is your body sending you in these moments?Harness the power (of your body).You are so powerful. Pause and read that once more.Despite what you believe or what you may have been taught, the truth is that you can change yourself if you want to. If youve watched yourself on film, taken notes, and are horrified to discover you have a laundry list of nervous twitches, dont fret. We all have something to work on. The beautiful thing is that you have the power to change it. For scientific proof, watch Amy Cuddys TED Talk on the very topic of changing your body language to shape who you are.You can continue to observe your behavior to understand body language. Practice in the mirror and use Amys power poses to improve trust me, you will. You can also ask for help. Ask a trusted friend, family member, boss, or co-worker to observe your body language and coach you when you fall back into your old habits.Strike a balance.Heres the goal of it all You want to strike a balance where not only is your body language matching your oral language, but its, in fact, making it better. Think of it as using positive body language, as described earlier, as a tool to compliment effective verbal skills the ultimate enhancement.To strike the best balance, youll need to have mastered the awareness and harnessing steps mentioned before, because wit hout being fully aware of your strengths and flaws, as well as being able to reign them in, you wont be able to activate your positive skills in a way that will take your verbal message to a kick-ass level. What Im saying is Dont get ahead of yourself. Seek first to understand yourself, reign yourself in, then conquer. Being able to understand body language and use positive body language as an enrichment to oral communication is an act of mastery. It takes time there is no end destination. You will forever be perfecting your skills.To strike that perfect balance, youll need to link the message youre conveying with the correct gesture or posture. For instance, using a steeple hand gesture is most commonly associated with lecturers. If youre making a point that youre dead-clear on, use this gesture. Other links would be uncrossing legs/arms/hands when having a difficult conversation to display openness. Finally, smiling. Smiling is a technique widely used to gain acceptance, calm oth ers, and instill confidence. With most things, having a visual helps, so check out this video that demonstrates great body language.No matter where you start with exploring and improving your own body language, know that body language is a prehistoric, if not biological, feature that is both powerful and organic. By simply paying attention and striving to make small and subtle improvements to your messaging, you will gain strides in your own betterment just not overnightClick on the following link for more interview advice.TopResume resume writers will help you land more interview, faster. Find out how.Recommended ReadingWhat Message Is Your Body Language Sending During Interviews?Even an Introvert Can Nail an Interview. Heres How.How to Pass the Pre-Employment Personality TestRelated Articles

9 airport travel hacks for the frequent flier

9 airport travel hacks for the frequent flier9 airport travel hacks for the frequent flierI travel quite a lot. In recent years, Ive become accustomed to airport life as an integral part of my work routine, whether Im traveling to the cities where I hostBossed Up Bootcampor flyingto speak at colleges and companies. As I prepare for next yearsBossed Up Booktour, Im aya my flight schedule will only pick up, tooLots of people complain about being a road warrior, and understandably so. Airports are stress hubs, hotel life gets lonely real quick, and theres nothing actually glamourous about spending less than 24 hours in a new city. But over the years Ive learned some MAJOR lessons on how to actually love work travel even in the airportHere are my top airport hacks to krallele work travel like a boss.And hey dont leave me hanging. Let me know what best practices you would add to this list, or if you try these out, how they work for youAlways keep a packed bag of toiletries While Im not one to keep a fully-packed suitcase (which seems like a bit much), I bit the bullet and bought two of all my must-have toiletries. How awful is it when you forget your toothbrush or bobby pins? Going without while youre on the road is a pain, and I got plain fed-up with running to CVS while on the go.Now I always keep my dopp kit packed so I dont need to think twice and can just throw it into my suitcase and rest assured that my must-haves are all there.Stock up on creature comfortsAlong with my toiletries, I try to always have a few creature comforts on hand.Trail mix or a protein bar is a total life-saver and instant hanger-helper when youre desperate for food but stuck in airport terminal food deserts. When I was struggling with sleep issues last year, I made sure to always have packets of my favorite SleepyTime tea packed, too. And Im always stocked up on a small supply of extra medicine I might need on the road. Ibuprofen is a must for when my bodys aching from too much time i n a cramped airplane seat. My allergy meds keep me sniffle-free when Im speaking in a city where the pollen is extra pollen-y, too.I keep all these comfort items in my suitcase and constantly replenish them each time I return home.Scout out security linesMany airports including my main one here in Denver have one or two security lines that always move a little faster. I started picking up on this after becoming a terminal regular and realized the security line farthest to one side was always a little more lax. Theres one line at DEN where you never have to take off your shoes and you can keep your electronics all packed up.Im no TSA expert, so Im not sure why this is the case, but its become my most reliable time-saver in the airport by far. While the crowds head towards the center security lines, I make a beeline for the one furthest to the end and I always whiz through.Make the most of your time waiting in line to really scout out the security checkpoints ahead and see if theres a fast lane in your next airport.My Away luggageAwayis a brand that actually lives up to their Instagram hype. I was originally gifted myAway Carry-On(which retails for $225) while I was the co-host of the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast last year, but Im already considering purchasing another one on my own, too.The bag features a truly smart, sturdy plan that performs better thananycarry-on luggage Ive ever had in the past. And thats saying something because I used to go through at least a bag a year. Im pretty tough on my luggage, dragging them through New York City cobblestone sidewalks in The Village, dusty, sandstone curbsides in Denver, and everywhere in between.Not only does this piece of luggage hold upandhave a lifetime warranty, it also charges my dang phone Its got a built-in rechargeable battery thats a total lifesaver when youre on the go (more on this below), and it just plain looks cool to be strutting through an airport while youre charging your phone from you bag. Bring your own (water) bottleYou already know how strongly I believe in the benefits ofstaying hydrated, right? Well, when it comes to air travel, this isespeciallyvital. In such climate-controlled environments, where humidity can be as low as 10-15%, your body actually dehydrates just through respiration alone. According toMarie Claire,women can lose around 1.6 litres of water on an average 10-hour flight. YikesAs a total budgetnista, Iloathespending money on water, especially when I know there must be water fountains around. And with the booming number of water fountains designed specifically for filling water bottles, theres never been a better time to bring your own with you. Just make sure you drain it before you go through security so you dont look like a total travel rookie in the security line and hold everyone up.I often use a small, lightweight, stainless steel travel mug to carry my morning coffee or matcha on my way to the airport, and then refill throughout the day with water from the fountain. All about that double drink dealBack-up batteriesI have a collection of spare battery chargers on hand from the many conferences Ive attended. A few years back it was all the rage in corporate swag bags at conferences I was keynoting, and I stocked up There are differing opinions on which are the best, but for me, it doesnt need to hold some huge charge or have any fancy features. I just use mine as an emergency boost for my phone when Im in-between outlets.I use my mobile device a LOT more when Im traveling for work. And you definitely dont want to get stuck without a much-needed Yelp search or GoogleMaps directions when you need them. So whatever kind of battery you go for, the most important thing to do is to keep them fully charged while youre home, and slip them into your backpack or purse on your way out on a trip.Snuggle up with a PashminaI cant express my love for my go-to Pashmina scarf enough. For those not familiar, Pashmina is technically the te rm for the fine wool textile that comes from Kashmir. But in the USA in recent years, its become synonymous for the popular design of a wide, long scarf made of almost any material. Its especially used to describe those with the signature knotted fringe on either end.A legit wool or cashmere pashmina is a lifesaver in over-air-conditioned airports and planes alike. When you need a blanket, its big enough to spread over your legs. Wish you had a pillow? Bunch it up and youll be dreamin before you know it. Its a stylish scarf, relatively thin and compact, and yet it still keeps you warm in the changing temperatures involved with modern air travel.Bose noise-canceling headphonesIf youre serious about travel, noise-canceling headphones are a total game-changer. As you might guess, Im a bigpodcastenthusiast, and also find listening to downloaded Spotify playlists super soothing when flying. The difference between regular earbuds versus myBose Noise-Cancelling Headphones ($179 on Amazon)i s like night and day.And the best part? If the baby a few rows back is teething, or the bros one aisle up cant stop discussing the details of their bachelor party, you wont have to hear about it. Just dont forget to pack a spare AA battery (which powers the noise-canceling function), because running out mid-flight is a bummer. These things spoil you pretty quick.Commit to an airlineI went all-in on Southwest Airlines a few years back, and fly like a total VIP with them now. Their prices are unbeatable, flights run reliably on time or ahead of schedule, and I find booking through their site super easy. I think their boarding process is incredibly efficient (although it is certainly different than other airlines, so if youre new to them, prepare yourself for a unique on-boarding). I especially appreciate their commitment to superior customer service, whether Im on the phone re-booking with an agent or mid-flight with an attendant. Theyre fun people who make a pretty un-fun industry mu ch more pleasant.I also earn tons of travel points with myChase Rapid Rewards credit card, which I use for all my business expenses. That combined with my frequent flight schedule means Im always earning A List status, which earns me auto-check-in perks and the ability to cut security lines like first-class ticket holders in most airports, too. For the past 2 years Ive racked up enough points to earn their coveted Companion Pass, too Whenever and wherever I fly, BradTheBoo can tag along fo FREE.Whether you choose Southwest or another airline, find the one you like best and do everything you can to stick with it. Youll reap the rewards in a major way.This article first appeared on Bossed Up.

These Hacks Are Guaranteed to Increase Productivity at Work

These Hacks Are Guaranteed to Increase Productivity at WorkThese Hacks Are Guaranteed to Increase Productivity at WorkProductivity Tips That Really WorkStop getting distracted and follow these work productivity tips. In a world of digital distractions, finding time to focus can be no easy feat. Indeed, with the average attention span in front of a computer estimated to be a mere 40 seconds before being sucked down a virtual vortex, its little wonder that we often find it difficult to knuckle down and get the job done. To help you boost your productivity at work and make the best use of your office hours, here are the best work productivity tips to help you concentrate and succeed in your career.Track and take charge of your online behaviorThe first step to boosting your productivity at work is understanding exactly how you spend your time. Whether its answering emails, sending invoices, updating filing systems, or adding interior-deco inspiration to your Pinterest board, mapping your behavior can reveal a lot about whats creating bottlenecks to your productivity. Web apps like RescueTime, which tracks time spent on applications and websites and creates a detailed report of your workday, or AntiSocial, which monitors social media usage and benchmarks your behavior against peers, can offer some interesting insights into how youre spending your 9-to-5.Minimize distractions and feng shui your computerOnce youve identified the behaviors that are limiting your productivity, cultivate an online environment that eliminates unwanted distractions. In a world where applications are constantly vying for your attention a stream of little red flags and notifications that demand immediate resolution cleaning your digital workspace will help you focus on the task at hand. There are a host of free web apps designed just for this purpose, such as Writespace for Microsoft aber ja or Distraction Free Writing for WordPress. If you need a complete computer overhaul, apps like Focu sWriter transform your entire screen into a distraction-free interface, complete with customizable backgrounds to help you stay in the zone.Try time-tested productivity techniquesProductivity is as much environmental as it is mental, and syncing with the natural rhythms of your brain can lead to powerful results. Named for his tomato-shaped kitchen timer, Francesco Cirillos Pomodoro Technique is a widely-adopted productivity booster for both professionals and students alike. The premise is simple Work is allocated into 25-minute time blocks with a 5-minute break in between. After four consecutive time blocks, treat yourself to a well-earned 20-minute break. Using short, measured blocks of time will help you resist the urge to jump between tasks. After all, whats so important it cant wait 20 minutes? Regular breaks also help to keep the mind fresh so you can return to each task with renewed energy. Some of the best Pomodoro Technique apps are Pomodoro Keeper, a mobile app which also helps you identify your most productive periods of the day, and Marinara Timer, which creates a custom URL that can be shared by members of the same team to keep everyones productivity in sync.Work smart, not hard or find apps to do it for youFine-tune your workflow with apps designed to minimize the monotonous. Routine tasks can be so small we tend to overlook them, but perform them 100 times a day and youll find that time adds up. Does your work include constant back-and-forth between customers? Try the Canned Responses feature on Gmail, a series of auto-response templates that can be easily inserted into email replies. Are you constantly filling out forms with payment or mailing information? 1Password offers an encrypted vault for all your sensitive information, ready to auto-complete forms with your safely-stored data.Related10 Organization Apps to Boost Your ProductivityDisconnect and dream peacefullyJust as critical to staying in the zone during office hours is learning to sw itch off overnight and recharge. Researchers have long identified healthy sleeping habits as critical to productivity, yet mobile phones, tablets, and laptops are increasingly slipping between our bedsheets. Minimize the negative impact of bed-tech with apps like Twilight, which filters the light on your device according to the time of day and uses softer, warm colors in the evening, or Night Shift, an inbuilt iPhone feature that disables notifications from applications during set time periods. Most importantly, make sure the last thing you look at before going to sleep at night and the first thing you wake up to in the morning isnt battery-operated. Your daytime self will thank you for it.Click on the following link for more advice on how to get ahead.Work smarter not harder to find your next job. It all starts with a free resume review.Recommended ReadingHow to Shamelessly Self-Promote at Work5 Habits That Can Harm Your CareerAsk Amanda How Can I Become Better at Public Speaking ?