How body language is important?

What is body language?

The definition of body language, according to Oxford Languages, is the process of communicating nonverbally through conscious or unconscious gestures and movements.  These nonverbal communication methods include posture, tone, hand gestures, eye contact, space, and touch.  It is researched that 93% of communication is nonverbal.  That is huge! So many people think that it is what I say that gets communicated, but not how you say it. 

How body language is important

So since 93% of communication is nonverbal, body language is very important when communicating with someone.  If you are sad and talking to someone about what happened but the person is not making eye contact with you, slouched in the chair with their arms crossed but verbally saying how sorry they are, would you think they are genuine about it?  I do not think so.  Another example is text messaging or emails.  In these ways of communication, all you have is a written word to express your thoughts.  Sometimes you read the message or email and think, is this person mad at me? Did I do something to make them upset? When it is just because we do not have a way to hear, tone, or see the body language in the communication. 

Ways to help improve the body language

Knowing that body language is important, and that sometimes it involves unconscious gestures, there are ways to help improve the unconscious by bringing it to the conscious.  With the pandemic and many things being virtual, it is very important to be aware of your facial expressions, posture, etc. are communicating.  One way to do this is by looking at yourself while on camera and making you aware of what you are conveying with those expressions.  It may seem uncomfortable at first, but it can be very important in realizing what your face does in certain situations that you are not even aware of.  You can also do this by practicing in a mirror.  You can start recognizing how your tone is and make sure it matches how you want the message to be.  Make sure you are sitting up straight and not slouching, as that can show disinterest. The more awareness you have, the more you will be able to improve communication with others.