December 22nd, 2024

Nonverbal cues

Nonverbal cues — hand gestures, facial expressions, posture, breathing style, etc. — are silent drivers of human interaction (research shows that over 60% of your communication is nonverbal). In milliseconds, competence, warmth, and intent are subconsciously expressed through your body language much better than your words.

Imagine you’re pitching me an idea at a business meeting. You say: “I’m really excited about this idea,” but with your arms crossed, shoulders slumped, and avoiding eye contact.

With that kind of body language, how could I possibly take your enthusiasm seriously!? Your words say one thing, but literally everything else says another!

In other words, if you want to be taken seriously, it’s crucial that you harmonize your words with your physical movements and body language.

Practice

To project confidence and connection, start with your posture. Hips anteverted, shoulders back, spine straight — imagine a string pulling the top of your head upward. When sitting, keep your hands visible and avoid slumping into your chair.

Eye contact is another powerful tool. Holding someone’s gaze for 3-5 seconds before looking away signals confidence and interest. Avoid staring for too long, or darting your eyes around — both of these signal that you are fake listening.

Facial expressions and head placement also shape interactions. A genuine smile — one that reaches your eyes — is important. As you listen, tilt your head, soften your expression and give subtle nods.

Your hands and arms matter a lot, too. Open-handed gestures convey honesty and ease, while tightly crossed arms or hidden hands do the opposite. When speaking, let your gestures flow naturally, as though they were an extension of your vocal cords.

Using yoga and meditation for productivity?

To summarize Part 1: productivity emerges naturally when you are in flow with your energies.

For instance, it doesn’t make sense to tackle an incredibly mind-heavy business proposal when you’re totally drained.

Instead, maybe you put on some ambient music, tidy your space, make a pot of tea, and meditate first (each of which can separately be considered “productive”, if you choose to see them that way).

Be patient. Be slow. Trust that your energy will eventually rise, and when it does, you’ll be ready for “real work”.

Now that you’re thick of a deep-work session, here are some yoga and meditation ideas to improve your focus and creativity:

• Slow breath: When concentrating deeply, your breath becomes shallow (or pauses altogether). As you enter a flow state, reduce your breath until it’s barely noticeable. This will open you to relaxation and creativity.
• Steady gaze: In deep meditation, the eyes remain still, signaling single-minded focus. Apply this to your work. Whether you’re looking at a screen, a whiteboard, or paper — stay locked in. Resist the urge to glance away and daydream.
• Go instrumental: Avoid music with lyrics, especially if you’re writing. The words interfere with your brain’s ability to problem-solve. Personally, I prefer binaural beats, nature sounds, or nothing at all.
• Delay assistance: Avoid using ChatGPT (or similar tools) for at least 30 minutes. Push through the initial mental blocks — the struggle unlocks your best ideas. Earn your creations! 😉
• Work in intervals: Depending on task complexity, aim for focused sessions of at least 1 hour, but cap them at (maximum) 4 hours to prevent burnout.
• Minimize distractions: Activate Do Not Disturb mode on all of your devices. Even one small notification can derail your flow.

“You cannot be faithful to two masters who ask conflicting things of you.” — Gabrielle Bernstein

Your heart says go, but your mind says stay.

Your gut says trust, but your thoughts say run.

Your intuition says surrender, but your ego says fight.

Which master will you serve?