Speaking in a strong, dynamic voice is essential for getting your message across in a clear, confident, professional way. One way to create a more engaging speaking voice is to warm up. Warming up is especially important when you’re working from home. Without the normal office routine of chatting with coworkers, walking between workspaces, or having impromptu meetings, you are more likely to sit still and silent for prolonged periods while working from home. This can be detrimental to your speaking voice, creating a stiffness that can significantly impact your vocal energy. Before your next video call take a minute to warm up using our strategies below:
Relax Your Body: Tension in your shoulders and neck can impact the way you speak and make it difficult to relax and project your voice. This is especially true when you’re sitting down, speaking into your computer camera, since you are more likely to hunch forward, exacerbating any existing tension. Loosen your neck by tipping your head from side to side and forward and back, holding each position for several seconds. Roll your shoulders forward slowly five times, then backward five times. Do each movement in a slow, deliberate manner, going through your entire range of motion.
Warm Up Your Facial Muscles: Tension in your facial muscles can impact the smoothness and clarity of your speech. First, relax your cheek muscles by massaging them gently with your hands. Then, open your jaw as wide as possible. Retract your lips into a smile (as though you are saying “eeeeee”), then pucker them as tightly as you can; go from puckering to smiling several times as quickly as you can. Finally, open your mouth and stretch your tongue beyond your lips in all directions.
Warm Up Your Voice: Now that your body and face are relaxed, warm up your voice. Breathe in on a count of five, and exhale on “mmmmmmmmaaaah” alternating between “mmmm” and “ahh.” Take a deep breath and gently release it on “aaaah” going from your highest note to your lowest in a long sigh. Lip and tongue trills are another great way to gently warm up your voice.
If you are looking to polish your communication skills be sure to pick up a free copy of my e-book “Communicate with Clarity and Confidence!” by subscribing to our newsletter community on our website. For additional information call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at jayne@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
© 2020, Corporate Speech Solutions of New York City and Long Island – All Rights Reserved