Working in hospital and health settings, wearing a face mask is just part of our daily routine, but now that we are wearing masks in other settings such as shopping centres and transport, the way we communicate has changed.
A warm smile is a good way to express feelings of happiness, and with a face mask on, you can still come across as approachable and friendly.
Here are a few tips for communicating effectively while wearing a face mask.
- Find your tone
- Due to the multiple protective layers, some face masks distort our voices.
- Try speaking a bit louder or more slowly to make sure the person you’re speaking with can understand you clearly.
- Adjusting your tone and pitch can be helpful to convey your feelings.
- Focus on your body language
- It can be tough to see some of your facial features underneath a mask, so try to use other gestures to convey your emotion, like waving to get someone’s attention, or nodding as a sign of approval.
- Smile with your eyes
- Sometimes we tend to smile with our mouth but not necessarily our eyes. Much of the focus will be on your eyes if you’re wearing a mask, so try smiling with them. It may seem unusual, but it helps to express emotion.
- Be verbal
- If you’re in a meeting or having a conversation with a group of people, some of your facial expressions will be hidden. It is useful to verbally communicate your affirmation, rather than simply nodding or smiling.
- Be patient
- Communication can be a bit daunting and frustrating while wearing a mask, so it’s important to remain patient if you need to repeat yourself or ask someone else to repeat what they’ve said.