Communicating while wearing a face mask has to be one of the biggest challenges of this new normal. However, it’s an art that you can master if you adopt the right tricks. Some of the most popular and useful tips to talk through a face mask are down below!

Sorry, I Didn’t Catch That

Face masks can make it incredibly hard for you to speak. But that’s not all. They make it hard for you to listen to someone else wearing it too. Since the voice comes from behind a barrier, it can become muffled, and the volume can drop. It’s an even bigger mess if you are telecommunicating and there are thousands of miles in between. So, is there anything you could do to make yourself sound better from behind a mask?

Tip 1: Ask Follow-Up Questions

The most important part of communicating while wearing a face mask is to ask follow-up questions. If you couldn’t hear what someone said, ask them to rephrase what they said or repeat their sentence for you instead of nodding and smiling even if you didn’t understand a word! To avoid looking absent-minded, ask them to repeat the sentence’s specific bits that you didn’t understand. Sometimes, other people might go through the same thing and not ask you to repeat yourself. If you’re worried that someone else might not have heard what you said, ask them if they’ve understood you just to make sure.

Trip 2: Don’t Rush Your Words

If you’re communicating while wearing face mask, understand that there is a barrier between you and the listener. The voice is already going to get muffled, so don’t make it worse by rushing your words. Try to speak each word separately and pronounce everything. Take breaks, slow down, and add spaces between words. Using a speech to text app is also a great idea to translate your words into text. They also help you practice to talk slower and clearer.

Tip 3: Make Eye Contact

Eye contact has always been an essential part of communication and persuasive body language. However, it has only become more critical now that you have to communicate while half of your face is covered. Good eye contact can help your listener get the gist of what you are saying and stay attentive. With proper body language, you can make sure that you successfully deliver your ideas and concepts and emphasize where it is needed. Hence, you must remember to make proper eye contact when you’re communicating while wearing a face mask.

Final Tip: Avoid Shouting

While slightly raising your voice might help you become more audible, shouting is a huge no-no! If you’re communicating while wearing face mask, shouting can distort your sound. This way, your audience will find it hard to figure out what you’re trying to say, thanks to the inaudible words here and there. The best idea is to stick to the volume you regularly talk in. Don’t yell at your audience. Use your body language to make an impact instead.