We humans love a bit of encouragement and sometimes it’s good to have a goal that is relatively easy to achieve – especially during these socially-distanced times. If you have a job which is causing excessive tension in your life, it’s easy for the voice to suffer. And here, help is at hand!
To make this year’s resolution successful, it should be based on reward, not denial. This year it’s both for you and for the people you are leading at work. You’ll both feel rewarded.
Here’s my idea for a great new year’s resolution and it’s all to do with improving your voice as well as relaxing your body.
First, make sure you create some time for yourself. Find time to relax, clear your mind and allow your body to let go of the tension is carries around daily.
- Seat yourself comfortably in a chair that fully supports your head, neck, arms and legs.
- Release the tension in your muscles. Let all the weight of your body sink into your chair.
- Take a nice deep breath in through your nose if possible, then gently breathe out noticing the tension melting away from the muscles in your arms, chest and legs.
- Remember to let the chair take all of your weight as you relax all your muscles and close your eyes for a few moments, focusing only on gently breathing in and out.
- Feel the tension being released from your shoulders, jaw, neck and face as you breathe out.
Remember, as you relax the muscles in your shoulders, neck and jaw, the connections to your larynx are also relaxed and your voice is allowed to function more smoothly.
Here is a short recording to help you relax your body which will in turn help your voice to perform better. It will help reduce the tension around your larynx and your voice should sound less stressed.
You will find that with 10-15 minutes a day of complete relaxation though listening to this recording, and/or doing some gentle yoga or pilates, the quality of your voice can improve.
Last year I was working with several clients who have developed vocal tension due to their new working situations. One of the causes of vocal tension is stress which is carried in the body and finds its way to the larynx. Clients have complained of having a ‘croaky voice’ or ‘not being heard’ as their voice is unable to work properly due to muscular tension.
Relaxation is an important antidote to vocal issues. This year, you can allow yourself to be rewarded with your new year’s resolution by building in time for yourself each day to consciously relax your body and breathe deeply. It’s a resolution that will reward you and enable you to perform better as a manager, director, head teacher or team leader. If you have the benefit of a relaxed body and voice, you will be more successful at speaking to and leading others.
This new year’s resolution to take care of your voice should not only be started right now, but carried on daily. It should be a pleasant and restorative exercise as you invest a small amount of quality time in yourself. Relaxing your body, relaxing your voice will reward you as you speak more effectively when you’re at work.
For more information and help with techniques to relax your voice, speak more easily or articulate well, please get in touch.
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