Putting your senses to work at work

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PUTTING YOUR SENSES TO WORK

AT WORK

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A 2023 PREMIUM PROJECT

This website was created for you to reflect on how senses are used at work. Professionals have been asked on this topic and there is space for you to make your own notes. Whatever you take from this website, we hope to make you a little more aware of your own senses and how you (can) use them in your future profession.

How are senses used at work?

How will you use them in your future career?

What do other professionals experience?

Get inspired to Get in touch with your body in your future career

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PUTTING YOUR SENSES TO WORK

AT WORK

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Introduction

How do you use your senses at work?

A question most people probably do not ask very often, if ever. Despite our senses being the body’s tools to experience the world around us, the question as to how we use them in our job, how this affects us, and how we can actively make use of them is rarely explored.‘It Makes Sense’, a team consisting of 5 students from different study disciplines at Maastricht University, worked together with Marres, the house of contemporary culture based in Maastricht, to explore exactly these unusual topics. Senses can be defined as the physiological perception of the environment through sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch using the sense organs.By conducting interviews we have gathered new insights into how professionals use their senses in all kinds of ways in relation to their profession. To obtain a selection of different viewpoints, our interviewees’ backgrounds are diverse.What we realized was that our senses are used in so many different ways when we are at work. We perceive everything in a very subjective way, yet we are also quite similar in many areas. We also saw that paying attention to your senses might help you become aware of how good and bad experiences arise and are being altered. Hence, reflecting on your senses every now and then can actually help make a workday effective and pleasant, establish better connections with colleagues, and in the end become more connected to your body at your work. We decided to summarise the knowledge that we gained to share it with other young adults that might enter the world of work soon. We have hence created this website, hoping to provide you with some inspiration to reflect on the use of your own senses. Whatever you take from this website, we hope to make you a little more aware of your own senses and the power and importance of being able to use them in all areas of life.

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Discover different ways you can apply sensory awareness at work:

We synthesized our findings into topics. Explore them here:

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to manage stress?

to connect with others?

to feel energized at work?

to understand my distractions?

for career advancement?

How can I use my senses...

to reflect on performance?

to stimulate creativity and decision-making?

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New environment

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Workplace

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Energy

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...To understand distractions while working

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...To reflect on performance and wellbeing

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...To stimulate my creativity and decision making

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...for career advancement

...To connect with others

...To Feel energized at work

...To Manage stress

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...To reflect on performance and wellbeing

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About us

We are a team of 5 Masters students from 3 different faculties at Maastricht University, brought together by PREMIUM: the Honours programme for UM's most driven Masters students. Kicking off in January 2023, we set out to understand how professionals make use of their senses at work in ways that are often overlooked and under-acknowledged in assignment for contemporary culture house Marres. We did this by exploring our own senses and interviewing 8 professionals.This microsite is our final product in which we not only present some of our findings, but wish to stimulate fellow graduating students who are about to enter the job market, to reflect on what they can gain from paying attention to their senses.

Team It Makes Sense!

TEAM

Hala Khlif (Epidemiology, FHML)Sophie Watermeier (Psychology, FPN)Shani de Wit (Digital Cultures, FASoS)Lisa Kalisvaart (Biomedical Sciences, FHML)Linh Lam (Mental Health, FPN)

Mentor: Ike KamphofCoach: Annechien DeelmanClient: MarresValentijn ByvanckIlse van Lieshout

Read more about Marres

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Special thank you to our generous interviewees who took the time to speak and explore their senses at work with us, making this website possible.

From left to right: Hala, Sophie, Valentijn, Shani, Lisa, Linh, Ilse, Annechien & Ike

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Friends
Surroundings
What the market offers
Problems

From their surroundings
From channels of communication
From inluential people

Attitude in public
Differentiating factor
Apparance

What they consider important
Worries
Aspirations
Feelings

Necessities
Opportunities

CLIENT

PRESENTATION

Fears
Frustrations

...To feel energized at work

In order to perform their jobs well, professionals find it important to manage their energy levels. The amount of energy they have is a crucial determinator for how much effort and initiative they are able to put into doing their job well. There are several ways in which our sensory experience of the workday influences our ability to manage this energy level consciously and efficiently, which mainly boil down to physical movement and the ability to sense and pick up on the energy of others.

MOvement

Notice your mental state and clarity. If you feel mentally foggy...

ONLINE

Working remotely from home can often imply that you get less...

Routine

Having a routine in the morning before starting work...

to feel energized at work

ENERGY

Being aware that you experience different levels of energy

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Movement

Notice your mental state and clarity. If you feel mentally foggy, have difficulty concentrating, or find your thoughts wandering, movement can help increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, enhancing focus and mental alertness. If you feel stagnant, bored, or emotionally stagnant, movement can help uplift your mood, increase endorphin release, and promote a sense of well-being.
Stimulating and energizing movement can be achieved by going for a walk, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or getting exercise in before, during or after the working day.

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Routine

Having a routine in the morning before starting work, particularly one that involves exercise, can help with giving you a kick off energy
Making it a point to consistently get movement in during the day is an efficient way to energize oneself throughout working days

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Online

Working remotely from home can often imply you get less movement in throughout the day, so being conscious of this circumstance and going out of your way to implement more movement can help energize you
Besides movement, how you dress while working online can also influence how energized you feel throughout the day
It is harder to pick up on the energy of your colleagues or clients, which professionals often attribute to physical characteristics that you mainly experience in-person. Being able to sense this can be crucial for certain types of meetings or activities, as connecting, interacting and/or collaborating can be more challenging online at times.

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Energy

Being aware that you experience different levels of energy throughout the day and there are ways you can influence how energized you feel by paying attention to your sensory experience of your working day (in the topics mentioned above and in more detail under this topic) is worth considering
Moreover, your colleagues, clients and other individuals give off energy too that influences not just your own energy, but your understanding of your environment.

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ENERGY

"I believe that movement is very essential"

Energy was a commonly cited sensation that professionals mentioned in relation to their sensory experience at work. It appears as though energy can be considered an important factor when it comes to the professionals’ ability to do their work well. While, some professionals referred to specific ways in which they manage their own internal energy levels throughout the day by getting in movement and having morning routines, others referred to energy external to themselves: in their colleagues, in their environment, in a meeting. Click the icons below to explore more details.

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When it comes to arriving in a new environment, one professional referred to energy flows in the building, which she could pick up on based on people’s mannerisms in the space: how they looked, walked, smiled, etc. This gave her an indication of what the organisation or company she is visiting is most likely like, and how they treat their employees. In her case, this is crucial information and knowledge that she uses to perform her job as a trainer.

Besides movement and exercise, the type and amount of food you consume can also influence your energy levels. Consider for instance the sugar content of the food you consume and how this may lead to a sugar rush and crash, as one of the professionals we spoke too was all too familiar with.

Energy was also related to connection. A professional cited how working at the office allowed her to sense her colleagues’ energies: “You can feel each other when you feel the energy in the room, when you see each other, when you can do the small talks.” She particularly finds this valuable for collaboration and brainstorming. Another professional adds to this idea by mentioning how connecting with others gives him energy.

An additional stimulant for energy cited by a professional was how she dressed. Particularly when working remotely during COVID, she eventually felt the need to dress up for work at home as this not only put her more in a work-mindset, but gave her the energy to be able to work in the private and comfortable environment of the home.

When it comes to internal energy levels, some professionals referred to getting in movement, either during their morning routine before work or throughout the day. You can read more about how they strive to maintain their energy levels under the "... to feel energized at work" prompt.

Though working hybrid (partially remotely and partially on-site) is not an entirely new concept, it certainly peaked in popularity after the COVID pandemic. This implies that more professionals have to acquaint themselves with the experience of working online. While the professionals we interviewed have several things to say about this, so do we, having conducted some interviews online, and some on-site. We noticed that during our online interviews, we found it harder to read the professionals, particularly visually, as we were missing a full picture of the professionals we met online. The visual online meeting experience focuses on the upper body, usually merely the shoulders and the face, which leaves out a lot of body language from the rest of the body. One professional specifically remarked how the missing body language makes it harder for him to convey his enthusiasm while teaching.However, beyond the missing visual information, a lot can certainly be said about the missing experience of sensing each other’s physical presence in the same space, but the professionals elaborate on this in the windows to the right. Otherwise, we can say that the sense of distance from meeting online brought us less nerves compared to an on-site interview, as it allowed us to speak with them while remaining in the comfort of our own spaces. Online, we have less stimuli to sense and pick up on, focussed more on posing our questions, listening intently to the professionals’ responses and picking up on the limited visual cues.

ONLINE

That which is gained and that which is lost

The desire for offline interaction

"We need to ‘feel’ someone standing next to us"

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The significance of in-person interactions that are missing online are reinforced in the ways some of the professionals try to recreate or remind themselves of the office experience. This is particularly tied to coffee or coffee-time, where just the warmth of holding a warm beverage stimulated connection for one professional, while another had organised online coffee sessions with colleagues. Besides coffee, one professional mentioned how she would dress up when working at home as if she were going to the office, to help her focus: “On Friday, most of the time, that is when you can work at home. And then I was always wearing jeans. But, since Corona, and especially at the beginning, for five full days a week, we were working from home. Yeah. Then I started to dress as well because it was already difficult to sit in your own environment, and to focus on your profession for five days a week in the same room.”

From a pragmatic perspective, working remotely online leads to time and energy saved commuting, but can therefore also lead to getting in less movement throughout the day, which professionals considered an important way to manage energy levels. However the crucial element that most of the professionals we spoke to addressed, is the lack of sensing or “feeling” the physical presence of their colleagues. This was exemplified by for instance the very particular feeling of someone standing next to you. Smell, touch, mood and energy are notably missing in the online environment. Overall, interactions are more difficult online without the opportunity for quick, live back-and-forths and hallway chit-chats. As one of the professionals stated, according to her, innovation can only really happen on-site: “You really need to sit in a room with each other, when you want to innovate, when you need to brainstorm. It's not working when you do it in a digital way because you can’t feel each other, when you feel the energy in the room, when you see each other.”

........To understand your distractions while working

Distractions are both stressful and costly as it takes a while to fully regain focus on a task after being distracted.
Getting away from distractions can allow you to think more clearly, to quieten your inner thoughts so you can really listen to your intuition and authentic thoughts.

Energy levels

Sensing energy can play a role in determining distractions by helping you become more aware of the energetic dynamics in your environment and within yourself. Increased awareness by paying attention to the subtle energy shifts happening around you can help catch distractions as they arise, allowing you to refocus more quickly. For example, during a conflict energy can get heavy, dark and sad, or people can walk with a flow of creativity and excitement. Understanding these flows of energy can help you aid in minimizing distracting flows and make more conscious choices about where to direct your time and energy.

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Physicality of workplace

Workplace

An organized and clean office workspace can help increase productivity as even the small changes can interfere with our senses as professionals shared that they would immediately notice if their belongings were moved.
A room with a minimalistic design can also help you focus and avoid getting distracted.
The temperature of the room and the presence of enough oxygen are important factors that can result in distractions, as a too hot environment without enough fresh air can result in headaches, dizziness, and sleepiness.
Headphones with noise-cancelling can be helpful to filter out noise from the environment, but it is important to consider whether this would affect your locomotion. A professional mentioned that he is not able to use his headphones because he gets dizzy and the feeling of gravity.
In addition, specific lights or not having enough light can be distracting for our vision.
Identifying whether taste and smell are distracting for you at work can be important; start considering whether you are bothered by the smell of food or coffee in the room or the taste of food after having lunch. Often, if a smell or taste is neutral it will not distract you, but smells or tastes that are off can have large impacts. Professionals mentioned that they were often distracted by certain food smells in the office or excited by the smell of the perfume or their colleagues.

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‘

Sometimes, it seems as though workplaces have been designed to break our focus. Even when you are ‘snowed’ under with work, you will still check your emails regularly or surf on the internet.

''It is worth getting in touch with our senses to actively prevent ourselves from getting distracted''

So, what did you do this weekend?’’

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Personal Triggers

Triggers Understanding your personal triggers can help in understanding your distractions while working.

Many of us are constantly switched on with phones, emails, notifications, and devices — all pinging to get our attention.
The ring of a phone often prompts an intense need to answer, even when we are in deep concentration.

Smartphones even have blurred the line between personal and professional communication and resulting in even more distraction.

Smartphones trigger our vision mainly by producing pop-ups, but putting down devices might not be enough as they still trigger our hearing or touch when a ringtone is produced, or buzzing is activated.
In this case, putting it on silent mode and away from vision by putting it in a box or drawer may help to make it less distracting. It may also help to tell yourself that you will check the messages during the break before you put the smartphone away.

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Body language

Food and drink

Gut feeling

Energy

Connection

...to connect with others

Connecting with colleagues, clients and third parties goes beyond the exchange of words through emails and phone calls. Being able to genuinely connect with others was considered a very valuable attribute of most of the professionals’ work, especially after the COVID pandemic. While for some professionals this would include physical touch, for others, the importance of appearance and self-presentation matter just as much to establish meaningful connections. Connecting with others enables professionals to understand, assist or work with different audiences, and so recognizing how our senses play a role in this is invaluable.

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How you present yourself to others can communicate a lot, including displaying a sense of professionalism to establish formal and appropriate connections with clients, for instance. This works the other way around as well; the way others dress around you can also shape how you connect with them, such as if colleagues at your office dress rather casually, or perhaps the opposite.

How you can use body language to improve connection

For example: Touching others with a handshake, handing out name cards, etc.

You can use your gut feeling to trust your colleagues or clients, to be able to effectively work and collaborate with them. When something is unclear or you are uncertain about something, you can also follow your gut feeling to inquire or seek out more information which can allow you to connect with others and their ideas more.

Online work interactions are a far cry from a reproduction of in-person circumstances and interactions. Though this is not to suggest one is better than the other, it is worth considering how online or hybrid circumstances influence your ability to connect with colleagues or clients. Some professionals shared how they would go out of their way to organize online book club or coffee sessions to maintain connection to their colleagues.

How you present yourself to others can communicate a lot, including displaying a sense of professionalism to establish formal and appropriate connections with clients, for instance. This works the other way around as well, the way others dress around you can also shape how you connect with them, such as if colleagues at your office dress rather casually, or perhaps not at all.

Talks over coffee or at the coffee machine can allow you to connect with your colleagues or clients, as experienced by multiple professionals we spoke to Besides beverages, getting lunch together or going for team dinners are also great ways to get to know colleagues better outside of work to be able to connect with them

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.....To reflect on performance & well-being

Energy level

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Body language

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Movement

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It can improve the understanding of the rationale behind your action; why you do the things you do and why you do things a certain way or/and a better understanding of yourself; your strengths and weaknesses.
It can be helpful in developing your metacognitive abilities; for example analyzing your thoughts more effectively or a general improved performance; learning how to take action in a more effective way.
It can helpful to understand how others perform, feel, think and want to achieve and this is essential to successfully interact.
Professionals mentioned that if someone approaches them to ask, ‘what is wrong’ or ‘you looked very nervous ; they know that they are sensing their performance and well-being.

''Reflective practice involves actively analyzing your experiences and actions, in order to help yourself improve and develop''

Reflecting on these aspects of performance and well-being allows you to sense if peers understand what you are trying to explain or what they might think when you for instance pitching a new idea.

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Sensing energy, often associated with practices like intuition or empathy, can provide valuable insights when reflecting on your own or someone’s well-being and performance. You may notice shifts or changes in someone’s overall energetic presence in terms of their aura, vibration or the energy they project. These shifts can reflect underlying factors such as fatigueness, excitement or engagement and tell you about well-being and performance. Sensing energy can also inform your intuition by tapping into the energetic essence of different options, so you can gain a sense of which ones align best with your current goals, values, and priorities.

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Learning how to use your own senses to understand and interpret body language will not only help you understand your peers, but being aware of your own body language is also important so that you can present yourself in the way you would like. This is crucial as only 7% of what is conveyed is what people say, the rest is output of non-verbal communication. Visually you/others can observe if someone/you is (are) looking away frequently or avoiding eye contact or fidgeting including foot-tapping, crossing and uncrossing of legs or consistently touching an object such as a pen or hair, can indicate uncomfortableness, distraction, stress or that someone is hiding something. In addition, you can become aware of the way you/they say things or the type of words they use. Even the smell and feeling of sweat and touching shaking hands can help you reflect on the performance and well being of yourself and others. All these aspects can determine whether you are easy to speak with and having a flow in the conversation preventing awkward silences.

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Using your senses can help you reflect on whether you need movement. Professionals mentioned that movement can take various forms, such as stretching, walking, dancing or engaging in physical activities. It was important for all of them to find the type of movement that suits their current needs and circumstances. You can try to indicate if you feel restless, stiff or physically uncomfortable as muscle tension, aches or a general sense of unease may indicate the need for movement. Also pay attention to any restlessness or fidgeting. If you find yourself shifting positions or tapping your feet could possibly be an indication you could some movement.

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... for career advancement

Clothing

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Routine

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New Environments

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Gut Feeling

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Energy

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Body Language

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Workspace

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The senses can help you choose your job. You can sense if you belong there and how to behave. It may also help with contract negotiations and what career advancement goals suit you.

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Clothing Is there a dress code?

One professional mentioned that she dresses to have a sense of professionalism.
Another professional prefers comfortable clothes and dislikes wearing rain gear.

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Routine How do you get there? Is it far?

Try to get to your destination on time to leave a good impression.
Also think of the type of transport you plan to use that day: bike, car, train, etc.

How is the weather?

One professional mentioned that she likes to go by bike. If it is too hot, however, she will take the car instead because she does not want to arrive at the office all sweaty.

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New Environment What colors do they use in the office?

One professional mentioned that they use different colors for different reasons. Neutral colors help to focus and avoid distractions. Subdued colors help to feel relaxed and this is more for informal and creative settings.

Does it smell nice?

Most professionals do not notice the smell unless it is bad. This may alert them that something is off.
Some offices use perfume to make the office more pleasant.
There can also be a "new office" smell.
The place can smell clean which means that the building is taken good care of.

Do you hear music or is it quiet?

Music can lighten the mood and create a comfortable atmosphere.
If it is quiet, it can mean that people have to focus while working.

Are people having small talk or laughing?

You can feel that there is a good energy flow because people enjoy having small talk.

Do you hear people discussing a lot?

This means that there is a more serious atmosphere at the office.

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Energy How does the atmosphere feel?

If there is a good energy flowing, you can see people having small talk, smiling, and laughing.
In case of a toxic environment, there is more resistance and people are not smiling or laughing.

Are people walking at a comfortable pace or rushing?

If people are walking at a good tempo, it means that they have energy.

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Workspace What kind of design is used? Is it minimalistic or do they use more colors?

The workspaces can be designed differently depending on the purpose. A minimalistic design can help people stay focused while a more colorful office can help people be more creative.

What is the temperature of the room? Too cold or too hot?

Labs, for example, usually need to be cold.
In general, people can focus best if it is not too cold or too hot.

How is the air in the room? Is there enough oxygen because they air the room or is it stuffy?

Most professionals like to be able to open the window to air the room.
A stuffy room can also indicate that people are working hard.

Are there plants?

One professional mentioned that her colleague's office is filled with plants and that it makes her feel good every time she visits that office.

Do the desks look organized and clean?

This can help people stay focused on their work.

Do people share the workspace?

Depending on people's preferences, some prefer to share a workspace. While it may be easier to focus when you have your own workspace, one professional mentioned that "for my senses and my sense of well-being, it is good to have colleagues". She likes to chit-chat and it is easier to discuss work when they are sharing an office.

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Body Language Do you see people smiling?

This usually means that there is a nice atmosphere at work.

Do they have a closed body language?

If you sense some resistance, this may mean it is a toxic environment.

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Gut Feeling How do you feel if you imagine yourself working there?

If you like the work atmosphere, it would give you a pleasant feeling if you imagine yourself working there. It is also possible that a certain workplace may not suit you and your needs.
If you notice that something feels off, it may be best to look for a different workplace.

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... To stimulate your creativity and decision-making

A professional said that "everyone has a different style, uses different senses, and has different emotions". When she asked her students "what's your favorite way to learn?" They don't even know... but when she asked them "do you know that for you that is the most effective way?" Most of them answered, "I don't know." She really loves Montessori schools and explains that "Montessori says the [person] needs to find out what activity can I do best in what way? And you can only do that by" trying out different things to find out what works best for you.

Movement

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New Environments

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Imagination

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New Environment

It can be inspiring to see what others have created or simply by being in a different environment or nature.
A change in scenery can stimulate your senses and help you come up with new ideas.

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Imagination

After regulating your stress, it will become easier to be more aware of your surroundings and to find inspiration.
It is alright to believe in your own judgement.
Collaborating and brainstorming with others can help as well.
A professional also likes to put on some music.
In order to come up with something concrete, it is important to have a grasp on a concept and understand it first before you can come up with something abstract.

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Movement

Some people come up with ideas while they are moving. Moving keeps the brain awake instead of just sitting all day.

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The importance of stress management in professional settings cannot be overstated. Professionals understand that effectively managing stress is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and well-being. By prioritizing stress management techniques such as sensory experiences, consistent routines, movement, and addressing stressors, professionals are able to enhance their ability to cope with challenges, improve focus, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Incorporating these strategies into their professional lives allows individuals to cultivate resilience, reduce burnout, and thrive in their careers.

...To Thrive at Work: Manage your stress

Coffee and tea

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Routine

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Movement

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Stress/irritation

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Professionals' insights on stress managment strategies:

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Addressing stress and irritation is a crucial aspect of stress management, and professionals we interviewed shared their insights on effective practices.

They mentioned specific strategies such as taking short breaks, engaging in deep breathing exercises, and seeking support from colleagues.
By acknowledging and actively addressing stressors, as highlighted by professionals, individuals empower themselves to navigate challenging situations more effectively.
Engaging in stress reduction practices, as recommended by professionals, helps cultivate resilience and maintain a sense of calm amidst stress-inducing circumstances.

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Having a routine in place can significantly contribute to stress management. By establishing a consistent daily routine, we provide ourselves with a sense of structure and stability. Following a set pattern of activities can help alleviate stress by reducing uncertainty and creating a predictable environment.

Incorporating activities like morning rituals, scheduled breaks, and winding-down routines can help us navigate stressful situations with greater ease.
Professionals we interviewed emphasized the importance of establishing a consistent daily routine to promote a sense of structure and stability in their lives. By following a set pattern of activities, they were able to reduce stress and create a predictable environment that supported their well-being.
Furthermore, one professional mentioned that incorporating a cold shower into their daily routine had a positive impact on their stress levels. They found that the initial shock of the cold water helped wake them up and invigorate their body. This experience of the cold shower was described as a way to release tension and promote a sense of refreshment.

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Incorporating movement into daily routines is widely recognized as an effective strategy for managing stress. The experiences shared by professionals we interviewed support this notion, highlighting the positive impact of movement on stress reduction and overall well-being.

According to the professionals, engaging in regular exercise, even through simple activities like walking or stretching, can help alleviate stress levels. They emphasized how movement provides a mental break, allowing individuals to refocus their thoughts and recharge.
Professionals found that incorporating movement breaks into their routines helped them get rid of the static feeling of sitting for prolonged periods, promoting vitality and improved well-being.
For example, one professional mentioned the practice of taking short breaks throughout the workday to stretch and move around. They found that these movements not only helped them physically but also mentally, creating a shift in focus and releasing tension.
Another professional highlighted the importance of getting up from their desk and feeling their body in motion, which contributed to a sense of vitality and increased energy.
By incorporating movement into our routines, as recommended by the professionals we interviewed, we can experience valuable opportunities for stress reduction and a greater sense of vitality throughout the day.

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Coffee and tea, often seen as comforting beverages, can play a role in managing stress. Professionals we interviewed highlighted their positive experiences with coffee and tea for stress reduction.

For example, they mentioned that feeling the warmth of a freshly brewed cup of coffee or being enveloped in the soothing aroma of tea induces relaxation and a sense of calm.
Establishing a routine for these drinks, as mentioned by professionals, provides a sense of structure and acts as a calming ritual. Taking dedicated moments to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea offers a break from stressors, allowing for relaxation and rejuvenation. Such routines serve as a comforting anchor during challenging times.
While warm beverages like coffee or tea can provide comfort and a sense of structure, some professionals preferred to avoid engaging in coffee machine chit-chat when feeling stressed. This approach helped them maintain a sense of calm and minimize distractions or unnecessary triggers. By being mindful of their interactions, professionals found that they were able to create a more focused and peaceful environment for themselves during stressful periods.

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Body Language and non-verbal expressions

"Hearing someone's voice can also help you understand their emotions."

Body language and nonverbal expressions are an important part of our communication1. How we express ourselves and perceive others’ body language is closely tied to our senses. For example when having an audience, a confident and engaged physical appearance can add an important visual part to the conveyed message. Movements such as hand gestures can even help emphasise certain arguments and explain things in a vivid way. Most of our interviewees mentioned non-verbal expressions as important factors in presenting. During the interviews, we even received a glimpse of this ourselves: we realized that the professionals used many different ways to emphasize their points, sometimes mimicking, imitating, while some seemed to be happy when holding a pen, or moving around the room. Some of our interviewees mentioned that clothing has an impact on their body language. When one feels accordingly dressed and comfortable this can often be observed in their demeanor.However, it is not only one’s own body language that needs to be considered. Reading others’ can also help in understanding the conversation partner. Especially teachers have repeatedly mentioned that when people are ‘hanging’ in their chair, using their phone, or have a special tone in their voice (shaky or loud), this would indicate how engaged the audience was and how the topic is being processed.Furthermore, it can often be seen how stressed other people are, when they walk and move in a certain way, are rushed and pay no attention to their surroundings. Smiling, loud talking or special faces on the other hand usually indicate enthusiasm. A coach as well as a teacher, have mentioned that shaking hands can increase the connection to others by adding a touch element (if it is appropriate, of course). However, in other settings physical touch might not be needed and a connection can be established by eye contact, paying genuine attention and getting to know the people. When acting in an appropriate way, one can seem enthusiastic and engaged. This should also be considered in online communication. Research has shown that the missing transmission of body language can convey a different image over the screen than in real life2.

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1: Peleckis, K., & Peleckienė, V. (2015). Nonverbal communication in business negotiations and business meetings. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 62, 62-72. 2: Choi, J. H., Constantinides, M., Joglekar, S., & Quercia, D. (2021, February). KAIROS: Talking heads and moving bodies for successful meetings. In Proceedings of the 22nd International Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications (pp. 30-36).

Movement

Movement can be an important factor in staying energized, focused, and comfortable at work. There are different ways in which movement helps us be productive and happy. The change in sensory stimulation and blood flow can really improve physical well-being in a workday. Some people say that movement even improves their creativity and generates ideas. Especially during a meeting or presentation, movement can help in keeping the brain busy, instead of dozing off in a chair. Furthermore, the feeling of movement can lead to a feeling of freedom while presenting or giving a lecture.Ideally, movement can be combined with going outside or getting food and drinks. The sensation of fresh air in the lungs, the scent of nature and the taste of food, the warmth of a cup of tea, feeling the grass on the ground, having a change in scenery, feeling the warmth of the sun, they can all reinforce a feeling of sensory stimulation in combination with movement.Even small movements that belong to our routine might be important to be paid attention to. Highlighting something in a document with your hand, might add a sense of touch to reading and increase effective and pleasant studying. Some movements that are being performed daily, which might seem basic, might actually be an important part of our profession and we could not perform well without them. Movement in our workplace can be incorporated into different areas. A short stretch on the desk, a walk to a colleague during a break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator in the office. Also one might want to consider taking the bike in the morning instead of the car. Having your body stimulated in the morning can set the mood for an active rest of the day.

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