Importance of body Language.

Get Ahead in Your Career by Avoiding These Body Language Mistakes

• Working your way up the career ladder can be difficult at the best of times. In some cases, no matter how hard you try you just can’t seem to get ahead. Have you ever thought that finding success goes beyond how much work you do?

• The way you carry yourself can give off a multitude of non-verbal signals in the office. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Get out your notepad and prepare to pay attention, as we take you through the body language do’s and don’ts. With our help and guidance, you’ll be running the place in no time.

1. Rolling Your Eyes

Rolling your eyes is one of the worst things you can do while interacting with any human being, anywhere, unless you know them on a deeply personal level and they get your razor-sharp wit and sarcasm.

Rolling your eyes in the office during a meeting or while you’re talking to a co-worker and you’ve basically signed your own death warrant. Jokingly rolling your eyes is one thing, but doing so because you’re annoyed is letting the other person know that frankly, you think they’re a joke. Before you know it, they’ll be gum on your chair.

2. Invading Personal Space

Whether you’re super friendly with your colleague or not, it’s best to keep a healthy distance between you and your work friends — and your boss — when you communicate about a professional topic. If not, you can make the other person feel uncomfortable and even threatened by your presence. The best rule to follow? According to Square Up, three to eight feet is the perfect amount of distance to have between you and your colleagues.

3. Slouching in Your Seat

Everyone knows that slouching is not only bad for their back, but could also make them feel small and unimportant.
However, if you constantly slouch in your seat at the office, your boss and/or fellow employees could assume that you don’t care and are too comfortable at your job. Solution? Try to use a standing desk. This will not only could make you stand up straight, but could make others believe you’re more engaged in your work.

4. Crossing Your Arms

This one sounds kind of obvious, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to do without realizing. You might be prone to doing it while you’re thinking about a serious email you’re about to send, or even while you’re talking to your boss – but think again.

5. No Eye Contact

According to Adrian Furnham, Ph.D, professor of psychology at University College London, eye contact is one of our most primitive and important means of communication and is a way of soliciting feedback. It also conveys confidence, leadership, and strength. “Closing your eyes while speaking may indicate that you feel bored or superior,” he says.
6. Getting Too Close

If you stand too close to someone (nearer than one and a half feet), it signals that you have no respect for or understanding of personal space. This will make people very uncomfortable when they’re around you.

7. Giving a Weak Handshake

As insignificant as it may seem, a weak handshake can send unfavorable signals, whereas people with a strong handshake are proven to be viewed more favorably. Martin West, associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, emphasizes the importance of non-cognitive skills — like showing up on time and having a firm handshake — which employers often refer to as “soft skills.” He goes so far as to say that there’s nothing soft about them, and research by the University of Iowa confirms it.

8. Looking Bored

Maybe you keep stealing glances at the clock, or quietly scribbling some pictures of your dog on your notepad. Whatever it is, stop it. It’s not big and it’s not clever – and it doesn’t look good.

It’s work, we’re all bored. We all want to be somewhere else, doing something we love rather than something we tolerate but have to. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. Even for those of us lucky enough to actually like our jobs, we still have our moments. But, keep it secret, keep it safe.

9. Using Your Phone

Unless it’s part of your job to be on your phone 24/7, it might be best to refrain from using it as often as possible.

Using your phone at work, especially during a meeting, shows a lack of respect to the person who’s talking. Ideally, try to keep the relationship with your phone at a minimum and if you do need to use it in front of your colleague, say excuse me before you text away. Trust us — mom would be proud.

10. Looking At Your Watch

Sometimes, the most obvious ones are the ones that need pointing out the most. Looking at the time often is something we’re all guilty of, but if you’re constantly eyeing up the time – especially when talking to a co-worker – it can come across as rude.

After all, who wants to be talking to someone when you feel like they’re just waiting to log off for the day, not really interested in a single word you’re saying? That’s the kind of behavior that will get you uninvited to the Christmas drinks, aka a prime networking opportunity.