By Olga Smith
Many people who take our elocution lessons often tell us the same: I wish I had come to you five, ten, twenty years ago. When they started speaking English no one taught them English RP (Received Pronunciation) and they spoke with poor pronunciation for a long time thus developing bad habits.
As you know, it is harder to get rid of a habit than to learn something new because old bad habits become second nature and we repeat them on auto-pilot almost unconsciously.
A very important part of elocution lessons is working on breathing and good posture. In my previous blog, I talked about the main features of bad posture. I have been taking notes of the bad posture habits which people develop. For example, the following everyday actions create tension in the neck area:
When people feel cold, they often lift their shoulders
When people use iPhone or iPad they tend to bend their head down thus creating neck pain
When they sit with uneven shoulders height
All the above-mentioned habits may lead to:
Change in shape in their upper back and a tendency for slouching
Blocking the energy flow
Incorrect breathing
Imbalance in their entire body
Feeling tension in their face and jaw
Tension when presenting in public
People might feel that it is easier to speak with poor pronunciation and slouch instead of keeping a straight back. But if you think about the unfortunate consequences of letting things drift uncontrollably, you might regret it in future.
It is very easy to fall into bad habits. It takes time and effort to fix them. Therefore, I recommend that you pay attention to the way you speak and to your posture all the time. By that, I mean regular daily posture and speech exercises. Elocution apps will be very helpful for it. The more you practise, the sooner good posture and good speech become second nature.
Good posture will help you to look professional, feel relaxed and confident which is particularly important when presenting in public.
Good speech will help you in job interviews, in fact in any form of communication be it professional or social.