Communication fatigue is a common occurrence in daily life, both verbally and non-verbally. Small talk, such as discussing the weather, can lead to more substantive conversations. It is important to find a balance between small talk and factual communication to avoid appearing too talkative or unapproachable.
For most of us, an average day is filled with communication fatigue and we don’t even realize it. In fact, going 24 hours without any form of communication would likely feel very foreign and unnatural. Imagine going an entire day without catching up with your family, answering the phone with the word “hello,” telling someone to have a great day, or discussing the weather with a new client. These clichéd phrases and well-worn conversation starters are perfect examples of communication fatigue.
Fatigue communication can be verbal or non-verbal. A simple wave of hello to a colleague or a thumbs-up signal to a friend are nonverbal examples, in the same way that a routine bank conversation would qualify as verbal. We might call it small talk, but in reality, we would all be lost without this form of communication.
Sociologists who study the art of human communication suggest that small talk, like discussing the weather, opens up a social channel. This, in turn, can lead to a more substantive or factual communication. Very few people start and end conversations with hard facts – communication struggles like a handshake helps set the stage first.
The current Internet chat environment is a prime example of this. Introducing a new chat participant is often rushed and ritualized, allowing chatterboxes to easily enter social conversations without the pressure to be informative or fact-driven.
Fatigue communication is found every day even in the workplace. Receptionists use routine greetings to start and end phone conversations. Colleagues often have “refreshing” social conversations about common events or problems. Much of our daily work routine revolves around these seemingly mundane moments of social communication.
While it’s important to develop effective fatigue communication skills, one must also recognize varying degrees of comfort with the process. Some people just aren’t comfortable with the idea of making small talk. Others seem to embrace social ritual, even to the point of avoiding many factual conversations with others.
Communication experts suggest finding a middle ground, using hard communication as a means to open a more substantive conversation. Too much emphasis on small talk can make a person seem blurry or talkative, while too little can make someone seem stern or unapproachable. The trick is finding the right balance between effortless and factual communication.
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