How to Avoid Using 13 Lightweight Words
By Sandy Schroeder
Some words stand out like sore thumbs when we repeatedly string them through our messages. Because communication has become a lot more casual, we may be using fairly lame words such as “like” or “um” without even realizing it in fairly important messages at work.
If you doubt that, go back and scan your recent emails or listen to your messages. You may be amazed at the number of times you said, “like” or “um.”
As I watch friends and co-workers talk, I often see an eagerness to fill a momentary silence, which can be one of the reasons we fall back on lightweight words.
Psychologists have also found the words we choose can reflect our personality, mood and sense of security or insecurity, according to Scientific American.
Lifehack suggests avoiding these lightweight words
Check your recent messages to see if these words are popping up.
Maybe, should, might, would – This string of indecisive words can make us sound vague or insincere when we are really just careless. Consider how this sounds: “Maybe, I might be able to go.”
OK – This can be a completely vague, non-committal way of responding that could be clarified with a simple “yes” or “no.”
Cool, awesome or sweet – These words just seem to pop up when we genuinely want to tell someone we like what they are doing, but they do not really register because they have been so overworked. The next time you want to indicate approval, pause just a moment to come up with a better comment.
Um – This is really the suggestion of a word, just a sound that we frequently interject, as we collect our thoughts and try to hold the floor. If you have a chance to listen to yourself you may be surprised how frequently it pops up. Try taking a breath when you are speaking, and then saying what you really wanted to say.
Like – This word is rampant in our culture, making most of us sound a lot less capable than we are. As you talk, make a conscious effort to hear your words. If “like” has become so automatic that you use it a lot when while speaking to others, you may have to slow down and choose your words carefully to completely weed it out.
Sorry, hopefully, actually – These are three more overworked words that do not really register. If a quick scan reveals some of these lightweight words turning up again and again, make the effort to pause and speak deliberately to move away from them. You may find people are listening more intently and your messages are actually getting through as you chop out the weeds.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Maple Grove, Minn.