If you’re like most people, the thought of recording yourself talking probably fills you with dread.
You might worry that you’ll sound stilted or unnatural, or that you won’t be able to think of anything to say.
However, there are actually a number of benefits to recording yourself talking.
Here are the top ten benefits of recording yourself talking.
1. Hear your sound
When you’re speaking, you usually have a pretty good idea of how you sound to yourself.
But how you sound to other people is often quite different.
Recording yourself gives you the opportunity to hear yourself the way that other people do, which can be eye-opening (or ear-opening, as the case may be).
2. Catch verbal tics and fillers
We all have little verbal tics and fillers that we use when we’re talking.
For some people, it’s “um” or “like.”
For others, it’s “you know” or “I mean.”
These tics can be distracting for both the speaker and the listener, so it’s helpful to catch them and eliminate them if possible.
3. Improve your delivery
Your pacing and delivery are important aspects of effective communication, but they’re often overlooked.
If you speak too quickly, people might not be able to understand you.
And if you speak too slowly, people might get bored or think you’re not confident in what you’re saying.
Listening back to a recording of yourself can help you find the right pace and delivery for whatever message you’re trying to communicate.
4. Work on articulation
Articulation is another important aspect of effective communication.
If you don’t articulate your words clearly, people might not be able to understand you.
This is especially true if you have a strong accent or if you’re speaking a foreign language.
Recording yourself gives you the opportunity to hear how well you’re articulating your words and make any necessary adjustments.
5. Monitor volume
Your volume level is important for both practical and emotional reasons.
If you speak too quietly, people might not be able to hear you.
And if you speak too loudly, people might get defensive or feel like you’re trying to dominate the conversation.
Listening back to a recording of yourself can help you find the right volume level for the situation.
6. Stay on topic
It’s easy to get off track when you’re talking, especially if you’re nervous or excited about what you’re saying.
But straying from your original topic can confuse or frustrate your listener.
7. Hear filler words you use
Filler words are words or phrases that don’t contribute anything to the meaning of what you’re saying.
They just take up space and time, and they can make you sound like you’re not confident in what you’re saying.
Recording yourself can help you catch filler words so that you can eliminate them from your vocabulary.
8. Ensure conveying the message
It’s often difficult to know how well you’re communicating with other people.
Did they understand what you were trying to say?
Did they hear the emotion in your voice?
Recordings give you the opportunity to listen back and make sure that your message is coming across the way you want it to.
9. Get feedback
If you’re not sure how well you’re doing, it can be helpful to get feedback from other people.
Ask a friend or family member to listen to your recording and give you their honest opinion.
They might catch things that you didn’t notice, and their feedback can help you improve.
10. Have a record
Recording yourself is also a great way to track your progress over time.
If you’re working on improving your communication skills, it can be helpful to listen back to old recordings and compare them to new ones.
This will let you hear how far you’ve come and give you the motivation to keep going.
Conclusion
Recording yourself can be a helpful way to improve your communication skills.
It allows you to catch things that you might not notice on your own, and it gives you a record of your progress over time.
If you’re interested in giving it a try, all you need is a smartphone or another type of recording device.