When can yawning help your productivity? Here’s four ways.
1. The restaurant. Not getting served? The waiter’s even forgotten you’re there? A well placed yawn in the direction of the maitre d or another waiter could get you the service you require. Be aware though, this doesn’t work while in line at a fast food outlet, as everyone around you is already yawning.
2. The boring speech. We’ve all been there. Sitting in an auditorium bored out of our brains with the speaker’s ramblings. People around you falling asleep or digging escape tunnels. Giant open yawn time. If the speaker catches sight of the yawn they just might hurry the talk up, or bring it to a hastier close. If you’re lucky other people around you will catch your yawn, which will really drive home the point.
3. Mealtime. Can’t stand the sight of the pea puree on your plate? The thought of swallowing one more of your mother’s brussels sprouts making you retch? Try a big yawn. Be sure to hide it behind a hand for politeness, but also to show your folks you didn’t really ‘mean’ it. The hopeful outcome is that they send their poor overworked tired child to bed straight away.
4. Night club/bar/party. Trying to convince a member of the opposite sex that you are the hottest thing since pet rocks? Don’t act eager. All that slavering and twitching will send them running for the door. Instead, find a secluded corner, lean up against the wall, drink in hand and while not looking at anyone in particular, let out a slow yawn. How cool do you look now? You don’t even care about being there. The object/s of your attention (or lack of it) will be on you like doggy-do on a shoe.
Yawning — it’s using your best asset.
