A teleoperational medical system includes a teleoperational control system, a teleoperational manipulator configured for operating a medical instrument in a medical environment, and an operator controller. The teleoperational control system includes a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to determine whether a head portion of an operator of the operator controller is directed toward or away from a display region of a display device based on at least one marker on the operator that is configured to remain substantially fixed relative to the head portion of the operator during a movement of the head portion. The processing unit is further configured to, based on a determination that the head portion is directed away from the display region for at least a threshold time period, enter a standby mode such that movement of the operator controller does not provide corresponding movement to the teleoperational manipulator.