Are You Listening?

The skill and art of listening is something that’s gone increasingly by the wayside. You might think you’re a good listener. However, just because people constantly come to you with their problems doesn’t necessarily prove that. The truth is, almost all of us can do a much better job listening. Try out this quick exercise. The next time you’re talking to someone, consciously consider what you’re thinking about while they’re talking. Are you putting together your restaurant online ordering form for dinner or formulating what you’re going to say when it’s your turn to talk? Or are you actually listening to what they’re saying and digesting it? Are You More Prone to Listening?

Some people might think that introverts are naturally better listeners. In fact, if you’re an introvert you may have had people say, “You’re such a good listener!” Just because you’re “quiet” doesn’t necessarily mean you’re listening. Introverts are actually more likely to be full of thoughts inside their head than extroverts and might even be worse listeners than social butterflies. Good listeners are those who have made a conscious effort to become so. It takes work. Every time you’re having a conversation with someone, try to shut off all of your other thoughts and listen solely to what the person is saying. Don’t “prepare” for your response, mindlessly nod or distract yourself with your phone. The Power of Listening Why should we try to listen better? Listening is a critical part of understanding, communication and building better relationships. This is true whether you’re talking to a spouse, your boss, your employee or the clerk at the mobile phone store. If you’re not listening, you’re missing out on at least half of the communication process. Listening, even slightly better than you do now, can help avoid needless misunderstandings, hurt feelings, arguments and excessive work. “I totally spaced it” is sometimes a valid excuse but most of the time this happens because of poor listening.

Many people’s lives would be much easier, not to mention more fulfilling, if they made an effort to be better listeners. Tricks of the Trade Listening isn’t easy. If you’ve ever practiced yoga, it’s somewhat similar to ujjayi breathing throughout the entire class. It’s something you have to consciously do every single time you have a conversation with someone and throughout the entire interaction. It’s a work in progress that starts now. Completely wait until the person is finished talking. Practice repeating the main details of what they’ve said, in your own words, to show that you were listening and want to make sure you understood everything correctly. This act of “conscious listening” can also be an interesting practice to do with someone close to you. You might be amazed at how much you actually hear, and learn, when you make the effort.

Byline: Carly is an aspiring writer who is constantly looking to expand her portfolio by creating content on a plethora of subjects. She has a wide variety of interests and loves writing about anything and everything. She loves that blogging allows her to share her writing with people all over the world.