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Being a better listener is one of the most important skills you can learn. In fact, it's been said that "listening is a skill we all need to be better at." We live in an age where people are constantly distracted by their smartphones and other devices. It feels like there's never enough time for us to devote our attention to anything else but what we're doing on our screens. This has created a culture of shorter attention spans and impatience – two things that make being a better listener difficult.

In this post, I'm going to share 7 simple ways that will help you become better at listening.

1 Pay Attention And Maintain Eye Contact

Paying attention and maintaining eye contact when listening are very important. If you're not truly paying attention to what someone else is saying, then it's going to be harder for you to really understand the message that they are trying to communicate with you. In addition, if your eyes wander away from a person while he speaks, he may think that you are not interested in what he has to say.

2 Reflect On What You Have Heard

When we are in a conversation with someone, we need to reflect on what we have heard. What is the message that the person is trying to convey? Sometimes, people do not go straight to the point. By reflecting on what they have said, you can probe further to make sure that you can the gist of what they are trying to say.

3 Ask Questions

Asking questions to better understand what someone else is saying and asking questions about things that you don't quite grasp are great ways to better listen. This will help the speaker better understand what they have said and also give them an opportunity to elaborate on their message if needed. In this way, miscommunication can be prevented.

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4 Give Feedback

Show that you are listening by giving feedback, such as nodding your head and smiling occasionally to show the person speaking with you that they have been heard. This will show the speaker that you are really interested in what they have to say.

5 Avoid Distractions

Avoid distractions like checking emails while someone else is talking – this shows a lack of interest in what they have to say. Sometimes the environment itself may be. distracting. As such it is better to choose a quiet place to have a more pleasant conversation.

6 Do Not Interrupt

Do not interrupt when the other person is speaking. Be patient with them and wait for a pause in their speech before you ask your question or interject. As a listener, it's important to be attentive and listen attentively so that you can really hear what they have to say. You'll get more out of the conversation if you don't interrupt.

7 Repeat What Had Been Said

One of the best ways to be a better listener is by repeating back what has been said. This can help clarify and show that you are interested in listening. To repeat what someone says, here are a few tips: paraphrase words they use, make sure your tone matches theirs when possible, and only say the important parts.

Conclusion

Being better at listening can improve your relationships with friends and family, help you earn better grades in school, get that promotion you've been waiting for, or simply make it easier to share ideas without being misunderstood. It's the most important skill we have as human beings – so let's learn how to be better listeners!

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Do check out my previous posts.

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Charles

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