1.

Internal Barriers to Hearing

In addition to situational resistance, internal factors within us can also hinder listening habits.
These are: -Preoccupation One of the most common barriers to listening is preoccupation.
When we are absorbed with our thoughts and worries, we cannot focus on what others are
saying. Maybe you’ve taken a class right before taking a test in another class and then
realized that you barely got anything out of the first class. This is because you are busy with
the upcoming test. If you open your email box and find twenty unread messages, you may be
preoccupied with feeling obligated to read and respond to each of those messages. However,
you won’t be focusing on reading and responding to everyone as you open it. This is because,
when we are busy with our thoughts, we are not focused.