Building Communication Skills: 9 Types of Listening

Whether you’re networking with colleagues, starting a new job or trying to land a new
client, strong listening skills can help you effectively communicate in professional
settings. Understanding effective types of listening can help you build your
communication skills.

In this article, we explore the different types of listening and ways you can practice
effective listening.

Effective types of listening

Listening is just one type of communication skill. But you can benefit greatly from
learning about the different types of listening, all of which are important to understand
both in personal relationships and at work. Here are the types of listening you may
experience and practice in the workplace:

1. Comprehensive listening
2. Discriminative listening
3. Critical listening
4. Full listening
5. Deep listening

Comprehensive listening

Comprehensive listening is when you make judgments based on what the other person
says and determine the truthfulness of the statements you hear. Also known as critical
listening or evaluative listening, you may also judge what the person says compared to
what your values are and decide if they’re good or bad.

In this type of conversation, you might discriminate between distinctions and try to
grasp the inner meaning of what the person said to see what their argument’s
advantages and disadvantages are.

Discriminative listening

This type of listening involves identifying the difference between tones and sounds to
figure out how these differences may affect the entire meaning of a sentence.
Discriminative listening enables us to pick up on verbal cues that indicate what the
speaker is truly saying or what emotions they are trying to express. When others can
hear subtleties when it comes to emotional variation in your voice, they may be able to
distinguish what emotions you are going through.

Critical listening

Critical listening is an important type of listening because it requires you to listen to a

message and assess whether the message and the speaker are trustworthy. It can also
enable you to take the message presented to them, compare it to the knowledge you
may already have on the subject and form your own analysis and opinion on the
message. This type of listening enables professionals to conduct brainstorming sessions,
create new solutions and debate strategies.

Therapeutic listening

This type of listening is when you let a troubled person discuss their problems. While
medical personnel, counselors and other types of professionals often employ this type,
other professionals may use it when listening to acquaintances or friends to let them
express their emotions or get advice. It is an especially effective skill to have when
building rapport with coworkers and potential clients.

While this type of listening makes it mandatory to listen for information, the main point
of it is to emphasize that you understand the person you’re talking to. Behaviors that are
commonly found with this are:

 Attending is a behavior that includes non-verbal cues that demonstrate how

interested you are in what the speaker is saying. Certain body language cues, such as
keeping your arms uncrossed and your body pointed toward the speaker, can show
you have the speaker’s attention. For example, if a coworker is giving a presentation,
you can use eye contact and nod to show that you’re listening intently.
 Empathizing is a type of listening where you think and feel what another person
does. Someone with more experience in certain or similar areas of life may be more
emphatic, but this type of listening allows you to learn more about a person’s
experience and perspective regardless of how similar it is to your own. For example,
if a customer expresses their frustration with a product, you can use empathy to
understand that their expectations were not met and determine how you might feel
in their position.
Full listening

When you pay careful attention to what the other person is saying, it is called full
listening. This type of listening is where you aim to fully understand what the content of
the conversation is. You may pause and then summarize what you just heard or use
paraphrasing where you say back to the person what you just heard to see if it’s correct.
When the conversation is over, the speaker and you may agree that you do have a full
understanding of the conversation. This type of listening is a useful skill to have when
trying to understand a lecture or presentation.

Deep listening

Deep listening is more involved than full listening. Deep listening requires you and the
other speaker to understand each other’s sides. You must carefully pay attention to the
details of a conversation and pick up on many cues. These cues can include watching
body language, identifying biases and preferences, figuring out goals and needs and
perceiving values and beliefs.

Ineffective types of listening

You can avoid the following types of ineffective listening by employing active listening
—when someone gives their full attention to the speaker and waits until they’ve finished
to think of a response.

Selective listening

This type is when you only address certain aspects of what the other person has said to
filter the message to more quickly understand its intent. This type of listening may
impact your ability to understand every detail, which may lead to miscommunications.

Partial listening

Partial listening is when you have the intention to listen to another person but are
distracted. This keeps you from hearing the other person completely. Stray thoughts
might have gotten in the way, or you heard something the other person said and began
a response in your mind. This type of listening may be interpreted as false listening or
impact a person’s ability to fully and accurately answer a question or follow instructions.

False listening

False listening is when you pretend you are listening to the other person but are not
really comprehending what you are hearing. These listeners may show they understand
by smiling, nodding and grunting when they think it is appropriate. This type of listening
may impact your ability to be effective in your job.

Listening can come in many forms. Each situation will likely require a different type of
listening, but it’s important to be aware of what type you’re doing. Focus on improving
your comprehensive, relationship, full and deep listening skills to become a more
effective employee and coworker.

Nonverbal communication is one of many tools that can help you make a good
impression in interviews and in your professional life. However, candidate assessments
should be based on skills and qualifications, and workplaces should strive to be inclusive
and understanding of individual differences in communication styles.

How To Build Rapport in a Professional Setting (With Examples)

Two people talk to each other with a list between them entitled, "How To Build Rapport"
that contains these tips:
• Find times to connect
• Be friendly, yet genuine
• Ask questions about the person's work, life or interests
• Remember details from your conversation-especially their name
• Build on a previous conversation with follow-up questions
Building rapport (pronounced “ra-pore”) is the act of building relationships with others
in which both parties feel supported and understood. Rapport is important when
networking, during interviews and when developing your career at a certain job. While
building rapport can take time, it is helpful as you work to accomplish important career
goals.

In this article, we will discuss why building rapport is important and how to build rapport
in your workplace, during your next interview or at your next networking event.

Why is building rapport important?

Building rapport is important because it can help you advance your career by
developing relationships. Here are some relationships that can benefit from good
rapport:

1. Relationships with inspirational people. Building rapport with people around you
whether you’re looking for a job or already in a job can help you learn from people
who can inspire your work. People you meet might be a future mentor, help you
develop ideas or work with you to accomplish certain goals.
2. Relationships with key stakeholders. Building rapport with people who you need to
work with to get tasks done is beneficial. Most importantly, it helps you understand
how best to communicate with the people around you. This can make working
together towards a common goal more efficient and enjoyable for both parties.
3. Relationships with possible connections. Building rapport with those around you can
open up new opportunities. Whether you connect with someone at your current
company, at a networking event or simply during your regularly scheduled day,
connecting with others can be helpful when developing and planning your career.
4. Relationships with interviewers and hiring managers. During interviews, it is
beneficial to try and connect with your interviewers. Building these relationships can
help you feel calmer and help employers better understand and connect with you
and whether you would be a good fit for the position.

How to build rapport

Building rapport takes time and effort. Here are a few tips for building rapport
depending on the situation you are in:

1) Find times to connect.

2) Be friendly, yet genuine.
3) Ask questions about the person’s work, life or interests.
4) Remember details from your conversation—especially their name.
5) Build on a previous conversation with follow-up questions.
6) Answer their questions about yourself.
7) Find a balance between questions, statements and taking turns speaking.
8) Use open, welcoming nonverbal communication.
9) Be respectful of their time.
10) Provide your contact information.

Let’s look at building rapport in more detail as it pertains to specific situations.

During networking events

To build rapport during networking events, take time to get settled into the
environment. If it is crowded and you are overwhelmed, take a deep breath. If there is
seating available, take a moment to gather your thoughts with your hands by your side
and both feet planted firmly on the ground.

When you feel comfortable, approach a person or conversation that seems interesting
to you. At networking events, people expect to meet new acquaintances so it is
appropriate to approach others and introduce yourself. Speak with a strong voice and
use a firm handshake. You can ask them questions to get a conversation started like
“What brings you to the event?” or “What is your profession?”

Here are several icebreakers you might use during initial conversations with new
connections:

1) If you had a talk show, who would your first three guests be?
2) If you could instantly be an expert in a subject, what would it be?
3) Who was your favorite teacher when you were young? Why?
4) What superpower would you like to have?
5) What’s your favorite section in a bookstore or library?
6) What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the world?
7) What’s a skill you learned when you were young that you still use today?
8) What’s your proudest accomplishment?
9) What’s the most valuable piece of career advice you’ve been given?

After you’ve participated in initial conversations with a person or group of people,

provide your contact information. You should continue to keep in contact with people
who can help you on your job search and whom you can help in some way. It’s also
worthwhile to build relationships with people that you find admirable or interesting.
Setting up meetings to discuss current work or future aspirations can help build good
professional relationships.

During interviews

It can also be helpful to build rapport with the people you meet during the hiring
process. From meeting the receptionist at the front desk to the recruiter to your
interviewers, starting to build relationships with these people can increase your chances
of getting the job. The better you can form personal connections, the more employers
will be able to get a holistic understanding of who you are and the value you can bring
to their company.

To build rapport during interviews, follow the lead of the interviewer. If they seem busy
and prefer concise, to-the-point answers, do not try to fit additional conversation into
the interview. If the interviewer starts your meeting with casual conversation, use this
time to begin building a relationship. Answer their questions and ask questions back in
return. While you should avoid personal topics, such as religion and politics, it can be
appropriate to find topics or hobbies of common interest. You should take an actual
interest in the interviewer. Active listening and attentive body language such as eye
contact can help form a genuine connection.

In the workplace

There are several ways you can begin to build rapport in your current workplace. You
will likely naturally form connections with some coworkers while others may require
more effort. Either way, here are some ways you can build rapport in the workplace:

1) Find appropriate moments to have a casual conversation. While talking about work is
important, participating in more casual conversations can be helpful when building
relationships. When you have a meeting with someone, for example, start by asking
what activities they did over the weekend or whether they have any plans for the
week.
2) Actively listen and remember details. When you do find opportunities for
conversation, the key is to listen intently, ask follow-up questions and remember
details. Bringing up topics from previous conversations can set an important
foundation for conversations going forward. This is how you begin to find
commonalities, learn someone’s likes and dislikes and eventually deeply understand
how they work and think.
3) Schedule quality time regularly. To continue building upon the relationship, find time
to meet regularly. You can schedule a lunch with the person, stop by their desk when
you know they have free time, ask them to go for coffee or a walk around the
building or share time in an activity you both enjoy.

Building rapport with people can help you to understand how they work, their likes and
dislikes and how to best communicate with them. While building rapport is a skill you
will continue to build throughout your career, there are a few steps you can take now to
advance your professional relationships.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/building-rapport

Qualities of a Good Listener and How To Be One in 6 Steps

Good listening skills play a vital role in today's business world. Being a good listener,
often referred to as "active listening," allows you to build relationships and ensure
understanding with your coworkers. Although listening seems like an intuitive ability,
there are several things you can do to improve your listening skills.

In this article, we discuss what it means to be a good listener and what you can do to
become a better and more effective listener in your workplace.
What is a good listener?

A good listener is someone who focuses completely on what another person is saying
and engages with their ideas in a thoughtful, comprehensive way. Good listening is not
just about learning what a person is saying, but making a commitment to digesting the
information they are presenting and responding constructively.

Whether through questions, suggestions or simply providing your thoughts when it is

necessary, a good listener is one that actively engages with the material they are
listening to. How a person listens to something is just as important as whether they are
listening at all.

Why is it important to be a good listener?

Being a good listener can help make you a better leader and professional in the
workplace regardless of your position. Whether you're a manager in charge of a team or
looking to provide support to coworkers, improving your listening skills can help you
succeed in your professional career.

Instead of letting yourself become distracted easily or letting yourself miss important
information, practicing and becoming a better listener can help you stay focused on the
things that are important and improve your communication skills.

How to be a better listener

Being a good listener can help you become a more valuable asset to your team. Follow
these steps to improve your listening skills:

1. Give the speaker your undivided attention

Distractions can make it difficult to focus on the things a speaker is telling you. To
become a good listener, limit as many distractions as possible and give the speaker your
undivided attention. This includes silencing your phone, turning off your computer and
avoiding the urge to multitask by checking emails or giving attention to other tasks. This
can help you focus on the speaker, ensuring that you're taking in everything that they
are saying.

It is also important to be aware you take the time to give the speaker your undivided
attention. Managing your time correctly can help you ensure you can limit distractions
while you are listening.
2. Provide appropriate nonverbal communication

Providing a speaker with the appropriate nonverbal cues can help them feel more at
ease and comfortable as you listen to them. Nonverbal communication helps you listen
and provide your support without having to interrupt your speaker. This can include
maintaining sufficient eye contact, sitting up straight and smiling when appropriate.
Proper nonverbal communication while listening can also help the speaker feel more at
ease and more likely to openly communicate their ideas.

3. Pace the conversation

Being a good listener often includes opening a dialogue and allowing for a conversation
to start between you and the speaker. Pace the conversation by determining the goal of
the speaker's message and evaluating their nonverbal cues to decide when it's
appropriate to respond. Instead of rushing to fill silences, let the speaker finish their
thoughts and acknowledge their message accordingly. This will also give you time to
absorb their message and process what they are saying before it's time to respond.

4. Ask meaningful questions

Once it is time to open up a dialogue, the questions you ask should be meaningful and
establish your investment in the speaker's message. Ask questions that can help both
you and the speaker reflect on what they said as well as elaborate on any points that
may need extra clarification. The questions might help the speaker remember other
things they wanted to say or open up a new line of dialogue that will be worth
exploring.

5. Recall previous information

Recalling information that the speaker has already discussed, as well as summarizing the
points they made in your responses, can help you become a more effective listener.
Doing this not only shows the speaker you understand what they said, but it also
ensures they can clarify any misunderstandings and confirm their key points.

6. Provide your input

Being a good listener encompasses both processing a speaker's message and providing
valuable input from your point of view. It is best to do this once the speaker has
contributed everything they needed to say and you have properly interpreted all the
information they have presented.
Tips for listening more effectively

Here are a few extra tips to help you listen more effectively:

1. Manage your time appropriately

When preparing to listen effectively, it is important to ensure you've scheduled a
time when you can provide the speaker with your undivided attention. It is best to
avoid creating too many meetings or cluttering your schedule so that each time you
are listening to a speaker, you can do so while focusing clearly on what they are
saying.
2. Be mindful of your perspective
It is natural to approach any subject with a different point of view than the speaker's.
Regardless of the message, be mindful of different perspectives when you're
interpreting the other person's message. Even if you disagree, recognizing the
difference in your point of view and using it to understand the speaker's message
can help you listen more effectively.
3. Take notes
It's useful to take notes when listening to a speaker. Jotting down key ideas,
questions and any points that may need further clarification will allow you to
understand their message more effectively.
4. Display empathy
Listening to someone with an emphasis on empathy can help prevent any
misunderstandings from occurring. The more you work to connect with what others
are thinking and feeling, the less likely you are to misunderstand them.
5. Avoid interruptions
The more interruptions you experience while a person is speaking, the less likely they
are to fully communicate what they intended to say. Avoiding interruptions and
creating an environment where they can speak without distraction or interruption
will make it easier for them to share their message.
6. Stay curious and open-minded
While you should give the speaker a chance to share their message without
interruption, effective listening includes maintaining your curiosity and staying open-
minded. The more you can ask questions and think creatively about what the
speaker is sharing, the more likely you will be to properly interpret their message.

6 Ways to Overcome Listening Barriers

Active listening is a critical soft skill in developing your leadership capabilities. However,
certain personal and workplace distractions may become barriers that keep you from
listening as effectively as you would like. When you recognize these obstacles and learn
how to overcome them, you can vastly improve your listening skills.
In this article, we review some common barriers to effective listening and provide advice
on how to limit them.

What are some common barriers to listening?

While effective listening is an important soft skill to learn and practice, there are several
barriers to listening in the workplace, including:

General distractions
Distractions can include things like background noise or colleagues interrupting. Try
limiting these types of distractions to improve your listening abilities.

Environmental factors
Environmental factors like room lighting and temperature can impede listening. To
optimize a meeting room or other workspaces, make sure the room is bright and cool,
which can encourage alertness.

Cognitive limits
Inadequate sleep, feeling hungry, disorganization and a lack of preparation for your
work can make it more difficult to focus effectively. To help keep your focus as strong as
possible, make sure you get plenty of sleep at night and eat a healthy diet.

Technology and multitasking

Although technology can improve the workplace in many ways, it can also be
distracting. You might feel like you are successfully multitasking if you are listening to a
speaker or on a conference call while answering emails. However, multitasking may also
make your listening less effective. To ensure you’re giving your full attention to
someone who’s talking to you, try to pause other tasks until you finish your
conversation.

How to overcome listening barriers

Follow these steps to overcome listening barriers at work:

1. Minimize distractions.
2. Prioritize listening over speaking.
3. Reduce outside noise.
4. Practice reflecting instead of deflecting.
5. Ask questions.
6. Listen fully before giving advice.

1. Minimize distractions
To avoid getting distracted, make sure you are physically facing the speaker and
attempt to make frequent eye contact with them while they are speaking. Make sure
you are seated or standing comfortably but appropriately so you can remain engaged.
Put away your cell phone or any other pieces of technology that could become a
distraction. The speaker may also appreciate the gesture you’ve made to show them
that they have your undivided attention.
2. Prioritize listening over speaking
If you think you might be an excessive talker, try to practice self-control in conversation.
Give the other person room to speak. During any conversation with a coworker, wait
until they’re finished speaking before you respond to show respect for what they’re
saying. Finally, observe your listeners’ reactions as you talk. If you notice signs of
distraction in someone you are speaking with, consider asking questions to encourage
them to talk more and direct their focus back on the conversation.

3. Reduce outside noise

Before having a conversation, minimize sound in your environment that could be

distracting or make it more challenging to hear. A noisy environment can create
distractions for both listeners and speakers, resulting in possible disruptions to
conversations.

To minimize noise, turn off mobile devices or place them on silent. Plan to hold
important conversations in a place that you know will be quiet, like your office or a
private meeting area. If someone is talking loudly outside your office or making other
distracting noises, it is often better to politely ask them to move elsewhere or keep the
noise down.

4. Practice reflecting instead of deflecting

To bond with your conversation partner or show them you’re engaged, you may feel
eager to share your personal experiences when listening. However, a better approach
typically involves merely listening and providing responses that focus on the other
person’s situation. This shows that you’re genuinely invested in their side of the
conversation.

To listen effectively, keep deflecting to a minimum and try reflecting instead. Reflecting
involves paraphrasing back to the speaker what they have said. To do so, you could use
language like, “What I am hearing from you is...” or “It sounds frustrating that that
happened to you.” Reflecting could also involve asking a follow-up question based on
what you have heard, such as “What did you do after he said that?” or “How did that
make you feel?”

Reflecting assures your listener that you are paying close attention, but it can also help
to correct any possible misunderstandings. Reflecting allows the other person to correct
what you may have misheard.

5. Ask questions

In addition to reflecting, asking questions is an effective listening technique. Focus on

asking questions based on what the speaker has already told you and are designed to
elicit more information. The best questions are nonjudgmental and flow directly from
something the speaker has recently said.

Related: Empathic Listening: Definition, Examples and Tips

6. Listen fully before giving advice

It can sometimes be tempting to offer advice after someone shares a problem or

concern with you, especially if you want to help them solve that problem. However, it's a
good idea to wait to advise someone unless they specifically ask for it. Sometimes
people share their concerns in the workplace simply to build bonds with colleagues or
to make a coworker aware of a problem. Sharing issues can be a way to start
introducing conversations deeper than small talk.

If you want to share advice, think first about whether your colleague is truly soliciting
advice or just looking for a way to vent. Instead of advising, consider offering empathy
with responses such as, “That sounds frustrating,” or try reflecting instead.
Tips for effective listening

Here are some additional tips to help you improve your listening skills at work:

1. Look for opportunities to practice listening: Because conversation is integral to

everyday life in addition to the workplace, you should have plenty of opportunities
to hone this soft skill. While you are conversing with someone, plan to use an
effective listening response, such as asking questions.
2. Reflect on your conversations: After a conversation, take some time to think about
whether you were listening effectively and what kinds of barriers may have occurred.
Then, you can think about how you might handle such obstacles in the future.
3. Focus your conversations on the other person: To help prevent listening barriers
before they arise, approach conversations with the mindset that you genuinely want
to learn more about the other person while they talk. This can naturally help you get
rid of distractions and focus only on the conversation you’re having.

15 Tips on How To Eliminate Distractions At Work

Whether you're working in an office, from your home or in a supermarket, it's easy to
get distracted at some point during the day. Keeping yourself focused while working
can be challenging, but it is something you can accomplish by forming habits that
eliminate distractions. Getting rid of distractions in the workplace promotes better
overall productivity for yourself and other employees and allows you to get your work
done more efficiently. In this article, we discuss why it's important to eliminate
distractions while working and 15 ways to eliminate distractions in the workplace.

Why is it important to eliminate distractions while working?

It is important to eliminate distractions while working because when you're focused on

your daily tasks, you have the opportunity to be more productive and, in turn, have
more time to do what you enjoy outside of work. Browsing the web, checking email
notifications and texting friends are just a few examples of distractions people can
encounter in the workplace. If you can learn to eliminate distractions while working, you
can complete your tasks with more attention and in less time.

15 ways to eliminate distractions

There are many ways to eliminate distractions from the workplace. Consider using some
of these strategies to help you minimize distractions and improve your daily work
output:

1. Have a plan before you begin

Before you begin your work for the day, try preparing a plan of action. Write down the
goals you hope to accomplish before the end of the day and check them off of the list
as you go. Knowing what tasks you need to finish before you even begin can give you
the opportunity to distribute a certain amount of time to each item.

2. Set time limits on your goals

After you've created a list of goals that you intend to complete by the end of the day,
you can set aside a certain amount of time for each item on the list depending on the
amount of time you think each task will take to complete. Some tasks can be finished
quickly, such as responding to work-related emails, but some require a lot more of your
time and effort. The amount of time you allow yourself to work on each task may
directly relate to the challenge level of the task.

3. Complete the most challenging tasks early in the day

When creating your list of goals each day, consider completing the tasks that will take
the most effort at beginning of your workday. Often, our minds are the freshest and
most focused in the morning before we've spent hours working. This is a great time to
complete the more challenging tasks and leaves room for you to complete the simpler
ones later in the day, when it may not be as easy to focus for long periods of time.

4. Set smaller goals

Setting small goals for yourself throughout the day can help you manage tasks more
effectively. Consider taking a larger goal that might take you half a day to complete and
separating it into smaller objectives. Creating smaller goals and forming a step-by-step
process can help you complete the larger goal. This allows you to focus for shorter
periods of time than if you were attempting to accomplish the goal all at once, which
gives your mind a chance to have more frequent breaks.

5. Give yourself a shorter time frame to work

Before you begin each workday, it might be beneficial to decide what time you will start
work and when you plan to be done for the day. Knowing exactly when you plan on
finishing your day helps you to stay focused during the hours you are working so that
you can finish by the deadline you've set for yourself. This also helps you not to
overwork, so that you still have time for things you enjoy outside of work.

6. Leave the distractions behind

Technology is a major source of distractions while people try to complete their work.
Consider muting your cellphone and any incoming notifications on your smartwatch or
other devices. In addition, leave any streaming video services for when you complete
your work tasks or when you decide to take a break. Eliminating the technological
distractions can keep you focused on your work for a longer period, potentially allowing
you to complete your work early.

7. Get comfortable

Feeling comfortable while you work can make distractions less likely. Depending on
where you work, the level of comfort you can achieve may be different. If you work from
home, you can set the temperature to a level that makes you comfortable and wear
clothes that you'll feel relaxed in all day long. If you're working in an office environment,
you can bring in items that help you feel relaxed such as an oil diffuser or a lamp that
provides good lighting.

8. Sleep

It is essential to get an adequate amount of sleep in order to operate properly during

the day. Allowing yourself time to refresh at night and getting a full night of rest helps
your brain to be fully functional in the morning. This is more likely to help you
concentrate on your work.

9. Practice meditation

Meditation helps the mind to let go of distracting thoughts so that you can focus on
one thing at a time. Try taking a small break from work and giving yourself a few
minutes to focus on your breathing. In a quiet location, sit down and slowly breathe in
and out while counting to a number of your choosing. While counting, try to push away
any thoughts that come into your mind.

This may be challenging the first few times, but if you can let go of any incoming
thoughts and focus only on counting and breathing, you may find that when you're
done, your mind feels more clear and you're able to concentrate when you go back to
work.

10. Use visual reminders

Sometimes a visual reminder is all you need to refocus your brain. This can be
something as simple as putting a sticky note that tells you to "focus" somewhere in your
work area. Whatever visual you choose, try to make sure it's easily visible so you see it
often as a quick reminder to stay on task while you're working.

11. Take a break

Many people often overlook taking small, timed breaks during the workday. They can be
very beneficial to the overall quality of your work output and allow you to eliminate
distractions. Consider giving yourself a quick break every hour to allow your mind time
to do something other than focus on work. You can go for a walk, have a snack, stretch,
read a chapter in a book or listen to some music. Setting a timer can help you track your
break so that when the timer goes off, you're done with your activity and going back to
work.

Related: Taking Breaks While Doing Remote Work During COVID-19

12. Give yourself a reward

Sometimes delayed gratification helps people get their work completed more efficiently.
You can do this by choosing something to reward yourself with after finishing your
biggest goal of the day. Whether this is ordering your favorite lunch, giving yourself a
30-minute break to watch a TV show or allowing yourself to enjoy time on your
cellphone, think of something that helps to motivate you to complete your work so that
you can enjoy your reward.

13. Prepare your workspace

Try to declutter your workspace at the end of each day by removing trash, excess pens
or anything else that might distract you so that it's fresh and prepared for the following
day. You may want to have some bottles of water and a snack somewhere in your
workspace as well so that you can quickly grab them if you're feeling hungry or thirsty
without interrupting your workflow.

14. Turn off notifications

If you work in an office environment, you might get a lot of email notifications
throughout the day. Consider turning off all notifications on your computer so that you
don't get tempted to pause your work and check your emails. You can check them
during one of your scheduled breaks or build time into your daily goals that allows you
to check and respond to all emails.

15. Be aware of when your mind loses focus

It's easy for our minds to wander from whatever we are focusing on at work. Being more
aware of when you're veering from the task you're working on might save you some
time in the future by allowing you to renew your focus on what you're actively doing.

Understanding the types of thoughts that distract you from work can help you avoid
thinking about them in the future. For example, if you realize that you're repeatedly
thinking about what your dog is doing at home while you're away, you'll be aware that
those thoughts are a key distraction for you and can recenter your mind on what you
are working on currently.

11 Active Listening Skills To Practice (With Examples)

One of the most critical skills in effective communication is active listening. Developing
this soft skill will help you build and maintain relationships,solve problems, improve
processes and retain information, such as instructions, procedures and expectations.

In this article, we discuss active listening skills, why they’re important and how you can
improve your active listening skills.

What is active listening?

Active listening is the ability to focus completely on a speaker, understand their

message, comprehend the information and respond thoughtfully. Unlike passive
listening, which is the act of hearing a speaker without retaining their message, this
highly valued interpersonal communication skill ensures you’re able to engage and later
recall specific details without needing information repeated.

Active listeners use verbal and non-verbal techniques to show and keep their attention
on the speaker. This not only supports your ability to focus, but also helps ensure the
speaker can see that you are focused and engaged. Instead of thinking about and
mentally rehearsing what you might say when the speaker is done, an active listener
carefully considers the speaker’s words and commits the information to memory.

Why is active listening important in the workplace?

Whether you’re seeking a new job opportunity, striving to earn a promotion or working
to improve in your current role, improving your active listening skills will help you
succeed. Much like critical thinking and conflict resolution, this soft skill will help
increase your value as an employee.

Being an active listener can help you accomplish the following:

Build connections

Active listening helps others feel comfortable sharing information with you. When you
demonstrate your ability to sincerely listen to what others have to say, people will be
more interested in communicating with you on a regular basis. This can help open up
opportunities to collaborate with others, get work done quickly or start new projects. All
of these things can help lead you to success in your career.

Develop trust

When people know they can speak freely to you without interruptions, judgment or
unwelcome interjections, they’ll be more likely to confide in you. This is especially
helpful when meeting a new customer or business contact with whom you want to
develop a long-term working relationship.

Identify and solve problems

Actively listening to others will help you detect challenges and difficulties others are
facing, or problems within projects. The more quickly you’re able to spot these issues,
the sooner you can find a solution or create a plan to address them.

Increase your understanding of various topics

Great employees are always striving to learn something new and grow their knowledge
base. Because active listening helps you retain information, it will also help you better
understand new topics and remember what you’ve learned so you can apply it in the
future.

Avoid missing critical information

Because active listeners are highly engaged with the speaker, they’re able to recall
specific details. This is especially important when the speaker is proving instructions,
training you on a new process or delivering a message you’re responsible for passing
along to others.