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Remove distractions. Take a break. Be mindful of your body language in conversation. Usual visual cues to display attentiveness. Summarize to show you've been listening. Ask clarifying questions.
Distractions are at the bane of meaningful and attentive conversation or productive work. Yet, in today’s society, they are everywhere. Wherever you look, there’s something vying for your attention, which can make sustained attention skills difficult to develop.  You can maximize the success of active listening by decreasing distractions and cutting out multitasking. For example, if you are planning to have a serious conversation with someone, put your phone on silent and inform others that you are unavailable for a short time.  There are also apps for your computer, like Self Control, which can be downloaded to help you stay on task at work. They might block social media notifications, silence new emails, or count the amount of time you spend on work-related tasks for rewards.  In addition, it might help to reduce sensory stimuli. Clear your desk of clutter so you aren't distracted by the need to tidy up or so you don't find yourself tossing around a paperweight instead of working. If you're trying to cram for a big test, or finish a work project, you might find yourself distracted or zoned out. Sometimes, this happens simply because we are forcing ourselves to sustain attention for unrealistic time-frames. Ensure that you are truly focused when reading or working by taking regular breaks. Set a timer for 30 minutes or an hour and give the task at hand your full attention. Then, once the timer goes off, take a short break for 5 to 15 minutes. Get a glass of water. Feed your appetite for social media. Go for a walk. Or, you can even use this time to take a quick nap. Once your break is over, return to the task fully attentive. Body language is central to effective communication. Plus, you can show your attentiveness by the way you position your body. Think about the most skilled public speakers you know. It’s not just what they say, but how they say it that makes an impact. And, listeners would be able to clearly tell when they have zoned out. If you are trying to improve your listening skills, don’t exclude body language.  If you talk to someone who has crossed arms and a tapping foot, you might get a sense of impatience and feel rushed to get your point across. This type of body language is closed, and deters from effective communication. Instead, strive for open body language, which involves leaving your arms and legs relaxed at your sides and your body turned towards the speaker to indicate you are paying attention. If you are staring off blankly, the other person will think you have zoned out. In addition to displaying open body language, you should also make appropriate eye contact with the speaker to demonstrate your attention. Continuous eye contact can be intimidating, and even suggest disrespect, so do look away occasionally. When you are truly practicing active listening, your engagement in the conversation prevents you from zoning out. Even if you are not currently speaking, you can demonstrate that the other person has your attention by giving visual cues. Indicate you are listening by offering silent feedback to what the speaker saying. This might include actions like nodding your head to show agreement or bucking your eyes in amazement. Active listening implies that you are listening to understand rather than listening to respond. The best way to show understanding is by giving the speaker a brief summary of what you heard. Summarizing demonstrates understanding, but it also gives the original speaker an opportunity to correct any part of the message that was misunderstood. Summarizing generally starts with phrases like “So it sounds like you’re saying…” or “From what I hear, you are… ” Include various facts from the speaker’s message that allow you to check for understanding. If you get the sense that you are not getting the speaker’s intended message, you can ask questions to clarify. Ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding. Plus, knowing that you may have to verify the message also helps you stay engaged in the conversation. Let’s say a friend tells you “I was so upset by Jared today. I nearly lost my head.” An appropriate clarifying question might be “Jared is the new guy at work, right?”