“Help me be a better listener”

Whether you want to form deeper bonds or feel more confident at work, our experts share how the art of listening can transform any relationship

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

Focus on them

Park the imaginary ‘car’

Mental roadblocks called “inner noise” keep us from listening well, says expert Lynne M. Baab. The first type of internal din is “what's next” anxiety, as our mind drifts to our to-do list. The second is the distractions we experience, like admiring the speaker's earrings. The third is the thoughts whirring in our head. “Each time a distracting thought pops up, imagine it’s a car and park it over and over again,” she advises. “Just put it aside in the ‘lot’ and come back to paying attention—you'll get better and better at it.”

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