Listen, I mean really listen to people when they talk

At work, it`s natural to colsult/discuss many things with each other. When I spend too much time on my project it`s really helpful when someone comes and looks at it with a fresh mind – and usually sees things I don`t. Such discussions come up sopontaneously and sometimes my friends ask questions while I`m in the middle of some other activity. And I simply don`t listen.

At work, it`s also natural that my boss enters the room and tells us what has to be done. And those thigs usualy come in VERY random order, he changes his mind a lot so after 10 minutes I just stop listening. And then don`t know what to do.

I`ve decided to add this goal to my list after a situation when my friend asked me something and I`ve just said `God, I`m not listening to you right now`. And she got a little annoyed since I usually have problems with focusing on what people are saying and things have to be said more than once.

It`s distracting me, it`s annoying the others. And I need to pay more attention to what people say..

was a good day for that.

I was feeling good and there was nothing urgent on my mind, and my communications were all easily taken care of.

last night when my sister called.

I shouldn’t have answered the phone. I thought it was important, but she just wanted to talk and talk and I was trying to leave the house.

Next time I’ll ask to call her back.

At work was alright today.

special effort this week.

Especially at work, as it’s my last week there.

(let’s see if I notice any marked changes)

Could not keep any attention in church today.

But I think that’d cos’ the speakers were echoing everything the priest said so I couldn’t hear anything. Bah. Better luck next time…

At the elder home, it was pretty easy to listen. I was also there just an hour. And it was one to one conversation with one of the residents, and you could tell he had something he needed to say, to someone, anyone. I was also there just an hour, my threshold time.

At the group home, it was even easier to listen. Most of the time. When I was playing ping pong, most of my focus went to that, so I wasn’t really able to watch the other’s reactions, nor able to pay full attention to what they were saying. My retention rate for things said during that much lower than the one-to-one afterwards. There weren’t really distractions, nor were there any restraints on time for most of it. I was actively engaged, and I think that makes a difference- it was an actual conversation.

Also, paying more attention to how I deal with conflicts, and even more so, how others deal with conflicts.

was pretty good today

Though I did have a little trouble listening when I didn’t understand the accent.

It’s easier to remember what people say if I take notes during or after the conversation (there isn’t always that option).

Listening was good today.

Towards the end of the day I was tired though. Listening was still good, but responding could’ve used improvement.

Women of the World class
Last week we got our midterms back, and the professors (because they like to give feedback) wrote lots of comments. One of theirs to me was encouraging me to speak up more in class, especially because of my social justice background.

So when I was reading the documents for class (and there was a lot of them) (read: too many), I wrote plenty of notes and questions in the margins (read: active reading) so I would understand better and be prepped for class. In class, I was active and contributed a lot on many of the documents and things we talked about (read: I didn’t talk too much, but more than many). Because I was actively involved, it was easier to keep my focus and I think I only drifted off for a few minutes in the whole 2.25 hours. I was also interested. I’ll try this approach again next time. (The only problem is that it takes more time to prep for the class, and time is a limited resource for me).

Piano class
Not amazing, but much improved. Even though I was so tired, I was able to keep my attention on the class and be actively involved (read: I wasn’t participating because it’s not a discussion based class, but I was playing on the keyboard when prompted). Key things to note here- I think my attention would be greater if the prof did invite discussion (and maybe it wasn’t at 8:30); also a change in attitude towards the class, for the better.

Criminal Thinking class
Although I wasn’t actively participating (verbally; I was non-verbally), my attention was very good and only waned for a sentence or so in the hour I was there. Key, interest in what the people are saying- genuine interest; connection to the people speaking.

My attention was shot last week in piano class, and in my womenoftheworld class. Piano is just way too early for functioning, and the prof goes much faster than I can keep up with so I get frustrated and it puts me back. Womenoftheworld, that’s mostly just a long long class. It’s so interesting, what we learn, but so long.

My attention at Almost Home was optimum. Also, ping pong requires attention, especially intense ping pong. ;)