No More Communication Interferences

Communication is a natural process. It is generally assumed that communication is something that does not need to be improved. However, not every conversation leads to satisfactory outcomes. For sure, you have already experienced conversation in which something went wrong. For example you did not understand the meaning of some terms in the discussion or the music in the café was too loud so you could not hear what the other person was saying.

Some interferences cannot be changed as they are related to the external environment and not to the discussion itself. Therefore this article is going to focus on interferences that can be changed and reduced.

Tips for reducing interference
Here are a few examples of interferences that commonly occur in the conversation. Firstly, it is important to be aware of sources of interference to be able to reduce them. Therefore tips for reduction are mentioned after each example.

• 1. The person who has intent to communicate, called sender, could use words unknown to the other person, called receiver. It is difficult for the receiver to understand the meaning of the discussion when too many acronyms or slang expressions are used.
  TIP: When communicating with somone who you don’t know very well you cannot anticipate his/her level of education or background. Therefore every time stress the main points of a discussion clearly. Immediately when you notice the other person being confused, make sure if everything is clear and do not hesitate to repeat the main points again.
• 2. Another difficulty is represented by emotional interferences. During the conversation body language as well as emotional expressions are used. Anger, frustration, joy can all change the way the message is presented and perceived. The tone used to say a simple sentence can change the meaning of it completely.
  TIP: Even though you had an argument in a morning, do not show your feelings of dissapointment at work. Your bad mood is unconsciously transferred to your colleagues as you mirror your negativity when communicating with them. Be professional and avoid communicating your problems to others. The receiver might then perceive what is being said in a different way than it was meant.
• 3. If the wrong channel is used, the meaning of the message might get lost. In other words, if the channels are not effective for the type of message and meaning you want to create, you are likely to create misunderstanding, and even end up worse off then if you had kept the message to yourself. For example, when the manager decides to convey the message that he values his employees’ work, he has few options how to communicate this message to them. He could walk around and talk to his employees face to face. That would be the most time consuming option or as an alternative he could send an email. In this case, the manager should communicate the message face to face.
  TIP: Choose the channel according to the content of the message. The more emotionally loaded the message, the more thought has to go into how to communicate it, and which channels to use.

8 reasons why people always run out of time

The reason why people are struggling with effective organisation of their time is related to their lifestyle and habits. We all have been given 24 hours per day and we are not able to extend this time limit. What we can change though is how to fill the time span we’ve got.

Have you ever been in a situation where you wished the day was longer? You would have more time for all the activities. However when people are unable to manage time within one day, the same would happen in case that the day would have more than 24 hours.

What are the reasons that lead us to disorganisation?

1. Information and technology – thanks to modern technologies we mostly manage to save time, however modern inventions are at the same time a cause of distraction (eg. facebook)
2. Unfinished tasks – people with poor concentration tend to switch from one task to another without completing the previous one. Having a clear plan and a vision helps to stick to one task only.
3. Unorganized schedule – putting things in order and creating structured schedule is for many people a huge problem, even if you try to be well organized and keep up to your daily schedule, there is always something that comes up and hinders the completion of the task
4. Laziness and convenience – you obviously know what it means when you are not in a mood to do something and you decide to have a rest first or begin with easier tasks
5. You postpone activities – this point is closely related to the previous one. When you do not feel like working you tend to postpone things for later. At that moment we do not realize that later on there will be more tasks to face.
6. Learn to say NO – it is important to learn how to say no otherwise you will end up overloaded with a number of tasks that nobody would possibly be able to complete, the way you say no affects the outcome – it’s all about learning the right way to say “NO”
7. Exposure media – media are inseparable parts of our lives, they represent a source of information but we should be able to select only the information that is important for us and reduce the exposure to negative media that only makes us feel miserable.
8. You are stressed – stress cannot be eliminated from our lives completely, it keeps us alert but in an extreme form it wastes our time and harms our health.

What will help you?

Start by doing a run down of how you invest your time. Carry around a notepad with you for a day. Record every time you start or stop an activity. This will give you a detailed look at how you spend your time. It should also give you an idea of where you can make improvements.

The destination of your dreams

To be able to choose the best place to live, it is necessary to find answers to the following questions. Furthermore, at the end of this article you can find the links to online quizzes that will instantly provide you with a tailored list of the best cities and small towns that fit you.

Do you prefer a big city or a small town? It is important to compare life in small and big cities. Could you imagine living in a quiet environment without the city’s pulse? After long hours of work there is a need of quiet and peaceful environment, however it is important to realize that moving to a quiet area is not just for a moment but for years maybe for good. Therefore the decision should be made after detailed consideration of arguments both for and against.

What kind of weather/climate do you prefer? When deciding where to live, think about the kind of activities you enjoy and how much will weather affect those activities. Could you stand long, cold winters or on the other hand long weeks of heat with no rain? The weather is an important factor however there could be other factors that are decisive, e.g. various career opportunities.

What about culture, entertainment and lifestyle options? Would you sacrifice access to cultural events and activities? If you prefer outdoor activities then living in the heart of the city would not make you happy. On the other hand, when you are a fan of museums and theaters, you would prefer to stay in town better than travelling for ages to get to the city for a theater perfomance.

Where is the best place to find a job? If you already know what you dream job and company is, it is easier to decide. You can select destinations according to the location of the company’s offices. If you still have no idea what would you like to do in the future and you only know that living in different country could be exciting experience, then try to select few countries that you like and check website with chart of the best companies to work for. After selecting the company you should find a match between your favourite destination and the location of the company’s offices.

If you wish to find the best place to live you need to see as many places as possible. Only then you are able to make comparisons and decide for the best option. Begin with setting the basic required criteria and select destination you can reach. Afterwards create a flight plan, a map that will be your guide.
You have the power to choose the destination of your dreams. Explore places that you have never been before. Maybe your next visit could be the place where you will spend the rest of your life. So gather your courage, your strength and your commitment and go for it!

Links for the quizzes:

• http://www.findyourspot.com/
• http://www.quizrocket.com/where-should-i-live-quiz

How to Communicate Effectively

Generally, words are used for expressing our thoughts and emotions. However, effective communication is what differentiates us from other individuals both in personal life as well as professional careers. Some people are naturally great speakers, they were blessed with the ability to speak without any hesitation. If you are not one of them, don’t give up. Communication sklills can be improved. During our lives we are learning how to adequately react to certain situations, how to respond correctly, what kinds of non-verbal gestures to use.

these factors are changing and we can influence the way in which they are being changed.
Moredays provides you with tips that will help you communicate your thoughts successfully.

Gather Your Thoughts

No matter what the topic of your speech is, it needs to be structured. Inner chaos causes disorder on the surface. That results in confusion and the conversation will most probably end up with failure. Before you are ready to talk to the intended person you should have a clear vision about what you are going to talk about. Prepare a list of key points in your mind that you plan to mention. These points will help you to stick with the topic and avoid the possibility of drifting away from the main issues.

Be Confident

During the conversation you should be able to persuade the person about the value of your topic. The better you feel about yourself as well as the topic you dicuss, the more persuasive you become. It is important to coordinate the amount of information you present to the other person. Too much information can lead to information overload which causes a lack of attention. Ask your partner follow-up questions. That will lead to stronger connection and better understanding of the topic.

Listen

The purpose of effective communication is not only in expressing our feelings, thoughts and opinions clearly and effectively. It is a half of the whole communication process. The other half is listening and understanding what the other person is saying. You shouldn’t underestimate the value of proper listening. Become an active listener. As an active listener you show great concern for the topic that is discussed. You show your interest by checking out your understanding before you respond with your new message.

Mind Your Gestures

Body language is a visual mode of communication. It includes postures, gestures and facial expressions. Use body language, especially eye contact, which help to stress the crucial points during the conversation. Remember, there is no need to couple every word with gesture or facial expression. Use is as support for conveying your emotions in a non-verbal way.

Communication is a process that improves gradually. It requires your concentration and effort to come to a successful result. Just focus on what you are saying and how. Also check the other person’s way of talking. You should keep the tips above in mind, however you need to learn from experience.

3 Simple Tips for Better Persuasion Skills

Persuasion skills are needed both in business as well as in the private life. In business it is a crucial aspect as you have to be able to communicate and negotiate with individuals at all levels of an organization and also with external partners.
An example is a sales representative who is responsible for persuading a customer to purchase the company’s product. Without persuasion skills, the sales person would be completely ineffective and unable to do his/her job.

Do you feel that your persuasion skills need some improvement? Then read the following tips.

1. Listen

To be an effective persuader you need to listen carefully. If you want to be heard, then listening is vital as it gives the other person chance to express all the wants and needs. But most importantly, it shows that you are not pursuing only your own interests. Naturally there is some aim of the conversation, nevertheless the other person should not feel manipulated. Everyone strives for benefits. Therefore the result of the conversation should be beneficial for both sides. In other words, win-win situation should be achieved.

2. Practise

Even though you might not be good at persuading others, it is not a huge problem. You just need to practise as much as possible. No matter how shy you are, persuasion skills can be improved. You should communicate with all different people and definitely you will face a situation when you would like to convince the other person about something. Try to improvise and behave naturally. Do not feel under pressure. The more you communicate with people, the better you become in persuasion and negotiation.

3. No fear

Try to eliminate all worries and fear of being unsuccessful in your persuasion. These feelings create a barrier for improvement. The only solution is not to think about being unsuccessful and making mistakes. That will affect your mood and you will behave stiff and nervous. Even if you make any mistake it doesn’t matter because everyone makes them. No one is perfect. If any mistake occurs in the discussion, analyze it properly when the conversation is over. Learn from your mistakes. Maybe you failed in persuading one person but in the future you will meet more people and you will have a chance to get better and better.