How can you manage your emotions when listening virtually?

Listening virtually can be challenging for many reasons. You may have to deal with distractions, technical issues, lack of visual cues, or boredom. But one of the most important aspects of listening virtually is managing your emotions. Emotions can affect how you process, understand, and respond to what you hear. They can also influence how you communicate your own ideas and feelings. In this article, you will learn some tips on how to manage your emotions when listening virtually.

1 Identify your emotions

The first step to managing your emotions is to identify them. What are you feeling as you listen to the speaker? Are you curious, interested, confused, annoyed, angry, or something else? Naming your emotions can help you become more aware of them and their impact on your listening. You can use a simple technique called RAIN to identify your emotions. RAIN stands for Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Non-identify. Recognize the emotion you are feeling, allow it to be there without judging it, investigate what triggered it and how it affects your body and mind, and non-identify with it, meaning that you don't let it define you or your listening.

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Dr Robert Driver-Bishop

Celtic coach & workshop leader at CelticCourage.com
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Take time before the session to prepare your body, mind, and heart. Our bodies have needs. Make sure you are in a comfortable space and key needs are meet which can include comfortable seating, beverage and snacks, lighting that balanced the screen, candles or anything else that help you create an open space to connect with others. Our minds are enabled when we take time to contemplate the meeting and manage expectations. Consider noted. What do you need from gathering and what can you contribute. Our hearts are maximized when we all take time to check in with each other and take time to listen and answer concerns. Large groups should consider asking key participant(s) to act as chaplain to ensure everyone is heard and appreciated.

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2 Regulate your emotions

The second step to managing your emotions is to regulate them. This involves adjusting their intensity, duration, and expression to suit the situation. To do this, you can use various strategies that work for you, such as breathing deeply and slowly to calm down, reframing the situation to gain a different perspective, using positive affirmations to boost confidence and motivation, taking a break or pause to cool off or recharge, and expressing your emotions constructively through writing, talking, or humor.

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Benjamin Jones

Training the Podiatrists of the future, today!
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Emotions are information. Use them as a tool 🔨 they are a rapid synthesis of many data points. The emotion is the output. If angry, for example, this tells you that incomplete information heard has infringed your value system. It may also give rise to the fact that what you are hearing reaffirms your value system. Feel the emotion, but do not act on the emotion. One method is to write down, in depth, in the moment and understand the process that has occurred: I heard X, I felt Y, I must understand Z (in this instance Z is the underlying factor or factors). Perhaps your own trauma, bias, and upbringing are getting caught up the phrasing and interpretation-did the message get jumbled up by the speaker? Breath. Collect data. Assimilate.

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3 Empathize with the speaker

The third step to managing your emotions is to empathize with the speaker. This means attempting to understand their point of view, feelings, and intentions. Doing so can help you listen more attentively, respectfully, and objectively, as well as reduce negative emotions and increase positive ones. To empathize with the speaker, pay attention to their verbal and non-verbal cues such as tone, pitch, volume, facial expressions, and gestures. Ask open-ended questions to clarify or explore their message. Reflect back what you heard and felt to demonstrate that you are listening and that you care. Validate their emotions and acknowledge their challenges or concerns. Lastly, if appropriate and requested, offer support or feedback.

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Benjamin Jones

Training the Podiatrists of the future, today!
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Imagine you are an extraterrestrial 👽/time traveler. This speaker is your subject. You are here to study this fascinating but odd species called humans. Step back (become aware): you are a researcher 👨🔬 - investigator 🔬 seeking to understand the inner workings of human. You had adopt your own persona to fit in undetected. This is what is responding. This human suit responds in ways you were not anticipating. How marvellous! Record these insights. Now compare this with the speakers wording or message. Did the body respond to the words = learned behaviour. Did you grasp the message and reject = value infringement. You were moved (saddened) = empathy. Eureka 💡 The speaker has shown you how these phrases influence you. Why?

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4 Monitor your emotions

The fourth step to managing your emotions is to monitor them. This means periodically checking in with yourself to see how you are feeling and listening. Doing so can help you recognize any changes or patterns in your emotional state and adjust your strategies accordingly. You can monitor your emotions by using a scale from 1 to 10 to rate your emotional intensity and listening quality, asking yourself relevant questions, keeping a journal or log of your emotions and listening experiences, and seeking feedback from others on your listening skills and emotional management.

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5 Learn from your emotions

The fifth step to managing your emotions is to learn from them. Learning from your emotions can be a source of information, insight, and growth. After each virtual session, take the time to review your emotions and listening outcomes. Identify what went well and what could be improved, as well as the triggers, patterns, and effects of your emotions. Celebrate successes and learn from mistakes to set goals and action plans for future listening sessions. Although it may be difficult to manage your emotions when listening virtually, following these five steps can help improve your listening skills, emotional intelligence, and communication effectiveness.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you manage your emotions when listening virtually?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify your emotions

2 Regulate your emotions

3 Empathize with the speaker

4 Monitor your emotions

5 Learn from your emotions

6 Here’s what else to consider

Public Speaking

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How can you manage your emotions when listening virtually?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify your emotions

2 Regulate your emotions

3 Empathize with the speaker

4 Monitor your emotions

5 Learn from your emotions

6 Here’s what else to consider

Public Speaking

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