Feb 17, 2025

8 bad habits that are undermining your communication skills

Trisha Tewari

Bad habits impeding your communication skills

Having impressive communication skills can be an essential asset in professional and personal lives. Articulating your thoughts efficiently will help others understand your perspectives. However, certain habits sabotage communication skills. Here’s how to fix them.

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Significance for students in online schools

Students who study in online schools, it is highly important for them to learn these skills to stand out. Breaking negative habits can help you become an exceptional articulator and leave others impressed and engaged.

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Interrupting others

Constantly bumping into the conversation and not letting others finish is not just bad etiquette but also ruins your communication skills. Do not forget that active listening is a core element of good communication skills. Pause, process, and then respond.

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Using filler words excessively

Our brain needs time to process and phrase the answers. We tend to use filler words in those gaps. Words like ‘um’, ‘like’, and ‘you know’ can make you sound uncertain. Practise speaking with confidence and use pauses whenever necessary, but minimise the use of filler words.

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Avoiding eye contact

Along with verbal communication abilities, do not miss out focusing on non-verbal cues such as eye contact. Lack of eye contact shows disrespect or dishonesty. However, do not make excessive eye contact as it may appear to be intimidating.

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Multitasking while talking

Checking your phone or working on something else while conversing depicts a lack of attention. Give people your undivided attention to show respect and bolster your communication abilities. Multitasking while conversing can blot your communication skills.

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Speaking too fast or too slow

Talking too fast can make your speech incomprehensible while excessively slow-paced communication can make people disengage easily. Try to find the right balance between speaking clearly and taking the right amount of pauses to keep listeners engaged.

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Not paying attention to body language

Your body language speaks magnanimously. Crossing arms, avoiding gestures, or having a closed posture can send the wrong message. Use open, confident body language to showcase your interest in the conversation.

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Overuse of jargon or complicated language

Using overly technical or complex language can confuse the listeners and make them disengage from the conversation. Keep your language clear and concise for better understanding.

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Ignoring feedback

Overlooking feedback provided by others can further weaken your communication skills. Try to take feedback constructively and incorporate the same in your speech. This will help you improve and become a better communicator day by day.

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Thanks For Reading!

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