Listening and its Difficulties

I have always felt as if I were a very good listener. However, after thinking on it I have determined that I am a horrible listener under stressful circumstances. If I am distracted or am exposed to any little interruptions I have a hard time paying attention to anyone who may be speaking to me at the moment. It is also common for me to stop listening to a person when  I do not have any real care or concern as to what it is they are saying in the first place. I do not make it obvious when I am not listening but at times I will not be able to give the best response to the person I am communicating with. In any case, in order to improve my listening skills I need to first make a conscious effort to pay attention when someone is speaking to me. Similarly I need to be sure that I can do my best to stay free of distraction. I do see this being a little more difficult in an office setting in which case you do not necessarily know when you may be interrupted or distracted. I feel that in order to improve my communication skills immediately I must put forth the effort. Once I have done this I do believe I will see immediate improvement.