Observation skills are something that everyone has, but it doesn’t mean that everyone has mastered the use of their observation skills. Many people require a little bit of training to improve their observations skills. Businesses covet people with excellent observations skills – people with excellent observations skills improve the functionality of the office and can make the work environment a place that is more proficient and efficient.

Having excellent observation skills includes myriad benefits. One of the primary benefits of possessing good observation skills is, of course, found in the fact that it increases one’s employability. Next, good observation skills increase one’s awareness and an increase in awareness improves one’s quality of living. Life is fully experienced, not haphazardly experienced and when someone has good observation skills every moment counts.

Fully observing a situation involves one’s full attention. The individual must be able to listen as well as see what is going on around them. There are a number of methods for improving one’s observation skills and with practice, people can begin to really experience life and become keen observers.

So what is observation?

While the word observation may at first seem self explanatory, in truth there are various degrees of observation. A person may observe their surroundings on a daily basis and never truly observe it. In other words – there is a big difference between basic observation and intense observation. Intense, deliberate observation is when an individual purposefully engages and interacts with his or her environment, drinking in every moment as it evolves.

In contrast, there is a state, commonly referred to as automatic pilot, where an individual can fully function but not fully experience. When an individual is undergoing automatic pilot, they are not fully paying attention to everything around them. Sometimes people enter into an automatic pilot state when they are driving a vehicle – it is not uncommon for individuals to daydream as they drive (a dangerous practice indeed!). The point of keen, intense observation is to forego the automatic pilot feature that so many people rely on and to purposefully look at the world in a new way.

Practice Makes Perfect

It may take some practice to get observation skills working at their best. Sometimes it helps to use a picture and to note everything that is seen in the image to get observation skills working. Every object, color, and item should be described in great length and the description can be written down on paper. Practicing with photos or pictures, especially with pictures that have a lot of imagery can help to improve observation skills. Collages work excellent for the latter exercise and the practice can be done just about anywhere at any time that is convenient.

Another way to practice using observation skills can be conducted while watching a film or watching television. When watching a show or movie the individual can study the background images to see what they notice along with what’s going on in the film. In fact, sometimes the background has some interesting symbolism that is often overlooked! Other people make a practice of looking for errors in the continuity of a film or looking for film errors in general – this too, can enhance observation skills.

Experiencing nature is an effective way to enhance observation skills. When attempting to improve observation skills, a person can go for a walk or hike, bring along a notebook or journal and document the landscape and scenery. The key is to pay attention to the smallest details including what is seen with the eyes, what is heard, what is smelled, what is touched, and what is felt emotionally.

Improving Observation Skills and Patience

Improving observations skills requires diligence and patience. Improvements will not occur overnight – people need to train themselves to really listen, to really see, to really feel and to sense what is going on around them. Being patient is part of being observant – being able to settle down and watch something and to absorb the images, feelings and sensations takes time. The reason why many people have poor observation skills is that they are impatient or they are in a rush to make it through the day!