I don’t know about you, but I hate being interrupted. Whether I’m in the middle of a conversation, trying to concentrate, or just gathering my thoughts, being interrupted really irritates me.

I feel like it’s rare for me to speak up in the first place. So, once I do, I feel like I should have everyone’s attention without being talked over. But more often than not, someone interrupts me and moves on with the conversation. It’s annoying, disrespectful, and just flat-out rude.

I immediately retreat into thinking that I’m not interesting or important enough to be heard. And it’s horrible to put so much shame on yourself when, really, it was the other person who made you feel that way.

There was a time when I was trying to tell someone that I’d recently gotten published online, but I was interrupted because that person wanted to share something they felt was more important. It’s not that they didn’t hear me. Maybe they did. But to be dismissed that quickly, without even getting the chance to share my thoughts about it, made me so infuriated.

It’s like, why can’t you just pay attention to one thing that I’m proud of? Why interrupt me when I’m sharing something personal? Why interrupt me when I rarely share anything in the first place?

The other person noticed I was frustrated. It was written all over my face, and they wanted me to continue, but to me, the moment had passed. I probably even forgot some of the details I wanted to share. I think what I have to say matters, and I deserve to be heard.

It’s especially frustrating when I’m trying to explain something because that’s fairly difficult for me to begin with. I never really like talking too much. It intimidates me because I feel like I’m focusing on two things at once. One, I’m trying to explain my thoughts. Two, I’m listening to my own voice, and as I hear myself talking, I start thinking about how I sound. Before I know it, I’ve lost my train of thought. So, when I’m already making an effort to explain something, it’s annoying when someone either isn’t listening or talks over me.

It’s also really difficult when I finally get back into a rhythm, like when I’m writing, and then someone pulls my attention away. It takes me a while to get focused in the first place, so having that concentration broken throws me off. Even when I go back to what I was doing, it doesn’t feel as easy to pick up where I left off.

People sometimes forget that not everyone can quickly switch their attention from one thing to another. Most of the time, I just need a minute to finish my thought, wrap up what I’m doing, or process what’s being asked of me.

I wish people understood that a little better. Not every interruption feels like a big deal to someone else, but that doesn’t mean it can’t throw off your entire train of thought.

Honestly, I just want to finish what I’m saying, finish what I’m doing, and have a moment to collect myself without being interrupted.

Is that really too much to ask?

Have you ever felt frustrated or overlooked because someone interrupted you before you could finish what you were saying?

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” — Stephen R. Covey