They say that men process one task at a time and that women can handle multiple.  Whether you agree with that or not, nothing is more frustrating than when  you’re attempting to hold a conversation with someone and they are not paying attention or listening.

So, to help you out, here are 10 different times when your husband probably isn’t listening to you, and you should do something about it—even if that something is to walk away and try again later!

1. While he’s reading the paper.

Odds are, if he’s reading the paper (or an online version of the paper) he probably did not hear what you said.  I mean, it’s one thing to switch tabs and get segments or pieces of information, but it’s another to try to both listen, keep track of a conversation, and absorb visual data.

2.. When he’s watching television.

Again, a man that’s watching television—unless it’s the commercials, and sometimes you’re not even safe then!—is probably not paying attention to you.  He should be, but he’s probably not.

3. When he’s sleeping.

If you hear snoring… well, that’s rather obvious.

4. When he’s on the phone.

I’m sure you’ve done it before, and you’ve probably done it so well that you make it look easy, but if you’re asking questions at the same time he’s being asked questions on the phone (especially if he’s relaying information to you or from you) odds are that if you continue to talk to him you’re going to get the phone handed to you.

5. When you call him at work.

Sometimes things aren’t busy, or he’s not in the middle of something, and he can totally pay attention to you on the phone.  Other times he may have three things going on at once, and only gets part of what you said.  If he’s a technology worker, you may get better results if you send him a follow-up e-mail or use Instant Messaging.

6. When he’s getting ready.

It’s hard, sometimes, to get ready for work or for bed and actually follow a conversation because…

7. When you wander off into another room.

when he’s in one room and you go off into another, the possibility that he no longer hears what you have to say clearly goes up.  It’s not like he can follow you, because he’s probably shaving in the sink.

8. When he’s in the middle of a thought.

Odds are if he’s in the middle of a…

9. When he’s blogging.

If he doesn’t turn his back away from the computer while he’s writing something, he’s probably in the middle of a flow¹,  and once he’s there, any interruption (no matter how much he loves you!) is going to be difficult for him, because he’s probably think three sentences past what he was writing, and you’re derailing his train of thought.

10. When you tell him that you don’t think you’re pretty.

That one’s obvious.

1. That state that you enter while doing a specific task where it all comes easily.