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Have your cellphone in your hand and pretend it's on vibrate and ringing and say "Excuse me I have to take this." Doing that a few times will hopefully give them the hint. I work remotely but when someone calls me to ***** and moan about work I will actually call my cellphone from my landline and turn the ring volume up and say "Ooops, gotta take that it's my wife" or something to that effect.
Replace the cell phone with a banana but do the same thing. Then they will REALLY get the point.
A lot of the time when you hear advice about blabby co-workers, it's assumed that you have the ability to just exit the situation yourself. But what if you are stuck sitting at a desk or station, and the person saunters in and starts monopolizing your time with unwanted conversation?
I have 3 different co-workers who do this to me from time to time. They walk in, ask a question, I answer it, and then they hang around like they have no particular place to be. It's worse because I'm in a reception-type area (I'm not a receptionist) and there's no real easy way to just go somewhere else. I'd have to walk past them and pretend I suddenly have something super important to do elsewhere in the office. Not real convincing.
And what is it with conversationally needy people descending on me? There's this one guy who is a part time worker at our office who stops by EVERY FREAKING DAY to inform me that he's here or that he's going for the day... our jobs have nothing to do with each other... I try to be as polite as possible but I just don't want to chat, don't have time to chat, and to be honest, I don't particularly care about his plans nor do I care if he asks me about mine...
Honestly, I'm sometimes not particularly busy when this happens. I might be waiting for a phone call or e-mail, etc. or just gathering my thoughts for the next round of work. But how do you tactifully say, "OK, our little conversation is over... now please run along and get out of my face?" (Does it ever occur to these people that the other person may not feel like chatting?)
Truth is, it is your responsibility to stay on task. It is your job, your work responsibilities that are important. So, you really should reassess your perceived helplessness at taking control of your work space and unnecessary interruptions.
Also, I recognize that you have a disadvantage having a work space that has no physical boundaries. Have you discussed a more appropriate work space with your supervisor? You might advocate for such a proper space by citing the examples that you've stated here. It is much more productive.
I would look them in the eye and say...."Sorry, I have to take this" and fake answering a call.....or an email.
Or, bluntly say...."Was there anything else?" or Glad I could help.....Now I have to get back to what I was doing.
Do this as soon as they walk up.....It seems that you are not wanting to offend, but it is your job to stay on task and these time wasters obviously have no care about how they are interfering with your job.
I am a person who likes to stay focused. I once refused a good friend to share my office because he often can talk your head off. I point blank told him we would never get any work done.
Regarding the part time employee who checks in with you.....Has anyone ever told him that he doesn't have to? You might say to him, FYI you really don't need to announce your comings and going to me.
As far as other co-workers. I would begin sitting boundaries....if it isn't directly related to your job, tell them you'll discuss it after work....or not.
I usually say something like... "oh man i'm swamped right now i gotta get back to this" and then look at my computer and start typing lol. i say it in a really friendly polite way though and then they usually say "ok see you later"
Set up your cell to dial your phone extension. When you see these people approaching call your desk phone and pretend you are talking to a client or boss.
I learned from an older secretary how to deal with this, and I probably read about it too, somewhere, but at any rate, this worked for me:
Give them some work every time they stop by your desk. "Oh, I'm so swamped, I'm so glad you're here. Would you take this mail to the mail room for me, thanks!"
"Oh, since you're not busy, would you mind going to so and so's desk and telling her she needs to finish up those mailing labels for me? I'm swamped, I'm so glad you have time to help me right now..."
"Oh, thank goodness you're not busy...would you please stuff these envelopes for me?"
If you give them something to do every time they come to your desk....they'll stop coming.
It's the easier, passive aggressive way to deal with them, which doesn't hurt any feelings or require a confrontation.
In times like the OP's, thank goodness I have such a bitchy looking face and persona that people usually don't talk to me. I feel sorry for one of my coworkers. I swear he gets bugged EVERYDAY by the same guy. I usually don't mind small talk, but to get tapped every work day by the same person (who just likes to talk) would drive me nuts.
Ask them if they think disposable underwear is useful on a trip...............everytime
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