11 Ways To Tell Your Colleagues To Shut Up If They're Disturbing You While You Work

One of the defining features of the modern workplace, for better or worse (probably worse), is that there is no way to completely shut yourself from all the chatter that goes around you.

From the office gossip to people sharing their theories about who¡¯s secretly sleeping with whom, from the chronic complainer, looking to vent their latest drama, or from the oversharer, there are all types of people who you just can't avoid even if you really don't care about any of these things.

But at the end of the day, you're at your workplace and you wouldn't get that promotion based on what latest office gossip you're aware of. So, while you're trying really hard to work on your desk or cabin, a chatty colleague can totally disrupt it and come into your way of work.

So, here are all the ways you can tell your colleague to shut up so that you can carry on with your work in peace :

1. Ignore Them

If you're someone who is not into confrontation then the first thing you can try is to ignore this person. If you don't speak to them or engage them in conversation unless it is about your work, they may get the hint. Eventually, they will get tired of having a one-sided conversation and stop talking altogether.

2. Address The Issue In A Friendly Manner

You can take them out for a smoke or a coffee and have a one on one friendly conversation. You can start off by asking about the things that might be irritating them. Maybe you rotate your chair a lot and that irritates them. Then after they have talked about their concern, you can just say how you are sensitive to noises and can't really concentrate on work because the same, if they would kindly keep it low. This may work.

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3. Bring This Issue Up With Your Entire Office Or Team

Have a group meeting where everyone agrees to keep their voices at a subdued volume as it won't distract others, yet will still allow conversations to happen. Make the meeting about how this can help increase all of your productivity. This addresses the issue without singling one person out. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

4. Casually Set Boundaries With The Co-Worker

When your co-worker is trying to talk to you about anything other than work, just stop them casually and let them know how you're not really interested in talking about a certain topic at work. Like if you feel hesitant talking about your romantic relationships just say that you're uncomfortable and that they shouldn't be asking you about this going forward.

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5. Plug-In Those Earphones

Earphones pretty much are the best resort to tell someone subtly how you're absolutely not interested in talking to them. It is a universal sign that a person is busy and has no interest in talking. You don't even have to play the music if you're not into it, just plug them in and notice the wonder yourself.

6. Directly Tell Them How You Feel

You've tried all the above things and this co-worker literally still doesn't have a clue. So, now you are left with no other way then to be direct with them. Sure, if you're not into confrontation, this can be quite nerve-wracking but you have to take matters into your hands and without further delaying this just let them know that you're annoyed with their constant chattering and this is bothering you a lot.

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7. Turn Up The Music

If your workplace allows it, play some music to drown out the loud talker. If they start talking loud, turn the music up. We know this may sound super juvenile but this is a good way to get the point across that they are too loud and need to tone it down a bit. Don't make it so loud you can't focus, though.

8. Lead By Example & Show How It Can Bother Others

When someone is talking too loudly and you know it's upsetting the people around you, take the lead by saying, in a softer voice, 'I want to hear what you have to say, but I don't want to disturb the people around us, so can we step into a conference room or maybe chat about this at a better time?'

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9. Blame Someone Else For The Difficulty You're Facing

You can actually indulge in gossip with that chatty co-worker and tell them how some other xyz colleague keeps talking is loud all the time. If you have to, talk badly about them - how they don't respect other people's boundaries. By doing this, you're subconsciously telling the 'actual' chatty co-worker how all of the things she does is looked down upon.

10. Distract Yourself

Find ways to reduce the stress caused by your loud or chatty co-worker. Step out of the office for a minute, eat your favourite snack, use a stress ball or fidget with something. Finding a way to reduce the stress of the situation may make it easier to handle in the long term.

11. Escalate The Matter To Your Boss

Perseverance isn¡¯t always a virtue. Unfortunately, some people are a bit relentless, and won¡¯t tone it down even when you ask them to. In these situations, be increasingly direct. Your goal should always be to emphasize that you need to get your work done, and sometimes that means calling out how the other person is negatively influencing you. You shouldn't be feeling guilty about this because you tried everything and then had to reach this ultimate solution.

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So, don't really let this bother you and use one of these ways to work so that you can work with some peace of mind.