Like we can’t choose our family, often we cannot choose our work neighbour. It is a pleasure when you get along very well with them. But more often than not, the person sitting next to you or in the next cubicle at work may be a disruptor.
They might like to discuss their love life, or how their family is planning a vacation, or their weekend plans, or just force feed you their choice of music. But you cannot ask them to shut it, but think you will lose your nerve if you listen to them vent one more time.
Image Credit: theoffice
If you are distracted by your own habits like constantly checking Facebook, or taking coffee breaks, you can work on it. But the options may seem limited when you are distracted by factors outside your control.
So, what do you do when you are distracted by the colleague on the next desk?
Finding out the exact trigger
Is it just the colleague’s incessant talking or their venting about work places issues that distracts you. It is always worth thinking about what bothers you about someone before figuring out how to respond. Only then can you actually confront the problem.
Politely confront them
You can directly speak to your colleague. You can tell them you are working on a deadline, and will chat with them later. If your drop the hint once or twice, they might get what you mean. You can also give them a clue by saying how annoying it is when colleagues distract others at work. Even if this is not direct, it is good enough for them to know what you mean.
Speak to your manager
Sometimes the problem persists, and you may find that the colleague persists with their annoying habits. In such cases, you may have to speak to the manager to change your work place. This is not a big problem in open offices, where people have to occupy designated sitting only. But it will definitely give you some quiet to concentrate on your work.
These tactics will help you deal with a colleague who is distracting at work.
Read Also: How To Work With A Bossy Colleague
