Quick Productivity Tip: The Shy Person’s Guide to Locking Out Time-Wasters

Office chit-chat can provide a much-needed break during a long workday. But if you’re not careful, it can bring your productivity to a grinding halt. Before you know it, instead of finishing important projects, you’re politely listening to a half-hour tale every Monday morning about Bob-in-Accounting’s weekend adventures.

The best way to kick these time-wasters out of your life is to be direct: Tell them to stop. But if you’re shy or just don’t want to be that assertive, try this: Put on headphones – but don’t turn on any music. Idle chatterers will stop calling to you across the office, and they won’t stop by your desk anymore. Because the music is not on, you can still hear the important messages that come your way.

(Source: Lifehacker)

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