Tag: communication-skills

I like my coworkers and don't want to be the office ghost, but small talk tends to eat my whole coffee break. Our floor is open-plan, and people swing by my desk right when I'm on a deadline. I need friendly ways to wrap up a chat in under a minute without looking like I'm fleeing the building. Bonus points if it works while standing at the coffee machine with both hands full. What polite exit lines or cues actually work in a busy office without hurting anyone's feelings?

A close friend often messages to unload about work and relationships, and I try to be supportive, but the conversations rarely circle back to how I'm doing. I don't want to make them feel dismissed, yet I'm starting to feel drained. How can I set gentle boundaries or redirect the dynamic without sounding accusatory? Constraints: we mostly text, and we see each other in person maybe once a month. Scripts or wording I can copy would be really helpful.