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My
office mate drives me crazy and I don't know how to approach her. Every time I
walk in with a bag, she wants to know what's in it. Anytime another office mate
wants to show me something on their computer monitor, she comes along to see too
without an invitation. I have purposely not answered her questions, attempted to
turn my monitor so that she can't see it, and have tried to talk more quietly on
the phone. This woman doesn't take a hint! I know I should just come right out
and tell her that she's bothering me, but I'm only here part-time and she's
full-time. I feel like I don't have a right to complain, but she's making my
working life miserable.
Signed,
Annoyed
Dear
Annoyed:
Why complain when you can have some fun with this nosey neighbor? Sure, you are bothered by her, but what about having a few laughs at her expense. It might lighten things up and teach her to mind her own business at the same time. When she asks, "What's in the bag?" why not make a joke?
| What's in the bag? | I brought a fresh possum for lunch! |
| What's in the bag? | This is my medical marijuana! |
| What's in the bag? | Shhh! I'm going to fill it up with office supplies for home. |
People around will laugh at the joke and she might begin to feel out of place by asking these questions. Get it? This can even be more fun if you enlist the help of others who are bothered by her nosiness. Think she's listening in on a phone call? How about a phony call where you ask someone a really outrageous or dumb question. . . "I don't want the company to find out that I can't do math, can you tell me what 15 times 2 is?" or, in a matter-of-fact tone, "So are you telling me I only have two weeks to live? Should I try to get my credit cards near their limits?" If she likes to follow you to another's monitor, why not arrange to visit the person's monitor 15 times in a short time span to look at something trivial?
Of course, using this tactic depends on the climate in your office. However, chances are everyone else is annoyed by this nosey woman and won't mind a few shenanigans to make a point with her.
WEGO knows that a light atmosphere can make even annoying behavior seem more palatable.
--Dan West
Workplace Doctors