Is it TMI for work? - Five tips to avoid oversharing

Is it TMI for work? - Five tips to avoid oversharing

Once you officially start working, it becomes the perfect place to meet new people and make new friends. Although with all those new additions, comes that feeling of comfort to just let go and be yourself. Not that it’s a bad thing to be yourself around your friends but should you share everything in the place you work? It’s just a matter of asking yourself “Is it TMI for work?” (If you find yourself wondering what “TMI” means, it is the abbreviated term for “Too much information”.)When work and personal life mix, the combination might not be what you expect.

 

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Now we all have friends that wouldn’t mind sharing a bit of extra detail when it comes to their personal life. But what qualifies as TMI, is where you should draw the line, even if you are not the one sharing. Date night with your spouse or a recipe you tried, or even a new outfit you purchased is just the kind of details you need not worry about. But intimate details about your personal life, argument with your spouse or even the talk you had with your supervisor on a possible raise, is crossing the line.

Do you really need to share?

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Evaluate whether you really need to share this topic you have in mind. It doesn’t necessarily have to be personal information. Sometime comfort can take away the confidentiality in a person and this is what you need to avoid. You wouldn’t want to be known as the oversharing one in the crowd. Avoid topics that can cause discomfort among those that are on the receiving end.

Keep it discreet

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Sometimes the story might not be as TMI as is turned out to be, but the little details and the back story might be the reason for it. So avoid the intricate details and the long back story that might take the story to complete different place. Choose what you want to share and stick to it.

Avoid unnecessary questions

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There are certain people that enjoy questioning every statement made. They simply love to know all the details if not more about story. So keep away from the trail of questions that might lead to, too much information. Even if you are not the one that’s sharing the information, avoid asking questions that you know might lead to uncomfortable details.

Establish boundaries

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We all have that one friend that can keep a secret or maybe you are lucky enough to be working with your best friend, if not at least a close friend that you have known for years. Establish boundaries as to who you choose to share information with, whether it be personal or official. Because sometime the people you chose to trust may not be the right person to share it with.

It all boils down to self-control and boundaries, knowing what you can share and who you can share it with. If you make work as comfortable as home, there’s bound to be an uncomfortable situation coming your way.

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  • Last modified on Thursday, 10 November 2016 06:12
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