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?
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
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
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
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.