"Over the Top" by Mimi Stuart
Live the Life you Desire

It can be hard to get off the phone with big talkers because you don’t want to hurt their feelings and you don’t want to interrupt. While you don’t have to hurt their feelings, you might have to interrupt. If you’re not using caller ID and you get hooked in, simply break into the conversation and say, “Let’s talk when I’m off work.” Or, “Can we talk on Tuesday?” Or, “I’d love to talk to you after finishing this project/feeding the kids/tomorrow/OR…maybe in three years.”

When you’re able to get off the phone quickly, easily and politely, then you won’t dread it when you hear the phone ring. If some people still don’t understand that you have different priorities and that your time is valuable, then you can’t worry too much about possibly offending them. They need to get the message that you are not available for ongoing venting and chit chat.

If you get hooked in on a repeated basis, you’re sending the message that you are available as an auditory receptacle. Simply interject, “I’m sorry, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. Take care. Have a great day.” CLICK.

by Alison Poulsen, PhD

Read “Setting Boundaries.”