How to Know if You Get Too Personal at Work- The Muse

How to Know if You Get Too Personal at Work- The MuseHow to Know if You Get Too Personal at WorkYou genuinely like (most of) the people you work with, so a, Hey, how was you weekend? usually produces a story, rather than a one-word answer.And thats more than OK. In fact, sharing who you are as a person- that you love going to CrossFit, that youre planning a wedding, that you volunteer with animals- can help you build stronger relationships with your colleagues, which will help you get ahead.However, as the line blurs between work friends and real friends, it can be easy to forget that youre in the office. (You know, the place where you want people to see you as focused and dedicated, where you want to be considered for promotions, where you want your request for a sick day to be taken at face value.) So, if youre worried about crossing a line, use these rules to check-in with yourself and make koranvers youre elend going too farYoure Sharing if Its HelpfulSometimes, whatever is going on personally will affect what you realistically can or cant do in a given week. Are you sick and should really stay home for a couple of days? Have you been up until 2 AM each night this week packing, so your attention to detail isnt quite what it usually is? Is your family in town, so you need to leave when the workday is over- on the dot?If youre having an off day, dealing with a stressful situation outside of work, or need to be out of the office for a bit, sharing that information can help your boss (or teammates) dole out work accordingly. Just spare others the nitty-gritty details by asking yourself Is including this piece of info going to help?Youre Oversharing if Itll Make Others Question Your AbilitiesOf course, theres a flipside to being honest that youre not 100% focused on work. And thats that you can only go there so often. If youre sick one day, dealing with personal drama the next, exhausted from staying up all night for your side gig the next- and everyone on your team knows it- youre going to gain a reputation as someone who always has an excuse.The trick here is moderation. You dont have to pretend nothing phases you and in fact, if someone knows youre spread thin, he might be willing to extend your deadline or understand if you need a slightly longer lunch on a given day. Just know that if you always respond to how are you with Exhausted Stressed Overwhelmed or Fuming- you wont be a top candidate for exciting projects and promotions- because of the very reasons you state every day So after an off-day- or week- focus on engaging with your colleagues in a positive way. If they ask how that tough situation is going, thank them for checking in, give a one sentence answer, and segue back to discussing your latest project. Youre Sharing if Itll Help You Connect With SomeoneYoud like to have a strong relationship with everyone on your team, but theres often that one person whos hard to get to know. But then, she mentions a hobby- that shes always looking for the next great recipe or loves watching baseball- and suddenly by mentioning what you cooked or watched last night, you have an instant ice-breaker.If it helps you talk about more than work with this person, go ahead and bond over your shared obsession with Giada. Just make sure you dont overdo it, which can come off as fake (not building any bridges) or unproductive (because it takes you spend so much time chatting about other things that you get nothing done).Youre Oversharing if it Should Be Saved for After HoursMaybe this persons favorite pastime isnt so SFW He cant get enough of verbunden dating horror stories or is so repulsed by one of the top presidential candidates that he always has a new story to discuss. You might have a lot of material here that you could use to bond with him however, these kinds of conversations are not always appropriate at work (and could isolate your other colleagues unknowingly).So, before you launch into a recap of the worst Tinder da te youve ever heard of, ask yourself if you were sharing this information outside of work where would you be? Making small talk at a networking event? Youre in the clear. Three margaritas deep with your old roommate? Save it for after hours.You see the people you work with every day, so it can be hard to keep things from them. But remember, its called water cooler gossip for a reason. Even if nowadays, people are more likely to crowd around a Keurig, colleagues chit chat, and if something is salacious, theres always a chance it could get around. So, if you want to share something at work, but youre not sure if it crosses a line, remember that you can always tell more, but you cant take something back.