Deal with a clingy coworker

Clingy coworkers can be tough to dodge. If you’re having trouble getting things done, use these tips to help you escape:

• Stay focused on work. Politely tell your coworker that you are busy and need to focus. Then turn back to your computer screen and continue working.
• Speak honestly. If he or she can’t take the hint, you have to be upfront. Explain that you need quiet and a lack of interruptions to be successful.

— Adapted from “How to Cope With a Clingy Coworker,” Heather Huhman, http://parade.condenast.com.