What if a co-worker won’t shut up?

There’s always one in every office … maybe two. Or three.

Stop the conversation before it starts. When the chatty person approaches, say “I can’t talk right now, I’m busy with XYZ.” You can also wear headphones and pretend to be deeply engrossed in something.

Give a strict time limit for the conversation. Tell the person you can only talk for five minutes. Let them speak for five minutes, then interrupt and say “I really have to get back to XYZ now.”

Offer to discuss a specific subject outside of work. If the talker seems to always blab about the same subject to you, tell them you’d be more comfortable discussing it over coffee or at a happy hour. Then keep putting the date off until they get the hint.

— Adapted from “How to Silence Your Jabbering Coworker,” Patrick Allan, Lifehacker.