50 WAYS TO BECOME DISGUSTINGLY PRIVATE AT WORK

Before you say it at work, ask yourself: “Could this be used against me later?” 1. Stop telling coworkers your salary. 2. Don’t announce your financial problems. 3. Keep your relationship drama at home. 4. Don’t discuss your sex life at work. 5. Stop telling everyone your family problems. 6. Don’t reveal every detail of your personal life. 7. Don’t announce your next career move too early. 8. Keep job interviews private. 9. Don’t tell coworkers you’re planning to resign before you’re ready. 10. Stop telling everyone who you’re talking to outside work. 11. Don’t reveal your passwords. Ever. 12. Don’t share sensitive personal documents. 13. Don’t gossip about your manager. 14. Don’t gossip about coworkers. 15. Don’t send angry messages about people in work chats. 16. Assume workplace chats can be screenshotted. 17. Don’t put confidential information in casual conversations. 18. Don’t reveal things told to you in confidence. 19. Don’t become the office information centre. 20. Stop saying, “Let me tell you something, but don’t tell anyone.” 😭 21. Don’t discuss your health in unnecessary detail. 22. Don’t reveal every insecurity. 23. Don’t tell coworkers everything you’re struggling with. 24. Don’t announce every personal purchase. 25. Don’t brag about your investments or savings. 26. Don’t discuss your debts casually. 27. Don’t tell everyone your side hustle. 28. Don’t reveal every client you’re working with. 29. Don’t share confidential business plans. 30. Don’t overshare because someone seems friendly. 31. Be friendly without becoming emotionally dependent. 32. Stop confusing coworkers with lifelong friends. 33. Don’t assume workplace friendships will survive workplace politics. 34. Don’t make one coworker your emotional dumping ground. 35. Don’t join every gossip circle. 36. Don’t react immediately to workplace drama. 37. Don’t send paragraphs when one sentence will do. 38. Don’t explain yourself unnecessarily. 39. Don’t tell people your entire career strategy. 40. Let your work speak before your mouth does. 41. Keep boundaries even with people you like. 42. Don’t give everyone access to your social media. 43. Be careful what you post publicly. 44. Don’t complain about your company online. 45. Don’t publicly celebrate leaving before you’ve actually left. 46. Don’t tell coworkers every offer you’re considering. 47. Learn to say, “I’d rather keep that private.” 48. Be warm without being completely exposed. 49. Remember: being private doesn’t mean being rude. 50. Your coworkers don’t need access to every chapter of your life. And before someone says, “But my coworkers are my friends…” Great. Be friends. Just remember that friendship and workplace access are two different things. You can laugh together at lunch and still keep your finances, relationship, family problems, career plans and private conversations private. You don’t have to become cold. You just need boundaries. The goal isn’t to become the mysterious coworker nobody can talk to. It’s to become the coworker who is: friendly, professional, helpful… but nobody can run your life because they know too much about it. Be approachable. Be kind. Be professional. Be PRIVATE. 🖤