Anyone who has worked in an office setup would have come across office gossip directly or indirectly. And then there are some colleagues who want to know everything that happens within the walls of the office.

You might think it is harmless to share some information with your colleagues on issues that are not generally viewed as confidential.

This is where the problem lies : Discussing something that is not necessarily confidential can affect your productivity in ways that you never imagined.

For example, if you are the kind that discusses all the “updates”given by your boss with your “buddies” in the workplace,you need to pay attention to these 2 points:–

1.Information that is readily shared can be convoluted or misinterpreted by various people willingly or unwillingly.

2. If your “office buddies” were meant to have knowledge of the information,it would be conveyed to them anyway.

Do not share “updates” unless expressly requested to by your higher-ups.

Consider this,: When you convey a message, the full context of the message is rarely understood leading to a discussion.

Do you really want to have a “discussion about a discussion”? Think about it.

So the next time you have the urge to discuss office issues with your office buddies,refrain from doing so. Or atleast do it just 2 out of the 10 times you have an urge to discuss without spending more than 5 min (we are human after all and you don’t want to across as being aloof).If you are asked,just deflect attention or avoid discussing. Your office mates should not get the idea that they can get anything out of you.

Save your energy for building skills;at the end of the day,that is what moves your career forward.