Become More Approachable By Not Always Being In Such A Damn Hurry

Become More Approachable By Not Always Being In Such A Damn Hurry

Charisma and likeability are powerful tools, but it helps if people feel like they can approach you. No one feels comfortable approaching someone who always seems like they’re rushing to the next thing in life. If you want to be approachable, chill out.

Photo by Tom Fogg.

As advice site The Muse points out, being in a hurry might feel like the default for some of us (OK, definitely me), but that rush can also be off-putting if someone else wants to have a word with you. That leads to missed connections, overlooked opportunities and a general sense that you’re not approachable. This can get in your way if you’re not careful:

Moving quickly — from the door, to your desk, to the bathroom, back to your desk — may be your normal pace, but to others, it just looks like you’re in a huge hurry. When you seem like you’re in a rush, most people’ll be reluctant to interrupt you, for fear that you’re too busy for them. Eating lunch at your desk reinforces the impression that you don’t have time to spare. And, if you never ever stick around for happy hour, your co-workers probably don’t have the first clue about how to include you in things.

A simple way to address this is to slow down. Let people have a conversation with you (or start talking to people yourself!) and idle in that talk for a bit. If you get a break at work, take it. Try not to force yourself to fill every single minute with something else to do. If you can get comfortable slowing down, other people might have an easier time getting comfortable with you.

3 Common Habits That Make You Look Really Unapproachable at Work [The Muse]


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