You’ve been there. A chatty coworker stops at your cubicle to talk about an end-of-quarter project. Before you know it, you’re stuck in a never-ending, one-sided conversation about her “adorable” cat, his over-achieving daughter or someone’s new car. You want out. So how do you do it without hurting Chatty Cathy’s or Chatty Carl’s feelings?
Here are four exit strategies to get out of a boring co-worker conversation:
Focus on your conversation partner. A Jezebel article shares this great tip from Ann Marie Sabath, author of “Business Etiquette: 101 Ways to Conduct Business with Charm and Savvy.” She says,”Bringing the attention back to the other person can let them know you were listening to them, not just looking for a way out.” Grab the steering wheel by taking control of the conversation and asking them a sincere question referring to something they just talked about. Once they answer the question, conclude the conversation.
Simply ignore them. Sure, this sounds pretty harsh, but some people just can’t take polite social cues. Stand up and walk over to the printer. Stare at your computer screen and begin typing. Make a fake a phone call. This old trick that has worked on bad dates for years. Pretend you feel your cell phone vibrating in your pocket or purse, then answer with a brief “Excuse me – I’ve got to take this.”
Put them on your schedule. “’Book’ time with her later to show she’s important to you,” suggests 
Be loud – and repetitive. This is a tactic to be used when the conversation is inappropriate. Tell her quietly at first that you do not want to hear this conversation. Keep repeating and get louder if she continues. Or let her know you are done by saying,”‘Well, that was more than I wanted to hear”
Remember to try and spare your co-worker’s feelings, but make your wishes clear. Good luck!