1. Avoid noisemakers.

• Set your pager on a vibrator setting when in the office.

• Turn your personal cell phone off, or put the volume on the lowest setting.

• Use a silent screen saver.  Nothing is more irritating than a constant noise that repeats over and over -- especially when trying to work!

• Please, by all means, take your cell phone with you when you are leaving your desk for a period of time.

• Turn the ringer on your phone to the off position if you are leaving on a business trip or vacation.

• If you like to work to music or the radio, wear headphones -- not everyone can concentrate while doing the shimmy in their chairs.

2. Keep your business to yourself as much as possible.  What you are talking about on the phone or at your desk is of no importance to workers around you.  Contrary to what you might believe, no one in the office hangs on your every word, is interested in your personal business, or feels you are more important just because of your phone or desk conversations.

• Talk as quietly as possible when using the phone.

• Do not use a speaker phone unless you are in a private room.  If you need to have your hands free, purchase a head set.

• Keep your personal calls to a bare minimum.  You are in the office, not your living room.  If the call can be made after work or during lunch, save it for later.

• If more than two people come to your cubicle to discuss an issue at any length (this includes gossip!), try to move the conversation to an available private room or outside the office in a hallway away from others.  Better still, discuss the issue over lunch.

3. Respect the space and privacy of others.

• Before entering someone else's office or cubicle, check to be sure they are not too busy.  

• Don't stand around and wait if the person you want to speak with is on the phone or talking with another co-worker!  It is irritating to be in a conversation and have someone standing near you listening and making you feel as though you need to rush the conversation.

• Making comments to co-workers about conversations they have had on the phone or in their cubicle (to which you were not invited) is in poor taste and does invade privacy.  Use good judgment.

4. Avoid bringing strong smells into close quarters.  This is common sense for most, but nevertheless it has been a problem in most offices at one time or another.

• Try not to "marinate" yourself in your favorite perfume, cologne, or aftershave.  If you can still smell your perfume or cologne/aftershave in an elevator 10 minutes after you've exited, you're wearing too much!  If in doubt, ask a trusted co-worker for his/her opinion.  A little dab truly will do you just fine.

• Practice good hygiene habits.  In other words, please remember your deodorant!  Enough said.

• Eat foods at your desk that don't require a microwave, if possible.  Heated foods tend to allow the smell penetrate to all areas around you.  Not everyone may like the smell of those leftovers from last night's dinner.  Popcorn seems to also be very popular.  If you make popcorn to eat at your desk, don't forget to offer some to those around you.  Also, watch the popcorn in the microwave -- burnt popcorn smells awful, and the smell lingers.  Keep a can of light air freshener on hand just in case you need to eat lunch at your desk.  (Lunch at your desk?  For goodness sake, take a break!)

People in general find it difficult to bring up these types of issues with those around them.  No one likes to embarrass another by bringing up habits that are annoying (and even though annoyed, they probably won't!).  While you may not have had anything said to you up to this point, if any of the above applies to you, it is most likely time for some changes in your office etiquette.