20 ways you’re making others uncomfortable without realizing it
Staring
When you’re hanging out with friends or chatting with coworkers, it’s polite to look them in the eye every so often to show you’re listening and truly interested in what they’re saying. But if you stare at them for too long, things can get awkward and uncomfortable. They might think you’re flirting or wonder if there’s something wrong with them—or you!
Avoiding eye contact
On the flip side, if you’re too nervous to look people in the eye, it can make things uncomfortable for the other person and they won’t want to be near you for very long. Shifting your eyes around, looking at the floor, or staring at the ceiling can make you seem bored, anxious, or untrustworthy.
Indulging in bad habits
When you’re with other people, it’s polite to keep your unpleasant bodily functions and bad habits to a minimum. Burping, farting, picking your nose, biting your nails, and scratching yourself can make other people feel uncomfortable and grossed out. If you really can’t help it, excuse yourself and go someplace private, like a restroom.
Invading someone’s personal space
You might think you’re being friendly, but if you’re leaning in so close that the other person can feel—or worse, smell—your breath, then you’re invading their personal space. If you notice someone backing away, it means you’re too close and making them extremely uncomfortable.
Being touchy-feely
You might be a friendly person, but that doesn’t mean you should touch people all the time, especially at work. If you know someone well, the occasional light touch to the shoulder, arm, or back is probably fine, but if you’re overly touchy-feely, you’re bound to make your friends and coworkers uncomfortable and they might start to avoid you or even file a complaint.
Misreading social cues
If you laugh when someone shares a sad or emotional story or if you don’t laugh or smile when someone tells a joke, you’re sure to make the other person feel uncomfortable or upset. It’s important to read social cues and react accordingly.
Wrong topic, wrong time
There’s a time and a place for everything. Dinners with friends and staff parties aren’t the time nor the place to discuss your political or religious views or tell off-colour jokes. Likewise, you’re sure to be met with an awkward silence if you can’t stop talking about your best friend’s ex in front of their new date.
Dominating the conversation
If you’re in the habit of dominating the conversation so that nobody else can get a word in edgewise, you might be making your friends and family uncomfortable. Take a breath and see if anyone’s still listening. Chances are they’re looking at their plates—or their phones!
Swearing
Cursing may be okay in certain contexts, but if you swear like a sailor at work, formal events, or in front of children, you’re going to make everyone around you uncomfortable or angry. Swearing can make you appear crass, uneducated, and out of control—and people won’t want to be around you.
Calling people by the wrong name
A lot of people struggle to remember names, but it’s worth making an effort. It can be especially awkward if you continue to call a coworker or neighbour by the wrong name for months—or even years! The people around you are sure to be uncomfortable, wondering when and how to correct you.
Always checking your phone
A major social faux pas is the inability to put your phone away when you’re with other people. It’s extremely rude to check your phone during dinner or interrupt a date to chat with someone else, especially when it’s clearly not an emergency.
Lacking social graces
It’s the small things that matter. Please and thank you. Good morning and good evening. Saying hi to a neighbour or asking about a coworker’s weekend. If you lack social graces, people might think you’re rude or self-centred.
Flirting
If you’re pretty sure the feeling’s mutual, there’s no harm in flirting. But if your timing’s bad (think staff meetings), you can make the entire room uncomfortable. If your advances go unreciprocated and you persist, you can make the other person so uncomfortable that it becomes harassment.
Interrupting others
Do you find yourself cutting people off, finishing their sentences, or speaking when you should be listening? Do you always seem to have something that you simply can’t wait to share? It’s a sign of disrespect for others and can make them uncomfortable and annoyed that you’re not really listening to what they have to say.
Too much PDA
It’s fine to show your love for your significant other, but over-the-top public displays of affection can make those around you feel very uncomfortable. A quick kiss, hug, or holding hands is one thing, but groping one another is sure to make others start looking for the exit sign.
Fidgeting
Do you mindlessly click your pen, tap your foot, or drum your fingers on your desk? You might not realize that your nervous fidgeting is driving your coworkers crazy and making them uncomfortable being around you.
Oversharing
Are you quick to tell all about your love life or financial woes, either at the office or on social media? The truth is, not everyone wants to hear the blow-by-blow of your latest fight with your partner. Save that for your BFF, not the staff room or your Facebook status. Remember, privacy has its place.
Eating with your mouth open
Nobody wants to see the food inside your mouth, but nobody wants to be the one to tell you to eat with your mouth closed. Instead, they just feel awkward and uncomfortable while you chomp away, oblivious.
Talking too loudly
The entire office doesn’t want to hear about your weekend escapades. In fact, they already know way too much about your love life because you talk so loudly that they look away or smirk when they see you.
Taking too many selfies
It’s one thing to take a selfie when you’ve just hiked to the top of a mountain or are visiting a foreign ｃountry, but if you’re constantly snapping selfies, the people around you are going to feel self-conscious and uncomfortable.
Article Source: http://www.msn.com/en-ph/lifestyle/lifestylegeneral/20-ways-you%e2%80%99re-making-others-uncomfortable-without-realizing-it/ss-AAwcRjI?li=BBr8OIZ#image=1
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VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Flip side (n.) ~ another aspect or version of something, especially its reverse or its unwanted concomitant
2. Indulge (v.) ~ allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of
3. Unreciprocated (adj.) ~ to not experience the same (love, liking, or affection) for someone as that person does for oneself
4. Fidget (v.) ~ make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience
5. Faux pas (n.) ~ an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation
6. Social cue (n.) ~ can either be a verbal or non-verbal hint, which can be positive or negative, and are used to guide conversation and other social interactions
7. Oblivious (adj.) ~ not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one
8. Smirk (v.) ~ smile in an irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly way
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What are the things that makes you uncomfortable regarding socializing?
2. Which of the abovementioned behavior are you guilty of?
3. What do you do or say when you are in an uncomfortable situation?
