85. Don’t hang in the door and chat.

You don’t appreciate people lingering in your doorway. Others may not want you hanging around theirs. Be respectful of other people’s time—and your own. Never stick your head in someone’s door and just start to chat. If you do this regularly, others will start to believe you’re not working very hard. That can be a tough reputation to overcome.

The next time you drop by a colleague’s office with a question or comment, if the other person’s hands are on the keyboard, or the phone is in her hand, or she’s reviewing a document, you’re interrupting. If she doesn’t specifically invite you in, move on. E-mail or call her with your question. Or ask the other person to give you a call when she gets a chance. Not everyone will tell you straight out that they’re too busy to talk. It’s up to you to read the signals and respond accordingly.

If you have some exciting information to share, or need feedback from a colleague, or simply want to bounce a work-related idea off them, do so by e-mail. Or e-mail them a specific request to stop by. If you just need to take a break, take one. Don’t inflict your time-out on others around you. Ask a colleague to get some coffee with you. If he can’t go, take a short walk yourself. You’ll feel more refreshed and work more effectively after a short break than after a longer one spent lingering outside a colleague’s office.