How to Deal with an Overly Friendly Neighbor
Resist the urge to avoid them., Look outside before exiting., Tell them you’re in a rush and can’t chat., Excuse yourself politely to exit conversations., Reschedule chats to a more convenient time.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Resist the urge to avoid them.
While it may seem easiest just to avoid your neighbor — say by peeking out your window to make sure they aren't around when you leave the house or by pretending you're not home when they knock — this is simply prolonging the issue and may, in fact, cause their behavior to escalate.
Instead of avoiding your neighbor, you can set boundaries in a very non-confrontational way. , The easiest way to avoid your overly friendly neighbor is to look outside before walking out the door.
Peer through your peephole or window and, if you see them, wait a few minutes before opening the door.
If you exit your apartment and hear them around the corner, avoid an awkward encounter by waiting for them to leave the building or enter their apartment., You might not have time in your schedule to wait for them to leave the scene, or they might see you head out and bombard you.
Stop a long-winded conversation before it starts.
Smile, wave or say hello, and keep walking.Say something like, “Hi there! I’m in a rush and can’t chat.
Catch up with you later!” With any luck, they’ll take the hint after you do this a couple of times. , A friendly, neighborly conversation starts to get stale after about four minutes.If they start to gab and you’ve reached your limit, find a way to gracefully end the conversation.Try saying, “Well, I’m running late for an appointment.
Have a good one!” Other excuses could be a lunch or dinner date, work, or meeting your workout partner.
If you’re entering your home, you could say, “I have to start dinner,” or “I have piles of laundry (or another chore) to do.” You could always just leave it vague and say, “I just noticed the time
- I have to run!” , If your neighbor is at your door, you are not required to answer, especially if you don't feel safe doing so.
If, however, you feel comfortable answering the door, you can quickly set a boundary by saying, "Now is really not a great time for me to talk." If you wish to have a relationship with your neighbor, suggest an alternate time that you can talk.
Say, "Are you free tomorrow afternoon, around four? I'll be free then and would love to take a walk and catch up." If you don't like them dropping by unannounced, you can also tell them politely, “It’s really best to call or set something up instead of popping in.” -
Step 2: Look outside before exiting.
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Step 3: Tell them you’re in a rush and can’t chat.
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Step 4: Excuse yourself politely to exit conversations.
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Step 5: Reschedule chats to a more convenient time.
Detailed Guide
While it may seem easiest just to avoid your neighbor — say by peeking out your window to make sure they aren't around when you leave the house or by pretending you're not home when they knock — this is simply prolonging the issue and may, in fact, cause their behavior to escalate.
Instead of avoiding your neighbor, you can set boundaries in a very non-confrontational way. , The easiest way to avoid your overly friendly neighbor is to look outside before walking out the door.
Peer through your peephole or window and, if you see them, wait a few minutes before opening the door.
If you exit your apartment and hear them around the corner, avoid an awkward encounter by waiting for them to leave the building or enter their apartment., You might not have time in your schedule to wait for them to leave the scene, or they might see you head out and bombard you.
Stop a long-winded conversation before it starts.
Smile, wave or say hello, and keep walking.Say something like, “Hi there! I’m in a rush and can’t chat.
Catch up with you later!” With any luck, they’ll take the hint after you do this a couple of times. , A friendly, neighborly conversation starts to get stale after about four minutes.If they start to gab and you’ve reached your limit, find a way to gracefully end the conversation.Try saying, “Well, I’m running late for an appointment.
Have a good one!” Other excuses could be a lunch or dinner date, work, or meeting your workout partner.
If you’re entering your home, you could say, “I have to start dinner,” or “I have piles of laundry (or another chore) to do.” You could always just leave it vague and say, “I just noticed the time
- I have to run!” , If your neighbor is at your door, you are not required to answer, especially if you don't feel safe doing so.
If, however, you feel comfortable answering the door, you can quickly set a boundary by saying, "Now is really not a great time for me to talk." If you wish to have a relationship with your neighbor, suggest an alternate time that you can talk.
Say, "Are you free tomorrow afternoon, around four? I'll be free then and would love to take a walk and catch up." If you don't like them dropping by unannounced, you can also tell them politely, “It’s really best to call or set something up instead of popping in.”
About the Author
Amy Hughes
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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