What's the most polite way to get off the phone with someone who keeps talking?

Question

The ol' cell battery is dying trick? Or "running out of minutes"

Answer 1

The most polite way is to simply tell them you are sorry but have something to do and must get to it, but you enjoyed talking and hope to again soon. Or some other simular wording, but you get the idea. You don't even have to get into what it is you wish to do if you don't want to. If the person respects you and acknowleges your bounderies you can simply tell them you need to go. If you wish you can tell them the reason but it is not a requirement of any relationship, unless perhaps your spouse. Of course your relationship with a spouse will be vastly different than any other.

It can be difficult to find a way to get off the phone with a chatter box but it really is not so difficult once bounderies are established and there is mutal respect. I can be one of those chatter boxes and my sister, other family, friends, just tell me when they have to go and I understand. I know they love me and don't wish to hurt my feelings. I also know I can chatter on sometimes and so am not offended when somebody who cares about me tells me they need to go now. They just say something like, "Hey, hon, I have to go now lets talk again in a couple of day". and I am just fine with that. lol

Seriously, if you have care about the person you can establish a healthy boundery system which your family and friends will respect. We don't have to be rude or lie to get off the phone. A person who chatters really does know they tend to do so and can take a gentle hint that their phone companion needs to get off the phone or is just tired or whatever. My family simply tells me if they are tired, or if they need to get dinner started, or what other situation arises which makes them need to get off the phone. Sometimes it is just not a good time to talk and I understand this.

Now, I also am very aware when somebody lies to me about why they need to get off the phone. I take offense if a person outright lies to me and I will not keep that relationship as closely as before. It is not healthy to lie to people over such small issues and if a person feels a need to lie, well, that shows me that they either don't value me as a person, respect me enough to just be truthfull and if they will lie about that then what else will they lie to me about?

See? It isn't difficult to establish a healthy, honest relationship with mutual respect. If somebody simply refuses to respect you when you say you need to get off the phone then you need to consider if that person is somebody who you wish to maintane a close relationship with. If s/he just refuses to accept your reason and keeps on speaking anyway, that is disrespectfull and why have a relationship with somebody who disrespect you? You can still maintain a less intimate but social relationship with the person especially if it is a family member, but you are not required to have a close one with anyone who disrespects you.

If you are just starting the process of establishing personal bounderies it takes practice to become proficient at it. It feels really awkward when you first begin, as the fear of not being liked or of losing friends is very acute at first. However, why do you wish to be friends or keep close relations with those who consistantly disrespect you or walk all over you? You shouldn't want that sort of stress in your life. So, I have a saying which works really well for me all my life and has worked well for my children too: Fake it till you make it. This means start faking a high level of confidence in your bounderies and eventually you will have established and are able to maintain them very easily. You will find life much more enjoyable with them and knowing those you love respect you and wish to acknowlege your personal bounderies is a joy.

I wish you the very best in learning how to establish and maintain your personal bounderies. Have a great day!

Answer 2

War tactic #1: If they ever take a breath during their rant, cut in & ask a question that's relevant to what they're saying
"Wow. Really? I can't believe your boss did that! My friend got fired too." & BEFORE they can make a comment say "Look, I'm really tired, & I'd love to keep chatting with you, maybe we can pick up this conversation some other time. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

***Appropriate for: female & male friends, family members
WARNING: Don't use in relationships unless you like sleeping on couches (could work in some situations if you're smooth however)

#2: Tell them you have call waiting. Call yourself from your cell phone to your homephone (or vice versa) so you can put the other person on hold for a few minutes. Then go back to the other line & pretend something urgent came up

Or you don't even have to tell the other person why you need to hang up just say (in a hurried manner) "Look I have to go. Jerry just called. I'll call you tomorrow. Goodbye."

***Appropriate for: females during the initial dating stage to stage mystery about your life, mothers, friends, naive bosses
WARNING: Could nip you in the butt if you don't have a prepared story for why you had to get off the phone early. Plan it. Rehearse it. Be smooth.

#3: Do the dishes, laundry, cleaning, anything, make backgrand noise so other person will get curious & ask what's going on. You tell them you're doing the dishes (or something else USEFUL), & they'll cut through their own diatribe & say "Sorry, maybe I should just let you go & clean" leaving you free to pursue more leisurely activities than housework or listening to their jibber jabber.

***Appropriate for considerate friends who realize you have a life outside of theirs, mothers, females
WARNING: Could backfire if the person you're talking to is self absorbed or has bad hearing. May need to cause louder racket.

#4: If all else fails, let the person keep talking, just let yourself zone out, put some tv on with low volume, or read the newspaper, computer, whatever, interjecting "uh huhs", & "reallys" when appropriate.

***Appropriate for ranting females, & siblings.
WARNING: could cause complications in relationships. Do not use with parents or alert or PMSing females.

And cell batteries do die..so yeah..but anyways, this is why I prefer e-mail.
Remember, it's all about execution. And if nothing works, just say that you're pregnant and you think the baby's coming (it works better if you're a guy). Good luck!

Answer 3

She isn't attracted on your affairs, purely her talking. the two enable the telephone take messages once you would be going out, or get a doorbell like bell to place close to the telephone so that then you definately can ring it and say to her 'Oh I gotta bypass theres the door!' OR and it is great, in basic terms say' Its became so stunning of you to call. I could bypass now. Bye' and say it with agency loudness so she gets it. you're a doormat to her. Why you undertaking approximately being well mannered to somebody like it fairly is previous me in view that she doesnt 'comprehend' well mannered

Answer 4

Miss Manners suggest saying, "I'm gonna let you go now. It's been nice talking to you. Talk to you soon."
She also said that there was an old trick of keep saying "Hello? Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" pretend that you have a phone problem. When the person calls back again, don't pick up.

Answer 5

Cell battery is dying.

Answer 6

I've got to get off the phone now, but we'll talk for a long time soon.

Answer 7

Be honest. I would say something like, "gosh! I didn't realize how quickly time flies when we talk! There are some things I have to get done, so got to go!"

Answer 8

When you get a pause from them - say, "Well, it was really great talking with you. We need to keep in touch more often. Have a great day" Bye

Answer 9

Well if its a girl, you want to just mention how tired u are and eventually, they'll ask u if you want them to let you go.

If its a guy, just interupt and say "hey i gotta go."

Answer 10

Just tell them that you have you're going to be late for work or school or something like that. I have a problem like that with a friend of mine who I used to work with and he talks SO much that I'm thinkin' like, "GODDAMN! WILL THIS MOTHERF@$#ER EVER SHUT UP?!?!" Don't say anything to hurt their feelings; just tell them that you've got something to do. That's it!