12 Smart Ways to Respond When People Interrupt You Constantly

Tired of people interrupting you? Sometimes, it’s tough enough to speak up, let alone when you’re constantly being interrupted and can’t really get your point across. In those moments, it’s really tempting to be sour and give up, but you don’t have to. It’s time you take a stand for yourself and nip it in the bud. Here are smart ways to respond when people won’t stop speaking over you.

Hold Up Your Hand

While this may look rude, a gesture like this is enough to make anyone stop in their tracks and conversation. Another reason we recommend holding up your hand is because there’s no way other people won’t notice it, so you know the interrupter won’t have any option but to stop speaking over you. It’s also assertive and mildly intimidating, so hopefully, it sets a tone for the rest of the conversation.

Say, “Let Me Finish”

Say it loud and proud: “I was talking, let me finish first.” It’s a little blunt and might be challenging for some of us (especially if you don’t like hurting others), but being assertive in such situations is essential. If you don’t take a stand for yourself now, you’ll only be dealing with being spoken over for the rest of your life. It might sound dramatic, but it happens.

Acknowledge Their Interest

Sometimes, people don’t mean any ill will. They just speak over others because they’re incredibly excited to share something. While we don’t think this should be normalized, it wouldn’t hurt if you acknowledged their interest. Acknowledge their interest and then save it for later so you won’t look like the bad guy. For example, say, “You made a very interesting point, you can explain it after I’m done.”

Stay Calm

We understand that being interrupted is incredibly frustrating, but reacting aggressively is not the recommended route. Your reaction will not only dull the conversation and make it awkward but possibly turn other people away from you. It’s much better to stay calm and collected. Try to redirect the conversation or address the interruption without erupting into anger.

Address It Directly

Sometimes, ignoring the interruption might make a situation worse. In this case, it’s best to address it directly. Let the interrupter know what they’re doing, especially if they’re trying to play their interruption off as an accident. Saying it out loud will make them uncomfortable enough to stop doing it, and it might even point out their habit to other people, who might step in to discourage it.

Raise Your Voice

While we certainly don’t encourage intimidating behavior, sometimes, the situation calls for it. If someone keeps interrupting you, continue with your conversation but with a raised voice. The sudden change in volume will cause alarm, but it’ll be just the perfect trigger to stop the interrupter from speaking over your conversation. Do it every time they interrupt you so they get the message.

Pause And Look At Them

Nothing makes a person awkward like staring at them silently. And the effect doubles when you’re doing it to someone who thinks interrupting others is fun. Doing this will put the other person in the spot, so they’ll feel uncomfortable. The silent pause, the long stare, and the direct hint of their intrusion should be embarrassing enough to prevent someone from ever interrupting you or others again.

Set Expectations In Advance

When you know someone who likes interrupting, it’s best to go with a preventive strategy instead of butting heads later. Communicate clearly that you’d like to tell your story without being interrupted. If you’re not the only target, it’s best to tell them how hurtful it is to be interrupted when you’re trying to speak up. Setting expectations and boundaries will hopefully convince them how serious their actions are.

Politely Ask Them To Stop

“Please stop! I really don’t want to be interrupted.” is a perfectly good way of setting the tone. Your politeness should prevent any fallback, especially if you’re dealing with a somewhat reactive person. And if they still push back and try to make you look like the bad guy for getting butthurt on being interrupted, your manners should convince others you’re in the right.

Reiterate Your Point

A subtle nod to your feelings of anger and frustration when someone interrupts you is reiterating your point. If you’re interrupted mid-sentence, continue the same sentence in the same way so the interrupter knows you weren’t done talking. Repeat this strategy as many times as possible, and you’ll eventually wean them off interrupting.

Be Assertive

If you try communicating your feelings nimbly and back down quickly, you’ll never be able to take a stand for yourself. Don’t give in to social pressure. Stay firm and assertive so the other person knows you won’t succumb to the pressure and back down. Staying assertive will boost your confidence, so you’ll curb future interruptions without any issues.

Involve A Mediator

If nothing else is working and the interrupter is ignoring all your attempts at reconciliation and redirection of the conversation, then involve a mediator. While involving a mediator might look childish, it’s often the only neutral way to keep a conversation healthy. A third-person view will hopefully convince the interrupter how rude their actions are.

More For You

Does it feel like your boss is always watching your every move? When a manager micromanages, it can make work feel stressful and kill your motivation. It’s more than just regular check-ins — it’s about not giving you the trust and freedom you need. If you’re wondering whether your boss is crossing the line, here are some signs to help you figure it out.

This article was first published at Rbitaliablog.