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People Break Down The Most Annoying Phrases Their Coworkers Use

People Break Down The Most Annoying Phrases Their Coworkers Use
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We all have one: the coworker that we just can't get along with.

They can be annoying for a number of reasons. Maybe their voice, maybe it's the way they sign their emails, maybe they bring tuna sandwiches into the lunch room.

A lot of annoying coworkers out there tend to have a "catch phrase" of sorts. And it drives some people up a wall.

We compiled a list of some of the worst sayings a coworker can use.


Redditor EzraMusic98 wanted to know:

"What is the most annoying phrase your coworkers use?"

If you work in an office, you probably will relate.

Having fun at work.

"I have one co-worker who without fail every single time I see him says "Having fun yet?" even if it's only been about 10 minute since I saw him last."

- Blametruth86

"I had a friend at my last job who was guilty of those stupid cliche phrases. I never had the heart to tell him how irritating and predictable it was LOL. Some of his favorites were: 'living the dream,' 'another day another dollar' and 'just another day in paradise.'"

- Marlon_Rando481406

"I do it mainly because I worked in customer service my entire life and now am basically programmed to interact with a generic and neutral conversation with ANYONE and I do mean ANYONE who gets within a 10-foot circle of me."

"I literally had a job at a hospital for years where that was one of the rules, anyone in a 10-foot circle gets a greeting."

- Ok-Detective-2419

"You are now a Non-Player Character."

- coffeeblood126

"There are a lot of working stiffs like this. I catch myself doing this too, running on a brain off / autopilot mode half the time. I think it's basically a symptom of people not giving a single sh*t about taking the energy to invest in real relationships with people at work. Not in a malicious way. Just it's not important to them. And I totally get that."

- cuddlytron

One person's dream is another person's nightmare.

"Just livin' the dream! Another day in paradise!"

- No_Extension108

"'Just livin' the dream!'"

"ME: one nightmare at a time."

- DeadLined784

"This explains my thoughts on this phrase. A nightmare counts as a dream, so the answer is honest either way you look at it and the person you're answering will just assume good."

- Hydra_Master

The supervisor just doesn't care.

"When we report any technical issue to the supervisor he always gives some basic a** instructions, then proceeds to write 'keep me posted.' Then when we keep him posted he never replies. So we know that it actually means 'I don't give a f*ck about your problem.'"

- Lord-AG

"Yeah my old supervisor would yell when the printer is broken that we never tell him. Then when we did he yelled anyway."

- getyourownpillow

"Your supervisor is saying 'let me know if it gets worse, otherwise I'll assume its fixed.'"

"That's not better but its probably true."

- VrinTheTerrible

"I'm confused by this …. Assuming that it's that persons job to fix the issue not the supervisors. Wanting to know it's not worse is both essential and an appropriate level of Involvement."

"Otherwise the supervisor isn't supervising they are micro managing."

- readerdad55

"I agree. I think the posters point was that not hearing back from the supervisor makes it feel like they don't give a f*ck. I can see how it would come across that way, and maybe [the original poster's] supervisor really doesn't give a f*ck."

- VrinTheTerrible

Work is not "family."

"Calling us 'family.' I like my team at work. I get along with them very well. But we're not family. I already have a family. Our relationship is professional. After we stop working together I might hit you up for a recommendation or something but our relationship will effectively end there. Work is work, family is (Vin Diesel voice) family."

- PhreedomPhighter

"There is one person on my team who does this. We're all remote, scattered across the country and have always been, so we have these 'social hours' once a month."

"She refers to the team as her family but we all know it's because she has NO LIFE outside of work, literally, she does nothing, she works like 14-15 hours a day when it's not really necessary to do that."

- DTownForever

"Does anyone care enough about her to tell her she might need professional help? That lady could be in a really bad spot emotionally. Could be you, or could be a coworker."

- Gimmedatgoodrice

"I'm her manager. I have spoken to her about it so many times I can't count. My boss has talked to her, as well. She gets defensive, pushes back, says she wants to do it (work that much). I have tried. She has some sort of medical issue (personally I think she is anorexic but that's none of my business obviously) that prevents her from having children but she's talked many times about wanting to have a family."

- DTownForever

Workers are allowed to take breaks.

"'If you've got time to lean you've got time to clean.'"

"Shut up Matt. I'm not leaning because I have nothing to do, I'm leaning because I'm overworked and my back hurts."

- anxiousjellybean

"Matt returns to the back room to check his IG story."

- TheRavingRaccoon

"Yupppppp. F*cking hate this phrase with a passion. And I hate people who actually enforce it even more."

"You make me come in for $7 a hour. Overwork me and make me stand on a hard floor for long periods of time and often forget my break. Co-workers and managers that enforce this need to bug off asap. Let me have a few min of peace long as I get my stuff done leave me alone."

- BooksAndStarsLover

"Just hold a rag in your hand. I used to have stations set up where I would go to 'clean' when it was 'slow.'"

- MisterRay27

People Break Down The Strangest Rules Their Parents Enforced Growing Up | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

"My manager would sit in his fat a** in the corner the whole shift. if there were no customers and nothing to do he still wouldn't let us sit down for even 5 minutes. I resorted to sitting in the walk-in just for a little bit of pain reduction."

- murpalim

"Man, there is nothing quite like a minute or two in the walk-in after working hard. The cold is so... comforting."

- HillaryClintonsclam

No one should be this excited about Friday.

"Happy Fri-yay!"

- SinterClauss

"I have never heard this and I already hate anybody who says it."

- Aware-Performer4630

"There was a guy who worked the front desk at my company. Every Friday he would great everyone with TGIF!!! My office is pretty close to the front so I would hear TGIF all day long. He would also start playing Christmas music in October."

- is_this_funny2_u

"I have a coworker that says 'Happy Friday....... Eve.' Don't do that; don't give me hope."

- tehfraginator

"I don't mind that one because Fridays are indeed happy. I do not like the more sarcastic 'happy Monday,' however."

- Marlon_Rando481406

"Looks like somebody has a case of the Mondays!"

- tobesteve

Let us yawn in peace.

"When they see someone yawn 'oh no don't you dare it's too early for that.'"

- HACountry

"The only response to that I can think of is 'eat sh*t.'"

- chittad

"I used to have a boss that told me that every morning."

- crime_dude

We'll circle back to this.

"Circle back. This isn't the Oregon trail or some hunting operation. We're office people."

- rykmi

"I use that and then specifically never circle back."

- Cleanwolfe

"In education circles in Texas, you'll hear 'We'll cover this state standard now, and, after the next unit, we'll spiral it back in.' Every time I heard that phrase 'spiral back in,' I died a little inside."

- TrixicAcePolyamEnby

Another day another dollar.

"Another day another dollar... every damn day."

- Riddance_Good

"I am guilty of this. I am on lunch right now having just said it."

"I just literally don't know what else to say when a random worker asks me how I am doing, especially when we are walking past each other and I don't have time to formulate a more substantial response."

- Brandyn_

"'Good! You?'"

- chihuahua-mama

"Better yet, 'good, thanks!'"

- atworkcat

"I was so happy exchanging 'pay day!' Messages with my coworker, but one day he didn't seem as happy later it turned out he was terminated and given some time (months, he was on a work visa) to find another job."

- tobesteve

It's just a job.

"I've had a coworker once tell me that working for (company) wasn't just a job, it was a lifestyle."

"Like, no. It's a job."

The_Tell_Tale_Heart

"I'm a teacher and this is a huge issue. I love my job and I'm good at it. But it is not my life. It's a job I do, m-f, 8-4."

- OhioMegi

"When we actually went on strike, one of the signs I made for us was 'do it for the kids' doesn't pay my rent.'"

- bijouxette

This might apply to some jobs though.

"There absolutely are some jobs that are lifestyles. Driving a truck, for example, kind of dictates the type of life you live."

"Working in an office doesn't usually do that though."

- 1CEninja

"That definitely applies to the film industry."

- ohseven1098

"My boss once told me that he feels like some people only work where we work to collect a paycheck, and he said it like it was just the worst thing he could think of."

"The whole time i was thinking 'Yep, you're looking at one of them right now.'"

- BigbyWolf94

It's just the overall attitude.

"I have one co-worker who, every day without fail will say at the beginning of the shift, 'Is it time to go home yet?' Every. Single. Day."

- SenorRock

"Well, f*ck. I am that person. Sorry. It's just that I hate my boss and I'm dead inside.

"I hate my boss because he A) rarely comes out from his cubicle to talk to his team. B) when he does, uses the phrases 'There's (insert name),' and 'Gotta keep movin' C) Always has a stupid Bluetooth earpiece in and is deaf in the other ear so can't fucking hear anything you say the first time. D) Everything is 'x number of...'"

- 5ygnal

"I get it. Everyone gets it. No one wants the reminder."

- MadRollinS

Not everyone's friend's with their coworkers and that's okay.

But if you say some of these things, it might be time to stop and think, "Am Ithe annoying coworker?"

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Content Warning: Mental Health, Suicide, Domestic Violence

We all know that we technically can't make anyone else do anything, and we certainly can't "fix" other people. Other people will only change or do something if they choose to; the only person we can really control is ourselves.

But some people really love to try, often to hilarious and terrible results.

Already cringing, Redditor Dapper_Algae6280 asked:

"People who entered a relationship thinking 'I can fix them,' how did that go?"

Time for an Upgrade

"There is a weird thing that happens when you 'fix' someone. They tend to think if you liked them broken, then they deserve better than you now that they are better than they were."

- TheRealLifePotato

"As horrible as it sounds, to have a happy, emotionally healthy relationship you need two happy, emotionally healthy people. If you want to be in that sort of relationship, you need to fix yourself first."

- inactiveuser247

"This right here. After three sh*tty relationships in a row, I realized this is a me problem. I took a few years off from dating to reflect and really learn to see red flags and understand myself so I wouldn't make that mistake again."

- MikoSkyns

No More Spark

"My now ex had PTSD, depression, and a variety of other issues she claimed. After two and a half years of dating (being my first and only relationship), she became more social, less suicidal, and overall happier as a person."

"She decided to cheat on me with someone else due to 'lack of communication' and us 'no longer having a spark". The irony."

"For context, we were 17 at the time, in high school, and I worked full-time hours with initiatives to hang out, which were refused. Red flags everywhere."

- elteragxo

"Your situation is eerily similar to mine, what the f**k?"

"I met a girl with mental and emotional issues and decided to fix them through a healthy relationship. She recovered and found someone else because 'the spark was gone.'"

- Aimlessdrifter8778

Misery Loves Company

"Now we are both broken."

- Brave-Butterscotch76

"The same thing happened to my sister-in-law. She married a very negative and miserable guy while saying 'he will get better' or 'we’re working on it,' and now she’s a very negative and miserable person."

- Moreofyoulessofme

Getting to Watch a Partner Grow

"At first we were only f**king. I don't know if I ever thought I could fix her, but I did fall in love with this beautiful lady with severe anxiety, depression, and trust issues after being in a domestically violent relationship."

"We were f**k buddies for about six months and I got a glimpse of her issues but I still went ahead and asked her to be my girlfriend The heart wants what it wants."

"We dated for a year and a half (two years since meeting), and I actually got to see her at her worst a few times, but I was finally able to get her therapy with a great psychiatrist and treatment, this is when I asked her to move in with me. We've been living together for six years."

"Four years ago, she had the worst breakdown I've seen. She went full-on paranoid, wall-scratching nervous, she was even doubting me and my motives to be there. It was a very difficult week, and she left the house and went to her mom's house in the middle of the night."

"Eventually, her therapist was able to get a hold of her and get her back to her senses. Her doctor then suggested that I also should go to a counselor or at the very least we should do couples therapy so we had strong bases for our relationship and we did."

"I now look back and won't change her for anything in the world, she has grown so much, and she glows right now. I now see her smile and it's glorious. She's achieved a great position too and it's amazing just to see how much happier she looks."

- Spiritual-Narwhal666

Not a Match

"I fixed what I wanted to fix, but that still didn't make us right for each other. In the end, I think she's in a much happier place than she could have been, so I think it was worth the time invested."

"We were wrong for each other, but at least we both came out better positioned to receive the happiness that would come to us later."

- MrWeb20

In Their Nature

"A couple of months into the relationship, I fixed him."

"After some irritation, he stopped peeing on the carpet. Now, my cat still brings mice, but I guess, that's just his nature."

- mobileJay77

The Importance of Boundaries

"I don't know if I would say that I 'fixed' her (and I wasn’t trying to), but I definitely taught my last ex the importance of being able to set boundaries and to stop going out of her way to please people who consistently hurt her."

"Eventually this would lead to us breaking up, but I have no regrets. I have issues of my own that were wearing her down and she did what she had to. Same rules apply. We’re both better off because of it."

- TylerTexas10

Happily Ever After

"She fixed herself and I fixed myself with each other's support, and we are living happily ever after, it seems, with ongoing work on ourselves and our relationship."

- DonPronote

An Uncommon Ending

"I didn’t fix them. But I tried my hardest to be patient and supportive while they fixed themself. Sometimes I was better at support than other times. Sometimes they were better at fixing than other times."

"It ended up being worth the patience. Things have been great with us for years now. I know this isn’t the normal outcome though, and I feel incredibly lucky."

- I_Invented_Frysauce

A Little Help from Our Friends

"Usually I'm the one people try to fix.. I think the repeated attempts definitely helped me. Now my current partner gets to enjoy the previous hard work."

"...I think I just got tired of hurting the people who love me and fixed myself, though."

- addrien

All Their Idea

"You can't fix anyone. You can only fix yourself, but if you really want to try and fix someone, you have to make it seem like it's their idea."

- BuhrZap

A Helping Hand

"I don't think you can fix anyone. You can only help them fix themselves, which is very different."

"If someone is actively trying to fix themselves, and you can actually be the person to support them through it, then it can work, but it could also not work."

"I do think there should be a distinction between the two. I mean, trying to fix someone is a bad idea, but if you like someone and are willing to support them in their journey to fix themselves, it's probably not the worst idea in the world."

- brooksie1131

Lesson Learned

"It went so well that they managed to cure me of the desire to 'fix' anybody."

"I’ll toss you a life preserver if you’re trying to save yourself. But I’m not jumping in the water with anyone so they can drown me on their way out."

"People who need to hit rock bottom in order to better themselves will use you to soften their landing if you let them."

- GlobalPermit5428

Best Friends Forever

"It went well but it didn’t work out."

"So we kind of fixed each other we were both at very weird points in our lives and we only dated for about one and a half years. We didn’t need a romantic partner but we did need a friend in each other."

"We’re both in better places now and the best of friends. We both want each other to be part of our lives just not as lovers."

"All and all, I say we got the best outcomes in our lives."

- CODMAN627

So Worth the Investment

"He was an Uber driver with only a high school diploma."

"I married him anyways and bankrolled his education because he was fun as f**k to be around, was the smartest person I’ve ever met, and loves me like I’m the only woman on Earth."

"Now, he’s a computer engineer and we are landlords together and have bought investment properties. We are very happy together."

"Partners work together to create success. I think selfish people ask, 'what’s in it for me?' Marriage is about selflessness."

"I’m glad I sacrificed for his education. His mind would be wasted otherwise and he’s a genius."

- BabyElephantWalks

In most of these cases, the situation went poorly after a Redditor tried to change someone, and for good reason. If that person isn't ready or doesn't want to be fixed, it's only going to damage the relationship.

There's also something to be said about unconditional love. If you don't want to date the person exactly as who they are right now, why are you even trying to date them?

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

Guy at the gym
Anastase Maragos/Unsplash

Tough guys put on a facade that indicates to others that they always know what's going on.

But their confidence doesn't always match their intellect, which is probably why they cover their insecurities by walking around and trying to show everyone who's really the boss.

If that's the case, they should keep their mouths shut because not everything that comes out of their mouth needs to be heard.

Yet, it can be amusing to everyone else.

Curious to hear examples of these, Redditor PrototypeShadowBlitz asked:

"Reddit, what is the stupidest thing you've heard from the 'alpha male' community?"

You might find these guys at a bar.

The Dude Must Be Hungry

"Had a run in once with a group of young lads about something in a bar and one of them said we are top of the food chain bro and you will be the prey."

– insertitherenow

"'Whatever, mall ninja" -proper response."

– TheEighthLord

If The Shoe Fits

"That they were an alpha male."

– I_Have_A_Name37654

"The use of 'Alpha Male,' unironically is every indication that you're dealing with a child's understanding of manhood."

– 88Dubs

Brat Pack

"Me and my bros are all alpha males."

– SonOfDadOfSam

"I was skiing one time and rode the lift with a guy that said, 'I don't feel no pain. I live with 5 roommates and none of us feel any pain.' Okay, bud. That's a really interesting coincidence."

– NicPizzaLatte

They sure thrive on making sexist comments.

Contagious Femininity

"A coworker said, 'I don't spend too much time with my girlfriend because I'll become too feminine.'"

– Lazy_Natural6154

"FELLAS IS IT GAY?!"

– aliebabadegrote

Sexist Categorization

"I have been called a beta for saying that my wife makes more money than I do. She works in a more lucrative field and is more educated than I am, so it makes perfect sense that she makes more than I do."

"So I came back, and this post has really blown up. There's just a few things I want to clarify."

"1- I have only ever been called a beta online."

"2- I work full-time in project management. I have a master's degree. I have a 6 figure salary."

"3- My wife has a PhD and works in finance. She also has a 6 figure salary, it's just a higher salary than my own."

"4- I'm sorry to anyone who might feel as though my original post misled them."

– ExaminationDouble240

It's Teamwork

"A real man would be proud of his wife for achieving success, and not fall for that sort of insecure bullsh*t."

"It's not a contest, that's the real joke here. Good on you for seeing the big picture."

– Mrbeardoesthethings

Do these roles about parenting sound familiar?

Childish Things Are Too Girly

"Real men don't take their kids trick or treating is one that I heard recently."

– constructionguy89

"Related. Guys who brag about not changing diapers, not playing 'girly' games, etc. Essentially guys who brag that their only contribution to fatherhood is money and masculine things like fishing or football. Even then some of them brag about not paying a lot of child support to prove they didn't let the system take advantage of them."

"I can't imagine a life so empty my only accomplishment worth bragging about was being a terrible parent."

– Green7000

This Woman's Work

"I was told that taking care of my kids is woman's work. Apparently it's concerning that I try to spend so much of my free time with them. Oddly enough the meatheads at my grappling club think it's sweet I occasionally have my daughters' hair clips on and nails painted."

– MrFunktasticc

People discussed rules in the bedroom.

Never Submissive

"That a man is turned off when their wife/girlfriend seduces them, because if she wants sex and shows it she is a sl*t, also making the man the submissive one…"

– kamalaophelia

Stifling Emotions

"Not the whole community, but was cuddling with a guy once and could tell he was trying not to get emotional over something that was bothering him. He said, quite literally, 'it's not alpha male behaviour.' I told him that I liked that he showed emotions sometimes, and he looked disgusted by the fact that I pointed it out."

– LambLifts

In high school, a classmate who was on the football team said I was a "sissy" for listening to classical music.

The other classmates laughed at me, which was hardly surprising since all of the guys on our unbeatable football team were considered stars on campus.

This kind of mockery was a typical day for me.

I can laugh at their idiotic comments now but back then, I don't know why I ever let them get under my skin.

Man standing behind large flowers
Quinn Buffing on Unsplash

We've all done things, or in some cases, regularly do things that others might consider weird.

Even so, we often feel no shame or embarrassment and embrace how unusual these habits are, and take our friends teasing or laughing at us for doing so in stride.

Sometimes, however, we might not like to advertise some of our unusual habits or actions and make every effort to keep them a well-guarded secret.

As raised eyebrows are much easier to take than blatant judgment from friends and peers.

Redditor Key_Nectarine_1969 was curious to hear all the weird things people have done which they still keep under lock and key, leading them to ask:

"What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done that you could only tell people anonymously?"

The Devil [Dogs] Is In The Detail...

"All throughout middle school, there was someone who tucked unwrapped Hostess Devil Dogs into the toilet paper dispensers in the bathrooms, so that when you pulled some toilet paper out, the devil dog would fall out into your hand."

"We had to have an assembly about it."

"That person... Was me."- bejeweled_sky

Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

"Was drunk at an escape room with coworkers."

"It was an extreme one where you are handcuffed the entire time."

"I decided in my drunken state that it would be bada** to dislocated my thumb and slip off the cuffs like the movies."

"It wasn't."

"We got kicked out, my coworkers were weirded out and I had to go to the hospital."

"I quit a few weeks later."

"White collar wasn't for me."- Grotesque-penguin

The Bread Of Heaven

"Stole over 1,000 wafers from church because I really liked the communion wafers & didn’t know where else to get them."

"I felt really blessed & cursed for a long time."- hALLIEcinate

catholic the exorcist GIFGiphy

Retracing Steps...

"Once I got off the subway in NYC and I was super early for an appointment."

"So I picked a random guy and just followed him on foot for like 30 minutes, pretending I was like a private detective or something."

"Always kept about a half block behind."

"He turned this way and that, and eventually went into a building I had lived in 9 years earlier."

"It was weird, and so was I."- OKsurewhynotyep

Hygeine Be Damned...

"I found a dead rat in a field when i was younger and kissed it bc I wanted to say goodbye."- qeleia

exercise push up GIFGiphy

Bad Decisions Have A Way Of Getting Back To You...

"We got super drunk and ate a ton of spicy food in New Orleans."

"Back at the B&B, the food started to come out the back side."

"I was sitting on the toilet sh*tting bricks of fire."

"At that moment, the booze decided to hang a u-turn."

"The trash can was out of reach and I couldn't risk standing up from the toilet for even 5 seconds."

"The closest receptacle was the bathtub."

"I managed to turn in such a way that I could keep shi*ting in the toilet while projectile vomiting into the tub."

"Both ended up clogged, and there was no plunger."

"I had to call the owner to explain that I had destroyed both their toilet and their tub simultaneously."- HoopOnPoop

Things Best Left To Professionals...

"My partner is weirdly prone to cysts."

"I had to drain a 3 inch cyst on her back (thankfully she had a dr's appt the next week), then multiple other little cysts on her legs and chest."

"I never told her to her face but that first giant cyst literally haunted me, the amount of pus and blood I saw....good heavens."- SleepyBiologist

uruguay spot GIF by sargentoPezGiphy

At Least A Lesson Was Learned...

"When I was walking to school one morning, I saw a kid (7-8 yo?) kicking a dog."

"I ran over & kicked the kid and asked him how it felt."

"He ran off and no one saw."

"Still not sorry."- sneezyailurophile

All Creatures Deserve Love

"I was extremely socially isolated as a child and tried to make friends with the coyotes who lived in the woods by our home."

'I caught one in a snare and fed and kept her."

"I wanted a friend."- letthetreeburn

That's What Friends Are For...

"My wife and her best friend pick me up from a frat party black out drunk."

"Then they helped me take a sh*t on the toilet, wiped my a** and then gave me a shower and put me to bed naked."

"Don’t remember any of it."- nc3100

Party Love GIF by Chris CiminoGiphy

Not The Right Kind Of Manure...

"One time I went outside at like 2AM and put the garden hose nozzle into my butthole and sprayed some water into it, then farted it out onto the lawn."

"Basically gave myself an enema with a garden hose."

"I did this because I was bored."

"My neighbour saw me and told my dad (lived at home at the time)."- WaspsInMyGoatse

A Little Fantasy Now And Then...

"When I was younger I joined an international dating site that I figured was a scam."

"Put a black square as my picture and gave myself a fake name, and then looked through their users."

"And after about 10 minutes I had like a 100 messages."

"Most of them were messages telling me how handsome I was or how these women fell in love with me at first site."

"Now I knew it was a scam but when ever I felt down or got rejected for a while I would pop back on the site and read a few messages."

'Yeah it’s kinda cringy and probably pathetic but it made me feel better."

"I would just turn off that logical part of my brain that knew it was a scam for awhile and just pretend I was this popular and desirable guy."

"And it honestly got me through the day sometimes."- Demonking3343

dating app GIFGiphy

If anyone says they've never done anything they're ashamed, or at the very least less-than-proud of, in all likelihood, they are lying.

Or, more likely, they understandably want to pretend that it never happened.

Which might be a little easier than harboring a secret.