If you have ever seen the movie Mean Girls, then you have heard the term “word vomit.” In the movie, the teen heroine uses the term to describe what happens when she spills the beans about her manipulative actions in trying to get a guy to like her to said guy. She talks about how she knows she should stop talking, but she just can’t. Not surprisingly, the guy is disgusted by all the information and takes off.

Some of us have a word vomit problem at the office. This can be a severe professional handicap since people who talk too much are generally perceived as not capable of maintaining company discretion and may also be looked at as gossips. Here are some tips on how to know when to stop talking so that you do not develop a word vomit habit of your own:

1. Evaluate your information’s value
   If you are not contributing to a positive atmosphere or conveying business-related information, then think twice about talking. It may be that your information does not actually need to be disseminated.
    
2. Eliminate negative personal observations
   There is no reason to make public your personal opinion about another individual unless you are praising their efforts. All negativity does is make you look bad and hurt other people’s feelings. It also can hurt your credibility because people may perceive you as a gossip and be less likely to trust you.
    
3. Don’t air your dirty laundry
   At some point in your professional career, you are likely to have an issue with someone that you work with. Don’t tell people about it! Not only will they get sick of hearing it, but they may actually think you are requiring them to get involved. This can create all sorts of unnecessary “office drama” that you will be better off without.

Your ability to keep your tongue in check will prove valuable to you personally and professionally. Don’t be a victim of “word vomit!”