TOP 20 ETIQUETTE RULES YOU SHOULD KNOW AND OBSERVE

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Etiquette simply is the customary polite code of behaviour around and with people; generally accepted code of conduct or conventional requirements as to social behaviour. It is important that we observe some of these rules of etiquettes because they are generally accepted in the society and plays a role on how a person is perceived. It is also a reflection of your entire outlook on social interaction; talking with food in your mouth can say a lot about you even when its not right. Here are top twenty rules of etiquette we break everyday but shouldn’t.

1.    Punctuality: if you are one of those people who are always chronically late, it shows disrespect for other people’s time and gives off a bad impression about you. If its business or work related, you probably wouldn’t be called back after the first two times.

2.   Constantly interrupting: always cutting someone short or off when they are talking is rude and wrong. Its okay to air your opinion but when you do, allow the others to speak. It may be an innocent act but it breaks public code of conduct.

3.   Chronic use of mobile phone when with others: when hanging out with friends or discussing with people or when you have visitors, its wrong to be on your mobile phone texting and chatting or browsing or whatever you might be doing while ignoring the people you are with. Always give the person you are with attention. If you have to take a call or text, apologize and do so. Don’t make it a habit.

4.   Talking with food in your mouth: this is wrong on all levels as it makes you look stupidly funny and can be embarrassing to people you are with. If you must say something, finish the food first before you speak. If someone questions you while you are chewing, the person will be patient enough to wait for you to be through with chewing.

5.   Be thankful: Always show gratitude when someone does something nice for you or gives you a gift, don’t see it as a right even if it is. Immediately say thank you if you can or you place a call to them later.

6.   Don’t eat while walking: many have justified this by saying that the foreigners who taught us not to do such always do it. But it’s wrong to be eating and walking. If you are in hurry, hold off till you get to where you are going. It gives you an irresponsible aura.

7.   Treating service staff poorly: because they are there to serve you is not a reason to be rude to them. Its okay not to tip them if you don’t have but its proper to say thank you when served even though you are paying for it. Its also okay to show displeasure about poor service but its not s ground to be rude.

8.   Call to cancel: if you are not going to make it to an appointment, call to cancel. Don’t just leave the person there waiting. If it’s a date, the person might conjure up all evil possible reasons why you were not there and be living in anger for you even when its not your fault that you missed. Always call to cancel.

9.   Cell phones conversations in public: when in a public place, keep you voice down when taking or placing a call. Don’t discuss private issues in public, wait till you are alone or in a lesser crowd. Don’t be so loud and over the top to prevent the cold stares.  

10. Comfy usage of curse words or foul language: even if you are okay with such languages or its acceptable in your home, when in public exercise a little self-control and limit your usage of foul language or curse words. It puts people off and immediately sets a wrong impression about you.

11. Poking your finger into your nose or picking your teeth with your hands: wrong wrong wrong. There’s a reason toothpicks where made. If you must poke your finger into your nose or pick your teeth, do so privately.

12. Dragging your feet on the floor while walking: this draws unwanted attention to yourself as the girl or boy who has no manners and lack of training. Its noisy and gets your feet all dusty and dirty.

13. Belching and yawning noisily without an excuse me: its okay to belch or yawn, sometimes you can’t hold it back but its not an involuntary action, so you should take an excuse before doing so as not to appear rude.

14. Chewing noisily with mouth open: this can also be irritating and annoying. It attracts unwanted stares and puts you out as lacking manners.

15. Utter rudeness: if you are one of those people who are always rude to people, to kids, to elderly ones, who always talks back or snaps at every little thing or treats service staffs wrong, its not only bad etiquette but bad behaviour. There’s no reason to be rude to people you do not know

16. Jumping or walking over a person’s leg when they are sitting: an ‘excuse me’ would be in order or you walk around the person if you can’t say excuse. Its wrong and even considered bad luck in Nigeria.

17.   Flush a public toilet after use: though no one may see you but its wrong to use a public toilet at an office or occasion and leave it unflushed especially when there is water provided. If there is none, make an effort and don’t just ignore.

18. Screaming or shouting a person’s name to get there attention: I’m as guilty of this as anyone. When we see someone we know, we lose all our senses and begin to scream. Recently, I was in a keke with a girl, I knew her from school as quiet and respectful and well behaved. She was quiet to herself. As we were approaching where I would come down, she saw a friend and out of excitement I guess, she stuck her head outside the keke and began to scream the girl’s name to gain her attention, it didn’t work anyways until our keke_s were side by side. I was taken aback till I remembered that I do it too. It’s a bad etiquette. Call the person if you can or leave it till next time you see.

19. Call or text back: if someone calls or texts and probably, you were not with your cell, do well to call back or text back. Its assumed that you will see the missed call and the person may have called for a reason. It says a lot about how you see or respond to the person if you keep failing to call back.

20.   Failure to introduce others: when you are with someone and another joins, both are connected to you but don’t know each other, its rude to keep talking or greeting without introduction. It keeps them aloof and can give a cue of leaving when its not what you are asking.

Any comments? More etiquette rules I didn’t mention? Feel free to use the comment box and don’t forget to subscribe.

Love

      Kamby

By the way, Happy new month !!!!!