How would you tell a person politely (without hurting him) that you are not interested in his whole long story and have many important things to do.
At times it becomes really difficult to listen patiently to a person when you are in a hurry and he wants to tell you his whole story of something which you might not find interesting, like his fav. movie…etc.
I also made this mistake few times during a discussion. Once I went a bit deeper into a discussion but suddenly I realized my roommate was standing at the door repeatedly looking towards the washroom. I immediately stoped and felt ashmed. He excused for a minute and went to the washroom.
stp, i would just say "i'm sorry to interrupt you, i don't mean to cut you short but I REALLY need to take care of this right now. would it be alright if we continued this later?"
sometimes people need to have a good listener. it is almost like someone is 'looking for' validation in desperation, when they open up and disclose their personal fears or concerns or cherished hopes and dreams.
of course they have to be truthful in their account.
but, as long as it is not a helplessness self pity trick, the other more well positioned individual may be able to listen to the distressed person's genuine lament and be able to enforce a sense of hopefulness in him/her.
again, it depends on him/her how that person regards that accorded help.
once, it gets to be repetitive or over indulging, best thing to do is remain polite yet be firm in giving the hint to the individual that it is time to show some of his/her aspirations to materialize into improving their lives, rather than remain where they have been at - entrapped in their external factors or worse deliberately stuck.
