Wake-Up Call: Etiquette 101 Refresh

Mastering these basics will take your etiquette finesse from zero to hero

When on a bus or the subway, good manners dictate that you give up your seat for any pregnant, elderly, or disabled passengers left standing. Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

In social situations, purses, briefcases, and shoulder bags should be carried on the left side. This keeps the right hand available for handshakes. Here are some other oft-forgotten rules that might be keeping you from being an etiquette virtuoso.

Be Present and Attentive

Technology can be great, but not when we are too busy paying attention to our phones or tablets and ignoring those around us. When in a meeting, either in-person or via Zoom or similar systems, turn your phone off. You can check missed calls and texts after the meeting.

If you are expecting a critical call that you have to accept, talk to the meeting organizer beforehand, explaining the circumstances. Set your phone to mute so that if the call comes in during the meeting, you can discreetly excuse yourself to take it without disturbing everyone else. During meals, turn the phone off.

Give Up Your Seat

Here’s a well-known rule of good manners that has since fallen by the wayside: While on a bus or the subway, give your seat to someone who needs it more than you do. This could be a pregnant woman, an elderly person, or someone with a physical impairment that makes standing uncomfortable.