Micropettiness

Made popular by TikTok, here’s a combined list of micropettiness tactics across different scenarios—workplace, home, dealing with rude strangers, and handling bullies.

Note: This is intended to bring laughs, it is recommended to actually take the high road– Unless you absolutely cannot 🤣🤣🤣!

Micropettiness in the Workplace

• • Making a colleague’s name slightly smaller in emails or documents
  • Sending an email reply with only a space so it appears blank
  • Scheduling a meeting at an inconvenient time, like right before lunch
  • Adjusting someone’s office chair height just a little
  • Printing unnecessary documents right before someone else’s big print job
  • Walking extra loudly past someone’s desk when they’re on a call
  • Leaving exactly one second on the office microwave
  • Only offering to bring coffee for some people
  • Slightly rearranging a shared document just to assert control
  • Replying with “Please advise.” when you know they already have the answer
  • Using an outdated subject line even when the conversation has shifted
  • Pausing in the doorway of a meeting room just long enough to block people
  • Pretending you don’t see someone struggling with the copier
  • Writing “As discussed” in an email about something never actually discussed
  • Casually walking by when someone is clearly trying to focus and saying, “What’cha working on?”
  • Asking for “just a quick chat” that turns into a 45-minute conversation
  • Sending a meeting invite without an agenda to keep everyone confused
  • Moving shared office supplies slightly out of place
  • Using ALL CAPS in an email subject line to create unnecessary urgency
  • Taking the last conference call booth and staying in there unnecessarily long
  • Randomly forwarding a chain of emails to someone who wasn’t originally included
  • Printing something huge in color when the toner is low
  • Leaving your out-of-office reply on longer than necessary
  • Sending “?” as a follow-up email with no context
  • Noting a deadline but adding “No rush though!” to create stress

Micropettiness at Home

• • Taking the remote to work so no one else can use it
  • Turning off the Wi-Fi when leaving the house
  • Using all the hot water before someone else’s shower
  • Moving their phone charger just out of reach
  • Leaving exactly one sip of juice/milk in the fridge so they think there’s more
  • “Accidentally” adjusting their favorite seat or pillow setup
  • Switching their alarm time slightly to throw them off
  • Leaving passive-aggressive notes instead of addressing issues directly
  • Talking over their favorite part of a show or asking unnecessary questions during key moments
  • Using their towel when yours is available
  • Eating the last of something they were saving
  • Unplugging their game console or TV right before they were about to use it
  • Swapping sugar for salt in their coffee
  • Giving a deliberately bad movie or show recommendation
  • Texting them from another room instead of walking over

Micropettiness with Rude Strangers

• • Walking slowly in front of someone who was rude to you
  • Letting the door almost close behind you
  • Taking your sweet time at the checkout when someone is sighing loudly behind you
  • Replying with an overly polite “Bless your heart”
  • Turning up your music slightly louder if they’re being obnoxious on public transport
  • Pretending not to hear them when they try to cut in line
  • “Accidentally” blocking their view if they stand too close
  • Asking unnecessary questions at the drive-thru when a tailgater is behind you
  • Counting out exact change very slowly if someone is impatient
  • Giving just enough space on a bench so they can’t sit comfortably
  • Pausing at a green light for a split second longer when someone was honking
  • Holding eye contact while taking the last item they were reaching for
  • Letting them repeat themselves unnecessarily by saying, “Oh, sorry, what was that?”
  • Answering rudeness with exaggerated politeness, like “Oh wow, you must be in SUCH a rush. Go right ahead!”

Micropettiness When Dealing with a Bully

• • Responding with an exaggeratedly polite “I truly appreciate your insight!”
  • Pretending not to understand their insults and asking them to explain
  • Taking up space near them by standing slightly too close or sitting in their unspoken seat
  • Responding to their rudeness with silence and letting an awkward pause hang
  • Copying their passive-aggressiveness verbatim—if they say “As previously mentioned,” you say it right back
  • Intentionally misunderstanding their “jokes” and asking, “Oh, wait, was that a joke?”
  • Walking away mid-rant when they’re trying to be intimidating
  • Feigning extreme positivity in response to their negativity
  • Only responding to the professional parts of their emails while ignoring the snark
  • Turning their words back on them—“You always seem to have the best suggestions! How would you handle it?”
  • Speaking in a slow, calm tone to make them seem overly aggressive
  • Making long, uninterrupted eye contact when they try to intimidate
  • Casually documenting everything and forwarding emails with a casual “Just keeping a record!”
  • Publicly thanking them for a “great idea” they didn’t actually suggest
  • Using excessive formalities—“Oh, Mr. Johnson, thank you SO much for your feedback!”
  • Suddenly taking interest in their personal life—forcing them into small talk
  • Mispronouncing their name just slightly if they do it to others
  • Forgetting their “unspoken” rules, like sitting in their seat or using their favorite office supplies
  • Praising their worst traits as if they’re strengths—“You’re so bold! I love how you don’t care what anyone thinks.”
  • Calling out their behavior in the most professional way—“I notice you have a lot of strong opinions. What’s your main concern here?”

The key to good micropettiness is keeping it subtle enough to be deniable but effective enough to be satisfying.