Considering what is shared about yourself at work is a complex task, primarily when we have heard so many times to keep your problems outside of work. 

Being your authentic self at work provides a sense of happiness and satisfaction to your work environment, but a recent study by the University of Exeter found when people feel they must conceal too many personal characteristics, they may have lower self-esteem, less job satisfaction, or reduced commitment to work.

In a blog post for Fast Company, Tracy Brower, a sociologist focused on work-life happiness and fulfillment, shares four ways to share personal information without feeling too exposed.

• Allow the relationship to unfold. “Be patient and invest time during which you ferret out what is best to share and at what pace,” said Brower. “Overall, be selective about what you share, with whom, and when and where.
• Consider the relationship type. “As you build your relationships, tune into this dynamic; try revealing a little then followed by a bit more,” added Brower. “Realize you may not reveal everything to everyone and appreciate a diversity of relationships with various people you share more—or less.”
• Think about the task at-hand. “There are two kinds of trust, both task trust (or the act of trusting someone to follow up and follow through) and relationship trust (or the act of trusting someone with a secret),” explained Brower.
• Consider the status of your career. “Consider whether the information you share will strength or weaken people’s perceptions of you and make appropriate decisions,” mentioned Brower. “How you share, how much you share, and with whom matter most.”