Name changed just in case!
I work in an open plan office with a hot desk system. A big chunk of my workload comes from a particular senior manager who is not my boss. This SM is a pleasant person, I get on perfectly well with her and we have the odd chat about things we have in common, what we were up to at the weekend etc BUT. She doesn't seem able to shut up and let other people get on with their work.
My work involves finance spreadsheets, writing reports/papers, that sort of thing and generally needs a fair bit of concentration. We're not allowed to wear headphones because we all have to take occasional calls through Skype/headsets so I've developed the ability to get into a 'zone' to blot out noise and concentrate.
The problem is this manager constantly interrupts me - some days it's literally every few minutes, no exaggeration. She's one of those people who has to keep up a running commentary of her day which is bad enough but she insists on a response to her inane witterings! Every so often I'll hear her say my name, ask her to repeat what she said (because I'm otherwise trying to zone her out and 1 time in 20 she does actually talk about work) and it's something utterly inconsequential like her tea has gone cold before she finished it or she has to stop off on the way home to pick something up. I DON'T CARE!
Today I deliberately booked the least popular hot desk right by the office door, because sitting in a draught is preferable to listening to her, and bugger me, fifteen minutes later she plonks herself down at the desk opposite and said "I saw you sitting here all lonely and thought I'd come and keep you company." I'M NOT LONELY AND I DON'T NEED YOUR COMPANY.
I get that she's more of an extrovert who can easily talk and work but I'm not, I'm trying to concentrate and she just doesn't get it. I've tried ignoring her - she just repeats my name louder until it's impossible to ignore; giving non-committal grunts and 'mm-hmm's - she takes it as encouragement and witters on all the more, including the aforementioned demanding responses; downright telling her I'm concentrating on a piece of work she gave me - it doesn't deter her at all, she just starts asking me questions about my weekend plans or how my cat is. I've heard other people telling her they need to get on and she just laughs it off and carries on as normal. I tried mentioning it to my manager, but they're good friends and my LM just said something like "ahh well, you know what she's like, she means well".
I'm actually typing this hiding in the loo on my lunchbreak because it's raining too heavily to go out for a walk and I couldn't face sitting opposite her and being talked at when I'm not getting paid for it. I enjoy my job and as I say she is a nice person, she's funny and approachable but I don't know how I can get her to just SHUT UP without being rude and ending up as the one in the wrong.