I now have more productive time during the day because I keep the office gossips _______.

The blank needs an idiom meaning to keep someone at a distance to avoid their influence or interference.

Option 1 -> a foot away -> too literal and not an established idiom for avoiding someone's influence.

Option 2 -> at arm's length -> means to keep someone at a distance, avoiding close contact or influence.

Option 3 -> at bay's length -> not a standard English idiom; confuses "at bay" with distance measurement.

Option 4 -> out of harm's way -> means to keep someone safe from danger, not to avoid their influence.

When you keep office gossips at arm's length, you maintain just enough distance to avoid getting caught up in their drama and rumors. It's like having an invisible barrier that keeps their negative influence from affecting your productivity - close enough to be polite, but far enough away to stay focused on your work.