Workday Interruptions (1 Viewer)

[smallbrownbear]

Okay, I'm a work horse, I'm a long serving trusted member of staff, and I'm work confident. So I'm a person others come to for trouble shooting or problem solving.

But I'm finding workday interruptions unmanagable at this stage, and it's like I'm helping everyone else get their work done on a routine basis.

I've tried the headphones thing - but people took it personally and thought I'd fallen out with them. I've tried the 'I'm busy right now but I'll get back to you later' - but again this was taken as if I was a crank.

Someone suggested I keep an interruptions log and escalate the issue to senior management - but I'd be somewhat anxious that they'd wnat names and they'd use the data to tell people off [and I'm no hangman].

What works for you?

 

[therealjohnny]

ha!

this is thumped- not exactly reknowned for it's hard workers

 

[pete]

this is thumped- not exactly reknowned for it's hard workers

except me

 

[krystal]

I dunno, I would imagine lots o peeps on thumped are conscientious and into their jobs, but that they're good at getting shit done and nabbing the odd few mins on thumped here and there throughout the day. Ok, I'm talking about me, really.

Anyway Smallbrownbear, this is all about the angle. Keep the log but pitch it to management as a training issue, not as a wahhh wahhh poor me complaint. As in, "I've been noticing a lot of queries about x, and I'm concerned it's going to impact on x, so my suggestion is we do bla de bla". That way you look shit hot and the plebs get the help they need. In theory, anyway.

 

[pete]

i found becoming really, really grumpy helped

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

Justification for a raise if ever I heard one.

 

[therealjohnny]

except me

but of course

hey, what's this i hear about a haircut or something?

 

[HMD]

but of course

hey, what's this i hear about a haircut or something?

you have to pay to see it.

on the original post, i get these question all the time, it's a pain in the knackers knowing so much some times

 

[pete]

but of course

hey, what's this i hear about a haircut or something?

yeah i'm getting a quiff and a DA

 

[therealjohnny]

real gone

you'll be needing one of these

 

[HMD]

yeah i'm getting a quiff and a DA

so when us this being done and where will the pics be?

 

[pete]

it's under discussion at the moment. sometime over the next 2 weeks or so anyway.

 

[smallbrownbear]

hmmm....not so sure what the quiffarama has to do with work day interruptions....but thanks for advice y'all.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

i find that if you work sans pants people tend not to come near you.

 

[Cormcolash]

it's under discussion at the moment. sometime over the next 2 weeks or so anyway.

Post n00dz.

 

[flashback]

So, this sort of happened to me.
This is how I dealt with it in my case, although I am not sure if it generalizes to your job.
I did three main things:

1) I narrowed my job description. I said I didn't like touching Macs or Windows machines, and want nothing to do with them. That I will only touch Linux machines, and everything else is a complete mystery to me.

2) I have a list of shit that I have to do on my desk. I tell the person where they think their task fits in on that list. I specifically ask them what they think should I not do today, or this week, so that I can do their job instead. (I dont necessarily pay any attention to what they say, I just want to let them know what the story is.)

3) I tell them to do a piece of the work. To go through what needs to be done, and to make them do as much of the dogwork as possible, organising their stuff so that my programming will be a straight forward as possible. By making them think about things over a few days, and reformulate their question they realise quickly that some of the things they are asking are not really that important as they thought. Or vice verca. Either way I make them think about things for a bit.

 

[Ferox13]

LOL@any one in my work folowing the sensible guide lines Flashback lays down.

 

[smallbrownbear]

Thanks for your advice -

1) I narrowed my job description. I said I didn't like touching Macs or Windows machines, and want nothing to do with them. That I will only touch Linux machines, and everything else is a complete mystery to me.

I've tried narrowing my job description - particularly as I'm responsible for two strategic programmes of work. Problem is that we're completely under resourced. Basically I'm the only one with professional training / expertise in these areas. And so the level of demand far outweighs supply. Maybe I should stop carrying the burden of work myself and let them all fail....

2) I have a list of shit that I have to do on my desk. I tell the person where they think their task fits in on that list. I specifically ask them what they think should I not do today, or this week, so that I can do their job instead. (I dont necessarily pay any attention to what they say, I just want to let them know what the story is.)

I keep my to do list in my shared MS Outlook calendar so all can see what I've to do, along with a note of the hours I'm working - but your suggestion here is canny and I'll give it a whirl.

3) I tell them to do a piece of the work. To go through what needs to be done, and to make them do as much of the dogwork as possible, organising their stuff so that my programming will be a straight forward as possible. By making them think about things over a few days, and reformulate their question they realise quickly that some of the things they are asking are not really that important as they thought. Or vice verca. Either way I make them think about things for a bit.

Aye, I do set 'homework' for people in an attempt to get them to do some of the work themselves. I have all processes in my area mapped and recorded with nice simple step by step instructions and a suite of related templates...and still they appear as if by magic at my desk.

Fuggit