Part of the problem at my workplace is Microsoft Teams. I compare it to the proliferation of mobiles phones. People feel that they have a right to your instant attention just because you use it.
In the past, people would send an email asking for me to do work/favours. Now, it's a Teams message and because they have engaged you in conversation, they think they have your focus and attention to the detriment of my other workload.
Yesterday, I was due to leave work at lunchtime. At 1145, I did the decent, polite thing and let the other person know that I was leaving the office. Bear in mind that the small favour they'd asked me to do on Wednesday afternoon had already taken me a full working day and was nowhere near completion.
"Can you do this before you leave?"
"Can you get someone else to cover for you while you're out? We have a deadline"
"Can you do this other thing?"
I logged off at closer to 2PM than 12PM with the work still incomplete. Will there be a shit show on Monday? Who knows?
All I know is that I have already gone above and beyond. I have spent 1.5 working days doing an hour's worth of work because other people don't understand what happens outside their own little sphere.
I hate Microsoft Teams, or rather, I hate the etiquette around it that enables people to feel they have your instant attention.
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