How to politely tell someone I'm actually busy

[Chris Maunder]

Paste this[^] on his monitor

cheers Chris Maunder

[Gary Wheeler]

I have a sign I place outside my cube that looks something like this:

Do Not Disturb Unless it's on fire

Software Zen: delete this;

[GuyThiebaut]

:thumbsup: We have that in our kitchen at work.

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

― Christopher Hitchens

[GuyThiebaut]

As other have suggested headphones - they don't need to know you are not listening to music and you can always get an app that will play various different types of white noise.

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

― Christopher Hitchens

[Lost User]

This is how Hollywood demonstrates it: [Fuck Off - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRi0FT8uYMY)

[Lost User]

Dominic Burford wrote:

What's a polite way of telling them that I'm actually busy.

I just fart and magically people leave of their own accord.

Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004

[MarkTJohnson]

I can see JSOP quietly pull out a handgun and lay it on the desk. I know he wouldn't REALLY do it but I can picture it in my mind.

[Dominic Burford]

I'm going to Slack that to the team (and hope he takes the hint) :-D

"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter

[Dominic Burford]

Short and to the point :thumbsup:

"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter

[HobbyProggy]

Works for me so far, though you have to remember to put it down somewhen so the guys don't start ignoring it.

Rules for the FOSW ![^]

if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_signature))
{
MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + _signature);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
}

[Mike Winiberg]

What used to really get to me is people who would come in - often through a deliberately closed office door - and just start talking to me, even if I was already on the phone or talking to someone else! Even telling them to "f. off" has no effect!

[CHill60]

I would kill for a cube. It's completely open plan here. Can't hear yourself think this time of year for the endless chatter about who so-and-so is going to take to the xmas Do.

[Gary Wheeler]

I would hate working in an open plan office. It's bad enough where I work when people are yakking on their phones and having aisle design reviews. At that, it's better than it was. Before our layoffs, we had most of our cubes occupied and the noise was obnoxious. Now, it's down to 1 in 4, if that :sigh:.

Software Zen: delete this;

[Bruce Patin]

I'm like that bloke. A certain member of our staff simply points at the door and says "Get out!". I value that phrase better than the one in which he points to a trash bin and says my body would fit in it. :-)

[Roger165]

1. Release gas. 2. Fake phone call from neighbor.

[cmkrnl]

My spidey sense it tingling, and it tells me that you are averse to conflict. If so, you may be getting in your own way... A straight forward way to address this is to state your feelings, without ambiguity. Be sure to include any empathetic feelings you have for them, and validate their position as much as you can. Then, gain & maintain credibility on this issue by disallowing satisfaction for them in the future each time that they are discourteous to the feelings you made clear. I know, it's easier said than done...

cmkrnl. I win.

[Shmoken99]

Open workspace? Headphones are a good suggestion. Some here also use lights that are red, yellow, and green: Red = "Do not disturb - something better be well and truly on fire" Yellow = "I can talk but it better be important" Green = "Always working but willing to pause" If you have an office, use your door to communicate your status and let folks know what it means (same as colors above). Closed = Red Mostly closed but ajar = Yellow Open = Green Barring that, the truth often works well, "Sorry to be rude, but I'm in the middle of something pretty gnarly. Can I get back to you?"

[Dennis Taylor]

Perhaps print off and post this on the back of your chair: https://www.monkeyuser.com/2018/focus/

[glennPattonWork3]

I though I was the only one to do that...

[Mark H2]

In the past I have just said, "I'm upgrading the payroll system right now" and whatever and whoever it was vaporises and disappears. I used that every day for a week once (of course one of my responsibilities is the payroll/HR system). Got loads of actual real work done. It's amazing how the possibility of no pay come payday puts things into perspective. :)

If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can. “We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone "The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone