Cheery's path to fulfilment - finishing the DIY, looking after myself, appreciating the garden 🌻

Baileys_Babe

I don't think it is healthy to be checking work emails outside of working hours.

I feel very strongly that it is a working culture that needs not to develop in this country.

From what I have previously read/heard the majority of people work more efficiently and effectively if their are clear boundaries between working and non working hours. So it is not in a businesses interests to encourage this practice.

Baileys_Babe

Enjoy your gin 

beanielou

Passes the gin. Cheers! 

rtandon27

Cheery - make it a double & celebrate the severance of that interaction!  - Hooray my dear - I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from on that one!

As to the ineptitude of last minute scheduling! - I've finally developed the habit of saying NO to those who can't plan ahead!  "Your inability to organize with respect and consideration, does not result in my need to jump hoops to accommodate your ill manners!" or something to that effect! 🤣🤣🤣

greenbee

I just had to point out to someone who was rescheduling a meeting (which cannot happen without me) that she'd booked it at a time when I'm not available, over a meeting I cannot move. Outlook will tell her that people aren't available. We run open calendars, so she can see what it is - and anyway, if someone has a clash you ASK them whether they can move something to accommodate it. Poor scheduling etiquette is one of my pet peeves, just in case you can't tell...

As most of my team are in the US (East Coast all the way through to the Pacific) and my two direct reports are on Mountain Time I do check email and teams out of my core hours in case they need anything, and also at weekends to prep for anything that happens after I'm done for the week. But if you're not working for an international or global organisation (or responsible for 24/7 operations) it shouldn't be necessary. 

KajiKita

Very mildly putting an alternative view here, which won’t be wholly relevant to you, but … 😊

I work in a multinational organisation where we work with colleagues across all the global timezones and all the days of the week (UAE for example always work what we regard as weekends). Since working there, I have got into the habit of printing out my calendar at the start of my day, so if any additional meetings have landed on me overnight or over the weekend, I get to see them and do my best to juggle them (it gets quite interesting when you get four different meetings in one timeslot … 😉). I think my record for one day so far is 11 different meetings in one day. I’ve never worked anywhere quite like it! 😳😂

KK

greenbee

KajiKita said:

Very mildly putting an alternative view here, which won’t be wholly relevant to you, but … 😊

I work in a multinational organisation where we work with colleagues across all the global timezones and all the days of the week (UAE for example always work what we regard as weekends). Since working there, I have got into the habit of printing out my calendar at the start of my day, so if any additional meetings have landed on me overnight or over the weekend, I get to see them and do my best to juggle them (it gets quite interesting when you get four different meetings in one timeslot … 😉). I think my record for one day so far is 11 different meetings in one day. I’ve never worked anywhere quite like it! 😳😂

KK

Amateur .... in all seriousness though, it gets exhausting when you are in meetings all day and there is no time to do the work. And everyone booking in the same slot is frustrating - most calendar tools now flag up clashes and suggest alternative times when you're booking as they know people don't look! If you can't find a time that works, message people and ask whether they can reschedule.

The one thing I do find irritating is people booking out of hours meetings without asking. My diary is open for 11 hours, 5 days a week with my out of hours adjusted for whichever timezone I'm in. They clearly show as out and have 'Please ask before scheduling at this time' and people STILL do it. I've had to explain things like 'Travel to airport' 'At airport' and 'On plane' mean it's unlikely I'll be able to make meetings... and don't get me started on people who try calling you on teams with no warning when your status shows you as busy....

Apologies for the rant on your diary @Cheery_Daff. It's been one of those Mondays that really should be followed by a weekend 🤣

OpalGirl

As to the ineptitude of last minute scheduling! - I've finally developed the habit of saying NO to those who can't plan ahead!  "Your inability to organize with respect and consideration, does not result in my need to jump hoops to accommodate your ill manners!" or something to that effect!

Couldn't agree more. What I say is "Whilst I am happy to help, a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."

LadyWithAPlan

Wow this has turned into Meetings Anonymous! 

Sounds exhausting 

KajiKita

LadyWithAPlan said:

Wow this has turned into Meetings Anonymous! 

Sounds exhausting 

😂😂😂
It can get frenetic and if you’re not careful, frantic too. Though I’m not at the level of @greenbee! An open calendar for ELEVEN hours a day …. Wowsers, you are too generous to them! I thought I was being kind by taking / making the occasional call in the evenings to US / Canada!! 😉

I think it takes a particular kind of adaptive mindset to work in an organisation like this and some people can’t. The first six months were exhausting, but I think once you’ve got to two years (I’m at 2.5), you have either adapted or left! 😂

KK