Rescue Tip of the Day

While at work there are always those who will “park” themselves in your office for a long chat as if you have nothing better to do. They probably don’t themselves, which is why they’re there in the first place. Despite all attempts to look at your computer screen more than you look at them, and even though you're careful not to add anything to the conversation except a few “uh huh’s,” these distracters can easily make your visitor’s chair their home for 30 minutes or more. Since they don’t seem to be deterred by your insistence to keep typing away on your computer, a quick AIM to an office buddy, or even someone off-site, should go undetected. A simple “can you please call me into your office right now” or “can you ring my phone and talk to me about anything” should do the trick. You may even want to set up a distress signal with someone so that they realize the urgency of the situation. “The monkeys have taken over the zoo” should be sufficient. If the distracter is persistent, you’ll definitely need someone who can call you OUT of your office immediately. If that’s not a possibility, you’ll need someone who’s willing to fake a business call with you for a minute or more before the distracter finally gives up. Hang in there—you’ll be back to instant messaging and emailing (who said they were distracting you from work?) in no time.