BUT…back to the blog. Thank you SO MUCH. I’ve dealt with the frustration of needless interruptions for so long, and now we have a fairly new employee (1 year!) who doesn’t seem to be able to get it, despite her obvious intelligence and education. I hadn’t even realized that it was an introvert/extrovert thing, but your blog describes my work style and work personality perfectly. I can deal with interruptions that are work-related and relevant, but it is maddening when someone stops by multiple times a day “to say hi” or “just see how things are going.” I’m obviously engrossed in my work, but she ignores that. It gets under my skin for her to sit down, leisurely slurp on her coffee or soda, and ask me how it’s going; what are you working on; and so forth. I never do this to anyone else, ever. I stay at my desk, working my hiney off. My work requires concentration and, as you described, I lose more than a moment when interrupted. I can stay in a good mood as long as people are reasonable. There seem to be a couple who just can’t stand to see me so deeply involved in my work that I don’t notice them when they’re dealing with another coworker nearby…I have to shut that noise out to survive….so they interrupt, generally making some inane, insulting remark in so doing. At last, I sought out online a polite way to deal with them, since so far, my being polite is defeating my purpose and leaving me feeling frustrated and sometimes angry., which just makes it take that much longer to get back in the “zone.”

I don’t expect others to share my working style or my personality. I would, however, be most grateful if they could respect mine, and just leave me out of their constant flitting about from desk to desk.

Thanks again for your blog. At least now I know that I’m not the only one, though perhaps I am the only one HERE; and I can put it in context now rather than making it some kind of personality flaw that is mine alone.

I do have an office with a door, but I hate to close it because that seems to have the effect of making everyone wonder what I’m doing in here and then everyone feels compelled to interrupt me when otherwise they MIGHT leave me alone.

Any ideas? I don’t want to be the office grinch. Some accept my work habits; others, not so much.

Best,
Willa

If I worked with any of you lot, I would interpret your attitudes as plain rude & ignore you as much as I possibly could at all times. I wouldn’t dare risk upsetting you at the “wrong moment” without prior written consent in triplicate, just in case you were unable to find your ability to think ever again.

Hahahaha…..That’s a nice joke.