Interruptions - Do you know that IM interrupts?
Updated by Tiago Araújo [SSW] 2 months ago. See history
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When somebody sends you an IM message, they are interrupting you.
When somebody sends you an email, they are not interrupting you - assuming you keep your notifications off as per Do you minimize your Outlook Distractions? You have made the decision to read your emails, so email is in actual fact far more polite than IM which can be a nuisance.
IM is only to be used if they would like you to do something NOW.
Tip: If someone pings you on IM for non-urgent tasks, call the person out gently and let them know: "Since I don’t need to do this today, maybe an email would be better".
Figure: Everybody wants to stay in the zone!