"Life happens" as a catch all phrase?

[Anonymous]

I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

for me, I used it as an excuse once...."Um, sorry I will not be at your meeting this morning....I got sick last night, they did a CT scan, and found a tumor on my kidney about two hours ago. Sometimes Life happens"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

for me, I used it as an excuse once...."Um, sorry I will not be at your meeting this morning....I got sick last night, they did a CT scan, and found a tumor on my kidney about two hours ago. Sometimes Life happens"

But that's not the amount of info in the OP. Just a blanket "life happens" as a reply to requests and as response to inquiry into tasks.

Your "life happens" wasn't s necessary addition to the end of your statements.
It's a little sarcastic, frankly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

for me, I used it as an excuse once...."Um, sorry I will not be at your meeting this morning....I got sick last night, they did a CT scan, and found a tumor on my kidney about two hours ago. Sometimes Life happens"

?
"Life happens" wasn't your excuse. It was tacked on, rather sarcastically, at the end of your valid reasons for missing a meeting.

[Anonymous]

OBE overcome by events

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

for me, I used it as an excuse once...."Um, sorry I will not be at your meeting this morning....I got sick last night, they did a CT scan, and found a tumor on my kidney about two hours ago. Sometimes Life happens"

Personally, PP, I would say that in your case Big Shit Sometimes Happens and I would figure out how to support you. I'm not getting this in OP's post. She (or he) hears the generic-- Life happens--frequently when something doesn't get done on time. I'd have an issue with that because, well, it could mean anything from I didn't get to your task because I don't respect it so I'd rather read DCUM to I had a sick kid or all my other meetings ran late or anything in between.

OP, I'd document the missed deadline (depending on how crucial the deadline was), ignore the excuse and ask when you can expect the task to get done. If you can't work with the answer, assign the task to someone else and move on. Life happens is a mealy excuse and not worth considering deeply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have someone who works for me that has taken to saying things like "well life happened and I didn't get to X Y Z today" when asked if a task was completed and in response to a request "well I'll try but you know, life happens."

I'm not quite sure what to say or what she is trying to say, to be honest and have taken to staring blankly for a second and then asking the question or making the request again, only to get the same answer.

It seems odd for me to acknowledge that I understand that life happens. And to argue that life isn't going to happen to hasn't happened is equally bizarre.

FWIW I am not a manager or with any management training, it's healthcare and my title is simply ranked above hers, like a doctor making rounds to floor nurses situation. I am not her boss.

Is this just a modern expression I haven't heard before? We are probably a good 20 years apart in age

for me, I used it as an excuse once...."Um, sorry I will not be at your meeting this morning....I got sick last night, they did a CT scan, and found a tumor on my kidney about two hours ago. Sometimes Life happens"

Personally, PP, I would say that in your case Big Shit Sometimes Happens and I would figure out how to support you. I'm not getting this in OP's post. She (or he) hears the generic-- Life happens--frequently when something doesn't get done on time. I'd have an issue with that because, well, it could mean anything from I didn't get to your task because I don't respect it so I'd rather read DCUM to I had a sick kid or all my other meetings ran late or anything in between.

OP, I'd document the missed deadline (depending on how crucial the deadline was), ignore the excuse and ask when you can expect the task to get done. If you can't work with the answer, assign the task to someone else and move on. Life happens is a mealy excuse and not worth considering deeply.

Op here.
I wish I could! She is the only one that can do this specific role.
Any tips on what to say on the moment?
Such as "I understand life happens, my life and the lives of our patients are happening too."
Or should I just ask "what do you mean that life happens and does that mean you can do XYZ or not?" And make her explain herself?

I realize it seems like a ridiculous thing to be worried about, but I'm getting this response with increasing frequency and don't really know what she is trying to say.

[Anonymous]

If you're not the manager you probably should be careful about reprimanding. But okay to say, hey, sue, the last couple times this was missed, you said life happens. Is there something going on? How can we make sure that doesn't happen again?

For me, I had a staff member frequently miss deadlines who kept saying "that must have fallen off my radar screen." Argh! That made me so frustrated! I'm pretty sure the first time i was so shocked about the glib way he said it that i probably did the blank stare. How can we work together to keep things on your radar screen? Was the question that finally helped.

[Anonymous]

The phrase isn't important, the disrespect is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OBE overcome by events

No, that's something different from this situation.

OP it sounds like the person is telling you they are not prioritizing their tasks or managing their time. It's a very passive approach. Is it negatively affecting your ability to do your work?

[Anonymous]

17:37 here. I was trying to point out that life does happen sometimes. It should be rare. In my case, probably 10 unplanned events in a a 20 year career....

MIL died unexpectedly, cancer/metastasis diagnosis, passing out leading to emergency medical tests, etc.

If it happens frequently, the person is a poor planner. Life happens every day. I can plan for it. It is in the schedule. For example, I need to sleep at nights, so the schedule will include downtime for sleeping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The phrase isn't important, the disrespect is.

OP here.
Yes, that is what bothers me. It seems like a sarcastic and patronizing way to speak to me, like she is smiling brightly while giving me the middle finger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:17:37 here. I was trying to point out that life does happen sometimes. It should be rare. In my case, probably 10 unplanned events in a a 20 year career....

MIL died unexpectedly, cancer/metastasis diagnosis, passing out leading to emergency medical tests, etc.

If it happens frequently, the person is a poor planner. Life happens every day. I can plan for it. It is in the schedule. For example, I need to sleep at nights, so the schedule will include downtime for sleeping.

OP here.
The thing is that everyone knows that major life events happen and disrupt tasks. You would have to be a horrible person and painfully unaware to not realize and support that people have illnesses, death in family, etc.
To feel that this needs to be pointed out is a little much.
This person is using this phrase when she is ar work, happy and going about her day per usual with increasing frequency.
I believe she's using it sarcastically, and as a weak way to blow me off, frankly, and am looking for feedback on how to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

I would make sure she understands how to plan -- accounting for schedule slip because of "unforeseen" but predictable issues.

[Anonymous]

She's basically saying the task is at the bottom of her priority list. I'd address it from that perspective. If she's unwilling to treat it as a higher priority, and it's something that needs to get done, then perhaps you should talk to her boss.