People have lost their minds and expect a reply from everything in five minutes.

Some of us have meetings or other work folks!

This idea is genius and I may use it, to let people know I have many different projects and I will return their email or message when I have time.

Anonymous wrote:People read OOO replies?

This was my thought.

Every workplace is different! I need time to research and write, so I use OOOs to manage expectations. My inbox is overwhelming in the number of emails I receive a day, but usually the content is not urgent.

I block 9-10 on my calendar every weekday because that’s my dedicated time to read email and respond. I also save time for important, last minute meetings. I would never make an out of office reply like OP described. I block dedicated time on my calendar when I need to produce work product. For example I will make sure I have 2 3 hour stretches a week. Highly recommend this system.

All of you replying about why can’t you just answer emails immediately must not have actual real work product to get done at work. There are some jobs that are all emailing back and forth and that’s fine but this applies to work where people are expected to produce substantive work product.

Anonymous wrote:Is it the Cal Newport book? He writes about workplaces that got rid of e-mail.

Yes. A world without email.

Anonymous wrote:My boss does this, she's 50 and a director. It's weird but oh well.

It is weird and has nothing to do with her being 50.

- Older than that and never done it

I’m in local government and this would not be allowed.

I have seen personalized signs that cube mates put up something like, “if I don’t look up or acknowledge you, please know that I’m in a Zoom meeting. I have ADHD and get easily distracted and WILL talk to you so please don’t talk to me right now.”

Another cube mate posted: “warning: easily startled and wearing headphones - approach with caution”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This would not fly at our company, but we have external clients, so maybe that’s different

Agree. I would lose half my client base if I tried this. I rarely even do OOO on vacation.

Hopefully you have great health insurance.

Anonymous wrote:This would not fly at our company, but we have external clients, so maybe that’s different

Agree. I would lose half my client base if I tried this. I rarely even do OOO on vacation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only internally to my immediate team members. And it's much more professional, like "I'm trying to get out the Adams Project by noon, so I'm taking myself off line until then. But call me if you have a true emergency." Larla

Sorry, that’s not “much more professional.” This just screams, “I’m not very good at prioritizing my work or multitasking.”

Nope, not PP but that is a fine in-house message. So tired of these "my thing is the most important thing right now because it is important to me so stop doing your important thing and do my important thing" people. GFY.

My OOO comes on at noon the day prior to leaving for a trip where I will have limited email access (speaking at conferences, working in rural areas with limited connectivity, on a customer site where I am billing time). I travel 2-3 weeks out of the month and this does help people temper their expectations for reply.

I have never, ever seen this.

This would not fly at our company, but we have external clients, so maybe that’s different

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only internally to my immediate team members. And it's much more professional, like "I'm trying to get out the Adams Project by noon, so I'm taking myself off line until then. But call me if you have a true emergency." Larla

Sorry, that’s not “much more professional.” This just screams, “I’m not very good at prioritizing my work or multitasking.”

Wow. My boss originated this.