5 Ways Co-workers Waste Your Time in the Office - The Muse

5 Ways Co-workers Waste Your Time in the Office - The Muse5 Ways Co-workers Waste Your Time in the OfficeSo, anyway, thats what happened. I can promise you one thing, Im never asking Brian to help me move again, concluded my co-worker, clearly out of breath from the seemingly endless story she had just recounted to me.How did I get deckenfries listening to this? All I did welches ask her how her weekend went. Little did I know, I was in for an epic monologue about how her boyfriend, Brian- despite having a pickup truck- was, Like, totally useless on her moving day, even though she had been telling him about it for weeks. Like, didnt he understand how important this was to her? All I could do was stand there in horror, just waiting for her to either finish emotionally processing her horrifying weekend memory or to andrang out of air- whichever came first.Sound familiar? Lets face it- co-workers can be awesome. But, they can also be major time sucks. From divulging all of the gory deta ils of a far-too-personal story (by the way, thanks for nothin, Brian) to trapping you in one of those dreaded never-ending email chains, weve all fantasized about how much wed get accomplished if we were able to work completely alone.So, in no specific order, here are the biggest offenders- plus how to stop them in their tracks.1. Dropping by Your Desk RepeatedlyRest assured, this far too lengthy moving conversation wasnt the first time Id heard of trouble brewing in paradise for my co-worker and that good for nothin Brian. Why? Well, because she frequently stopped by my desk unannounced to vent about it.If she wasnt having boyfriend troubles? Shed drop by to talk about the weather, or her upcoming birthday, or the staff meeting that morning, or even to just ask a seemingly innocent, What are you doing?My response was always that I was working (uh, duh), much like she shouldve been. But, even my sarcasm couldnt deter her. Shed stay parked there- leaning against the very cubicle wal l that was designed to keep distractions out- rambling on and on. How to Put an End to ItAs Muse editor Stacey Lastoe suggests in an article about shutting down conversations, you have two options Be super obvious (or oblivious depending on how you look at it), and pop your headphones in when the offender approaches, or straight-up say that youre slammed with work and unfortunately cant talk right now. 2. Sending You Endless EmailsYour inbox often makes you feel like youre stuck in the Twilight Zone- you cant look away for more than two seconds without a new message arriving. Sure, a few of them are important. But, the rest of them? Theyre totally unnecessary notes from your colleagues discussing the project youre all working on. Your team members continue to send short, one-line responses back and forth, even though itd be so much easier and more efficient (not to mention less distracting) for them to talk things through via instant message or- gasp- in person.But, nope. Youre stuc k dealing with this- all for a conversation that has somehow segued into a heated debate about who makes the better guacamole. How to Put an End to ItIts time to train your co-workers to send you less email. No, this doesnt involve bribing them with treats (although, that certainly wouldnt hurt). If youre stuck in that never-ending chain, gently suggest that they take that conversation elsewhere. And, moving forward, respond with definitive statements- rather than more questions- so that you can keep the conversations as concise as possible. 3. Inviting You to Unnecessary MeetingsWhen your colleague sent you a calendar invite for an upcoming meeting, you simply assumed it was relevant and important. So when that set time rolls around, you head into the conference room and take a seat.The conversation gets rolling, and suddenly feel like you did when you somehow stumbled into the wrong classroom on the first day of school. You have no idea what is being discussed. Wait, who even are these people?It quickly dawns on you that this is a meeting you definitely dont need to be at. But, for some reason, your colleague was passing out invites like Valentines Day cards in elementary school- everybody gets one Lucky you. How to Put an End to ItLike it or not, your co-workers will likely continue to invite you to things you dont really need to be at unless you speak up. Hey, at least youre apparently enjoyable to be around? So, knowing that, its up to you to be proactive in determining whether or not you really need to be there. Do so by asking yourself and your colleagues a few key questions, such as, Is there an agenda? and Am I prepared to contribute to this discussion in a meaningful way? (You can find more questions in this handy flow chart.)4. Asking You Questions (Thatve Already Been Answered)Do we have this holiday off? Is this week payday, or is it next week? How many sick days do we get? Am I allowed to use the color printer for personal use?Weve all had those co-workers who seem to treat us like were quite literally the employee handbook. While youre flattered to be thought of as the all-knowing expert on anything and everything company-related, the fact that you need to repeatedly answer questions that have already been addressed elsewhere can quickly become frustrating- not to mention, it eats up major chunks of your time.How to Put an End to ItThrow the employee handbook at him. Just kidding, dont do that- unless lawsuits are your thing (which I certainly hope theyre not). Instead, the next time your colleague approaches you with a question thats already been answered, kindly refer him to where he can find that for himself. Hopefully before too long, hell get the hint. 5. Failing to Adequately PrepareYou and your colleague have a meeting planned so that you can talk over the project youre working on together. When you sit down and whip out your well-prepared notes, you soon realize that shes done absolutely nothing to get ready for th is conversation- except, apparently, go through the Starbucks drive-through. Youre left doing most of the talking (ahem, work), while she gives you blank stares, nods along, and sucks down her iced chai latte.How to Put an End to ItThink theres no polite way to tell someone that shes a colossal waste of your time? Think again. As Muse writer, Rich Moy, explains in his piece on what to say when a co-worker is wasting your time, you just need to flip the script and use you language- rather than pointing fingers. Take a cue from his story and try saying something like, Im excited that were working on this together. But, maybe we should regroup after we both have had some time to adequately prepare.Did I miss any major ways that co-workers waste your time? Go ahead and vent to me on Twitter