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Original poster

"Don't worry"

26 replies

mincepiepie · 04/12/2022 21:06

I said this to someone about if they didn't manage to get a price of work done : " do x, y and z but don't worry if you don't manage to get z" or "don't worry if you don't get that far"

They said something along the lines of "I won't worry, I don't worry about anything. I'm not worried"

My use of don't worry was really meaning it's not important if they don't get this done.

Surely most people would understand don't worry to mean this and this reply from this person was sarcastic or facetious?

Surely one would just say "yep that fine I'll see how I get on"

So dp going to the shop "don't worry if you can't get the octopus the squid will be fine".

"Don't worry if you can't get me a tiara I'll Make do with a crown? "

OP posts:
FuoriComeUnBalcone · 04/12/2022 21:28

I find this really odd. This type of response is usually from people who are extremely hard work and have some kind of deep-rooted issue.

AtrociousCircumstance · 04/12/2022 21:30

Is this person someone you manage, or someone on the same workplace level as you?

Original poster
mincepiepie · 04/12/2022 21:34

AtrociousCircumstance · 04/12/2022 21:30

Is this person someone you manage, or someone on the same workplace level as you?

A colleague in a similar role who takes some of my workload on an ad hoc basis. I don't manage them.

OP posts:
Original poster
mincepiepie · 04/12/2022 21:35

FuoriComeUnBalcone · 04/12/2022 21:28

I find this really odd. This type of response is usually from people who are extremely hard work and have some kind of deep-rooted issue.

I'm glad you said that.

OP posts:
AtrociousCircumstance · 04/12/2022 21:44

There’s your answer @mincepiepie You’re on the same level and they are at pains to assert that you’re not their manager, they won’t worry if they finish the work or not, because who are you to judge them! They’re not worried about your reaction because, huff 😁

They're being very silly but I would say that’s the root of the tension.

Original poster
mincepiepie · 04/12/2022 21:52

@AtrociousCircumstance but this is their job. They take workload off all the colleagues.

And it really doesn't matter how far they got as long as I knew and could marry up what me and my colleagues were doing. It didn't matter if they didn't get anything done.

OP posts:
AtrociousCircumstance · 04/12/2022 21:53

Sure I get it - I’m just saying it probably stems from a status-bristling reaction.

Original poster
mincepiepie · 04/12/2022 22:40

@AtrociousCircumstance well you have for rimes my thoughts that they were being odd and I havent totally lost the plot!

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 04/12/2022 22:43

Just don't say dont worry again to them

jtaeapa · 04/12/2022 22:43

Sounds like a dickhead who likes creating problems.

BeautifulWar · 04/12/2022 23:01

I think they doth protest too much!

Igloo79 · 04/12/2022 23:06

Maybe they are just very literal in their language use.

Cancelledtwiceover · 04/12/2022 23:11

I don't like saying don't worry to people. I think it probably stems from getting a similar response from a knobhead ex colleague, but in the context you said it, you are suggesting you have the power to tell someone how to feel about something, a bit like they would be sweating over a inconsequential piece of work until you came along and kindly told them otherwise.
I wouldn't say anything if someone said it to me , but context specific it can irk on me.

Doingmybest12 · 04/12/2022 23:28

Depending on the context and how you said it, it can sound patronising and like you think they are a drama lama or are incapable of prioratising themselves. Their response was OTT but suggests there is history between you and a bit of vying to be top dog. Exhausting office politics.

ThatWasThat · 04/12/2022 23:41

If my line manager or same level colleague said ‘please do this but don’t worry if you can’t get it done’ I’d take it that she’d appreciate it so I’d say either ‘sure, I’ll do that’ or ‘I’ll see what I can do’ depending on how confident I was to be able to achieve it. I’d see the ‘worry’ word just as an indicator of the importance of the task.

SignOnTheWindow · 04/12/2022 23:57

Wow. Weird, bristly responses here!

Could this person not just have taken you really literally?

Was there anything in their tone to make you suspect sarcasm?

AtrociousCircumstance · 05/12/2022 00:53

@mincepiepie No you haven’t lost the plot! 😄 It is odd and unnecessary alright. I guess you could avoid that phrase (which is a nicety in this instance) and just baldy state what she needs to do!

DrMarciaFieldstone · 05/12/2022 05:35

You always get one or two like this at work, difficult!

Dont worry about it…

Original poster
mincepiepie · 05/12/2022 06:07

@DrMarciaFieldstone Grin

The irony!

OP posts:
PorridgewithQuark · 05/12/2022 06:35

I suspect that your same level colleague felt patronised by your word choice - it is quite a patronising way to phrase the fact that task z wasn't essential.

Yes, they were being slightly snippy, which is unprofessional, but as you were being slightly patronising it's fairly equal. Also in both cases so minor as not to be worth worrying over, but I'd avoid this slightly condescending phraseology if possible.

sorrynotathome · 05/12/2022 06:39

OP was not being patronising in any way - totally normal turn of phrase. The colleague was being a precious idiot.

girlmom21 · 05/12/2022 06:42

I think it depends on the way it was delivered, if they're a same level colleague. Generally people who are there to support are given the shit work. They're probably tired of doing the mundane then people being condescending about it to boot.

Doingmybest12 · 05/12/2022 07:12

It is funny that posters are saying others are being snippy etc. I assume OP was looking to gain a different view about why the other person reacted in the way they did. No point in a post where everyone just agrees and doesn't give another perspective .

ChocolateBauble · 05/12/2022 07:20

It sounds like they’ve been triggered for some reason. People are strange these days.
’Don’t worry’ is something I would say. If it was said to me I, like a pp, would just thing it meant the ‘z’ piece of work was less important. You haven’t said anything wrong.

Proneu82 · 05/12/2022 07:21

Don’t Worry, Be Happy