to think that people who are not away should not have 'out of office' replies set up on their email?

[drivingmisscrazy]

grrrr. I'm an academic (yes, I know, I know) and when I am on holiday or out of the country for some reason (e.g. when I am unable to access email during normal working hours) I use an out of office reply. It's a week until term begins and every bloomin' colleague I try and email (to finalise details of timetabling, rooms, training days etc etc) immediately pings back an 'out of office' reply with no end date stated!!

I think this is a bit much - I don't expect people to be tied to email (which is hardly good time management) - but it would be good to know that they are around and that I might expect a reply within the next decade??

You sound a bit stressed missis. Just phone them and stop your silliness

They should put a return date on

YABU. I do it quite often when I want a bit of peace and blooming quiet! I also have a 'do not disturb' sign and a lock on my office door - and have had to sellotape up bits of a4 paper to stop people peering in around the do not disturb sign, through the glass, to see whether I mean it or not.

My mum, who is an absolute gem, is making me a 'do not disturb' blind for the door - she's very clever.

Although some would be lovely, I meant, of course,

true, I suppose - it's just that it's a really busy time and they will be the first to moan when things are just so...but hairytriangle do you do it for days on end?

No, I don't, but I sooo wish I could sometimes LOL!!!!

YANBU.
I'm an ex-academic and it drove me crazy then. You just can't seem to get things done and you can't seem to plan either.

I'm with you totally on this.
You don't get away with it this much in many other jobs (i.e. private sector) and I don't miss it or envy you at all.

I used to have a nice big poster blocking out my window too.
Lots of biochemical pathways, hoping some of it would sink in whilst my students just knocked and knocked and knocked even though my DO NOT DISTURB (in big, black letters) sign was up.

Aaargghh.

I don't miss it.

Come to the dark side - you won't regret it