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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Blocking out your work diary

93 replies

Quirkyme · 03/02/2022 23:04

Do you block out your work diary intentionally so nosy people looking (let's be honest some people do look at others diaries for the sake of it) and others , don't feel they can use it to their advantage and rope you into things or put things in?

Do you literally do it for all your free spaces?

I've noticed that some people do it to 'look" like they're busy....

But I'm genuinely thinking of doing it so people don't think they can use it to for their own advantage...

Anyone else, any tips?

OP posts:
MsFogi · 03/02/2022 23:07

I block it for an hour at lunch so that I actually have a chance of getting some lunch (doesn't always work). I also try to block an hour a day to get some really uninterrupted brain work done (again, doesn't always work).I have never thought about other people/looking busy!

AndWhatNext · 03/02/2022 23:07

I block out time in my calendar otherwise I'd spend all the time in meetings and not able to deliver on the stuff or write up and get people to deliver on the stuff we've just talked about in the meetings.

Avocadoandlemons · 03/02/2022 23:08

I dont use one but lots of my friends have said that its great as now they can book "meetings" at school run time/ when want to go to hairdresser etc so that they don't get disturbed by work when out and about

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 03/02/2022 23:10

I always block an hour out for lunch. Doesn't stop people trying to send meeting requests for that holy grail of relaxing/reading time though!

I also have 3 days each month when I need to concentrate on auditing payroll and I absolutely do not have a spare 15 mins so I block that out and am very strict on it.

HotChoc10 · 03/02/2022 23:13

I block out when I want to work on particular tasks, even if it's not a meeting. Happy if it discourages unnecessary meetings but I'd accept one that was put in!

emsyj37 · 03/02/2022 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sunsetsupernova · 03/02/2022 23:24

I do if I specifically don’t want to be booked for that time. Clients have a calendar link to my diary so they can book a 30 minute slot. If I don’t add in things like lunch I get booked back to back all day. My diary is open to anyone in the company though so they can see what I’m booked for. I love a good nosy in other peoples Grin

Kite22 · 03/02/2022 23:25

I was thinking the same as emsyj37 Confused

Maybe it is different in different types of work ?

Spud1130 · 03/02/2022 23:25

Mine is mainly for my benefit- meetings, reminders and anything that needs to be done to to specific time so that someone doesn't double book me with anything.

Stuff that goes in for other people benefit would largely be to do with my whereabouts - annual leave, working times (I don't do a standard 9-5, I do 8 hour shifts between 8am and midnight) and location for each day.

stevalnamechanger · 03/02/2022 23:27

I block it so people ask me before they book meetings

SnowfallSnowball · 03/02/2022 23:28

I’m an EA and I block time out in my Directors diaries so they have time to actually do work, I put in lunch breaks but prevent them from having back to back meetings. I mean some people can work like that but I avoid this for them where at all possible!

Just block out time if you need it and mark it as ‘keep free, email catch up’ or whatever. If people aim to put a meeting in without checking first it’s up to you whether you accept or decline!

ShirleyPhallus · 03/02/2022 23:29

Yep I do, it’s just good sense to avoid having your diary overrun by pointless meetings. Means you can choose which ones to attend a little more easily!

I really like the newish MS Office feature of blocking out “focus time” for you and muting your teams calls during those timess

emsyj37 · 03/02/2022 23:31

@stevalnamechanger

I block it so people ask me before they book meetings
Don't you get an invite that you can accept or decline?? Surely this approach wastes more time with all the 'can we have a meeting at x time' emails etc?? This is honestly the most bizarre thread I've read in 12 years on mumsnet. It's like a window into a parallel universe. Weirder than penis beaker.
k1233 · 03/02/2022 23:33

I must say, where I work the only way to know what's going on is to diary stalk. Probably comes from working for a senior executive and people expecting you to know her whereabouts at any point in time. Was handy then and is still handy when there's very poor communication from top down.

My diary is open to everyone. If something is sensitive / personal it's marked private. I block out 2 hours / day to let me do actual work as otherwise I get back to back meetings with no time to action anything.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 03/02/2022 23:35

I don’t work on a Wednesday so have that blocked out as “non working day”. I also tend to go and get my eyebrows done on a Friday lunchtime so block that out as “personal appointment”. No-one cares about lunch breaks in my place!

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/02/2022 23:37

If people can stick stuff in your diary you absolutely have to block time out.

Even better night be to put in specific slots that can be taken for meetings, and block of the rest of the time.

heyitsthistle · 03/02/2022 23:39

I do it for some focus time, but people tend to ignore that anyway 🤷‍♀️

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 03/02/2022 23:40

I block time out to work on stuff otherwise I'm in endless meetings. I could spend 90% of my week in meetings but the actions would never get done.

emsyj37 · 03/02/2022 23:42

Do some people have calendar systems that allow you to just put meetings in without sending an invite that the person has to accept first?? That is the only way that any of this makes any sense at all, but I have never worked anywhere with such a system.

emsyj37 · 03/02/2022 23:43

I'm still none the wiser about what the OP means though.... Dying to know!

WhatsitWiggle · 03/02/2022 23:48

I use the Outlook feature that blocks focus time in my diary, and I block lunch too. That way, anyone checking to see if I'm free for a meeting can see my available time. Winds me up when people send meeting invites without having checked the scheduler.

Also encourages me to use a block of time for chunky tasks and not fritter it on endless emails.

Kerberos · 03/02/2022 23:54

I love my 2 hours of focus time a day. Gives me chance to actually do the work that needs doing.

My diary is also open, as it means anyone looking for a slot for a meeting can see in detail what I'm booked into. If it's a 121 then easier to shift a little, if it's a board meeting then not.

I book time in additionally to complete prep work for meetings, write up notes and there are a couple of reports I'm also responsible for on a weekly basis. Without time booked for them I just wouldn't get them done.

So yes, I book my calendar, but I also actively manage it. If its not an important meeting to have then we can do it on a quieter day. If its not an actual conversation then can we agree by email for example.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 03/02/2022 23:57

@heyitsthistle

I do it for some focus time, but people tend to ignore that anyway 🤷‍♀️
Yep - people ignore mine and try to double book meetings when I am already booked for one then act all offended when I turn them down because some other meaningless twaddle meeting was booked first. I even get people sending me teams messages to ask if I am there on booked days off and with out of office showing. Changing jobs soon.
Whitefire · 04/02/2022 00:01

I block out one and a half days a week. This is for my own time management. I try to always keep it clear but I am not precious if things go in, but they only go in there if there is no other time.

Hawkins001 · 04/02/2022 00:05

I presume this is electronic dairy that everyone can access ?