People with main character syndrome in work

[Alien36]

Anyone else had this? Her work is of course way more important than anyone else's, she's always running around like a headless chicken, 'sooo much to do today, so many people to call, rushed off my feet' 'I had to stay an extra 3 hours last night'. Needs to give a live update of every single action to the manager, entire breakfast set up on the desk including box of cereal, bowl and pint of milk.

Just gets a bit draining hearing she's sooo busy and sooo important.

If it's just dramatic rather than real stress, try

"Jane, have you ever considered a time management course, it would help with efficiency and you wouldn't so stressed all the time".

I can't stand people like this. I just tend to quickly move on from conversations with them.

I have less and less patience with the 'soooo busy' people as I get older. I tend to give them a wide berth because it's so draining and tedious to listen to. I do feel a bit sorry for them - it all just screams of insecurity and perceived inadequacy

We have a couple of those at my workplace.

Sometimes, I think if they actually stopped telling everyone how busy they were/what they needed to do and just actually did it, they would be more efficient!

Some do just seem to love making out that they are more busy than anyone else.

Just remember that these people often have very little else happening in life so their work consumes them.

I thinks it people with destroyed nervous systems that spend their lives in flight or fight. I actually feel bad for them.

You know, of course, that the board must think of her as one of the generic admin women, if they are even aware she exists

You’ve just described my manager 🤣 this has made me howl!!

Or “Jane. Every time you stop to inform us how busy you are you waste 30 seconds. If you just did your job without commentary you’d find that’s where the 3 hours went”

Although quoted posters is a much better way! I’d be tempted (and have been) to say mine though!

Tell her that if she ditched the cereal, and had protein for breakfast instead, she'd be way more productive. She'd have more stable blood sugar and she'd be wayyyyy more able to focus.

Seriously though - YANBU. People like this are a nightmare!

*Edited to add: you probably don't want her consuming boiled eggs or tuna or other odorous things at her desk though, so maybe don't say this after all!

It depends. If she really is busier than everyone/had to do 3 hours extra work, could it be that she's just angry other people aren't pulling their weight, and hoping they'll feel guilty?

There is a head of department like this at my work (thankfully not my department). You've described her exactly except for the food - the one I know is extremely fussy about tidiness and hygiene. Every drawer is labelled and there are laminated signs in block caps "not for general use" on her stationery tray and so on.

Unfortunately she's quite unpopular and every time she complains about being busy, others think "that's because you're inefficient and overly perfectionist" even when she does have a point and a policy ought to change.

Her subordinates quit frequently, leading to a high turnover in her dept.

She's also single and occasionally talks about wanting to find a partner, and I just want to take her aside and give her a hug and a gentle shake. Just lighten up and everything will be so much easier for you, both in work and out!

I like this!

I don't actually mind this person except, one thing I really dislike about her, is that she brown-noses management but is rude and patronising to support staff, who really don't like her.

I think the mark of a good colleague is someone who is courteous even to people who "don't matter". Because ultimately everyone does matter, and it eventually filters upwards when you're dickish to support staff.

Is yours the same op?