24/7 online, alert and on your nerves? Tame WhatsApp and don't let it overwhelm you with work tasks
Good old e-mail
"When did email ever become more of a conservative work tool?" you might be thinking, remembering that it wasn't all that long ago that everything was done on paper and the more progressive ones were even picking up corded phones attached to their desks. A desk that they left in due course and it was painted. Anyone who didn't make it in during business hours was out of luck. Those who asked for any kind of cooperation in a letter knew right away that it would take a couple of days, and had no inclination to press for anything right after a couple of hours. Time was money once upon a time, but everything was kind of... on the long side.
Do you have work email? And can I see it?
If you, too, land one email after another, you're probably very fond of labels like "Spam" or even the less obvious ones we set up in our heads like "See you later" or the more straightforward "I'm going to overlook". Emails have become so deeply ingrained in the work routines of more than just white-collar workers that no one gives them a second thought. The often overwhelming inbox is just there. And every once in a while you need to sit down and somehow dispel the confusion.
Always online
Although people are not infrequently stressed by their email, there's an assumption that we're not constantly in this inbox of ours. "Maybe he hasn't read it yet, hasn't been on the computer and missed it," you think when someone hasn't replied to you for a few hours or even days. But are we this understanding on other platforms? Well, let's face it, not so much. And neither are others understanding of us. Hello, dear WhatsAppe.
Yes, it's WhatsApp and its similar apps on which work discussions are increasingly swarming. And not just the creative ones. Is there a task here? Criticism? A plea? Put it in a quick message, the recipient will read it right away. It's quicker than a bone-headed email solution...
And that's the problem. Those who are stressed by the constant beeps, vibrations and insistent reminders will know what it's like when they sit down to lunch and all they can smell is not the taste of sirloin steak, but the aftertaste of reminders and the feeling that there's a lot that needs to be addressed immediately. Damn work, you may be thinking. But it's not so much about the work as it is about the platform people rely on, the possibilities of which they now take as a bludgeon on the recipients and themselves. Are you struggling like this too? And why?
Are you online? Unsubscribe!
Do you feel bad not replying when it's clear you're online? Especially to your boss or a nosy colleague? It's kind of stupid, actually. The obviousness with which you ignore the message can be nerve-wracking for the person on the other end, and it doesn't matter if they're waiting for a reply, if you're going on a date with them, or on an excel spreadsheet. And it doesn't stop there. You reply once, twice, three times... and you feel like you've done the necessary. But lo and behold, it keeps beeping!
It's not going to go away.
How many cardiac surgeons are there who really care about seconds? And those who actually are, are probably smirking at the idea that their SOS situations should be handled over WhatsApp. Then don't do that either.
Or yeah, BUT...!
But set up your WhatsApp correctly. For mental hygiene, personal space and time for privacy are extremely important factors that keep us happy and, paradoxically, more effective. A rested body and brain simply work better. There's research on this, and you'll get advice not only from your doctor and psychologist, but also from any insightful quote shared a million times over that everyone likes but few actually follow consistently.
Keeping up with the times means not only using technology...
...but to use it properly. And by properly, I don't mean some directive we're going to teach you here. It's about making you feel good. It's that simple. And to do that, sometimes you need to make sure that the client doesn't see that you've been WhatsApping with someone all afternoon, while you cheerfully ignore their urgings to finish the budget. In his mind's eye, you're giggling at his patience, while in reality you're hanging on your mobile with your mum, crying about how drained you are. That's not good.
Is WhatsApp the new email?
This article is not meant to slander WhatsApp in the slightest. On the contrary. It's nice to have a platform by your side that makes communication very snappy. But at the same time, it's great to understand all the features that make that nimbleness sometimes freeze on command, so that its user can cool his nerves and find time to drink tea in peace or go to the zoo with his family without feeling constantly pressured. WhatsApp has indeed become for many the younger brother of mail, where everything is dealt with. Unlike mail, however, it fundamentally lacks the benefit of understanding that it is not always necessary to be ready on the marks.
How about the new setup?
Apart from the profile picture, there is a lot that can be set up on WhatsApp as well. And yet many people either don't know or don't use it, although they would love to enjoy the subsequent benefits. For example:
- Turn off the ability for others to see when you were last online;
- and even choose by name who you don't want to share this information with;
- consider who can see your profile picture;
- consider who will see your profile information; or
- choose who will see your status updates.
And that's not all. You know that feeling when you accidentally open someone's message? And suddenly you feel obligated to write them back because "Viewed" is nowadays the equivalent of posting where the sun don't shine? Yet on WhatsApp, you can set who won't see if you read their messages. That way, you never send that rude View, which has caused many not just private arguments, and you can gracefully move on to solving the message when you have the time and mental strength to do so.
The World's Greatest Evil or Group Chats
Does it annoy you too? Someone creates a group and starts spamming. They deal with nonsense that does nothing but disturb your notifications. It's worse when you also have to sift through the flood, because theoretically one piece of information in a hundred concerns you, and if you don't catch it, it will cause a minor work apocalypse. God, group chats are the worst thing after the obligatory name-card and hobbies get-to-know-you rituals, many people beat themselves up. And it's impossible not to sympathize with them. What they can be advised on is a personalized setting to ban them from joining group chats. Lawyered!
