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Instant Messaging Ninja Tactics

While Instant Messaging my be the best thing for business productivity since the internet itself – let’s face it – somedays it seems like people won’t leave you alone. You’ve got work to get done and your team knows you are a go-to person for problems. What’s the solution? Here are a few ninja tricks we’ve learned. 

Become one with the “status”

You don’t have to keep your status set to “online.” Shift over to “Away” or “Busy” when you need to focus. Unless your only job is support, you likely have lots of other things to get done yourself. 

Master the art of “BRB”

Many conversations can wait. If you find that your teammates are hounding you about non-essential tasks, drop the “BRB” bomb. For the uninitiated, this stands for “Be Right Back.” This is a great way to manage expectations by letting fellow chatters know you’re working on something.

Learn the magic phrase “shut-yo-face”

While you likely will not be able to get away with telling people to leave you alone, learn to respectfully tell people you are busy. When your boss needs something, avoid the “shut-yo-face” magic and take the request. But if your fellow teammates can’t get a clue, you have now been equipped with the “shut-yo-face” bomb.

When all else fails – disappear!

Sound a little too magical for the real world? Go to ‘File’ -> ‘Sign Out’. It’s that easy to disappear off of the instant messaging grid. Sometimes you have no other alternative than to simply sign out and get some tasks off the to-do list. 

Remember, instant messaging is all about productivity. When your IM gets in the way, it’s time to take action. 

Any other ninja tricks we should know about?

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