Demonstrated boundary setting today. Big news for me.
Coworker comes up, says he's chatted with my boss, they think it'd be good if I did a poster and manned it for a day at the upcoming symposium. Mind you, he does this during my 10m window to suck back a can of soup, so during my "lunch break". (Also, this dude actually takes a lunch break every day and multiple coffee breaks, like in a break room, away from his phone and computer.)
Me: No thanks.
He keeps talking.
I bite: what meeting are you even talking about...
That's in less than 2 weeks...
So you are just now putting an agenda together for that event that's been on my calendar for months and think I can just juggle everything to fit your last minute requests in?
Him: You know how this place rolls.
M: Yes, I've seen how you do it...
Nope, I have too much going on already and this isn't on my work plan.
(Yup, went work political.)
Hours pass.
Suddenly he and my boss are standing at my desk.
Her: I would really love you to do this. What you've done is huge.
M: Do you really need me to rattle off every plate I am currently spinning in the air? Which would you like me to drop for this?
Her: Do you have any docs or presentations you've done on topic?
M: I have 3 presentations done since last October.
Her: I'll do the poster and you just man it and field questions on the day, okay?
M: That's fine, I knew I had to be there that day anyway, but I'm not committing to being friendly. I'm probably coming with a sign "not accepting any questions".
They leave.
Guy that sits next to me, about 5 or so years with the company: That all went pretty well for you. I'm impressed.
Me currently thinking while walking in the woods: she's probably going to use AI to summarize my work into a poster. She keeps telling me to learn AI and I keep telling her that I need time to learn new things but right now I fire-fight all day.
