The framing that works best is functional, not personal. Explain what makes you work well rather than asking for a preference. Something like: "When I get messages in the evening, I end up thinking about work until I sleep and come in less sharp. I’d like to propose: for genuine emergencies, call me directly. For everything else, I’ll pick it up first thing." This gives your manager a real escalation path, which removes the anxiety that often drives after hours contact in the first place.
Ah, the joy of modern communication! Gone are the days when we had to endure the awkward silence of a face-to-face conversation or the nerve-wracking anticipation of a phone call. Now, we can receive a delightful text message from our boss at the crack of dawn, reminding us that our job is still very much a thing. And if you’re anything like the Reddit user who posted about their boss’s incessant morning texts, you might find yourself wondering if your boss is secretly working for the ‘Obnoxious Messaging’ department.
Let’s break this down. We’ve all had those moments when our bosses decide that 7 AM is the perfect time to send a motivational message, a project update, or worse—a reminder of something you didn’t even know was due. Seriously, it’s like they think we’re all part of a 24/7 work cycle. Newsflash, boss: some of us enjoy our beauty sleep, and no, the snooze button isn’t a suggestion.
The Redditor, who goes by the charming username /u/crypticnoodles (which is honestly a name that deserves its own fan club), shared their plight of receiving daily obnoxious texts. The sheer volume of these messages has turned their once-empathetic heart into a calloused stone. It’s a classic case of the ‘boy who cried wolf’—only in this scenario, the wolf is a barrage of messages that have become so predictable, they might as well come with a soundtrack.
Now, you might wonder why these texts are so irritating. For one, they often come when you’re still in the blissful state of denial that it’s too early to be awake. Second, they create an overwhelming sense of urgency that’s completely unnecessary—especially when you’re just trying to figure out how to put your pants on before work.
In the case of our dear Redditor, it’s clear that they’ve reached their limit. Ignoring the texts has become their new coping mechanism, which, let’s be honest, is probably a skill many of us have perfected over the years. It’s like a rite of passage in the working world: you start off eager and responsive, and before you know it, you’re rolling your eyes and muttering under your breath, ‘Not today, boss.’
And speaking of the end of an era, the Redditor mentions that their last day is approaching. It’s almost poetic, isn’t it? They’ve endured the onslaught of texts, and now they’re just counting down the days until freedom. It’s like being in a relationship that you know is going nowhere, and you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps they’ll even get a celebratory text from their boss on their last day, reminding them to hand over the keys to the coffee machine. Because nothing says ‘we’ll miss you’ quite like a 7 AM text about office supplies.
So, to anyone out there who feels the same struggle with boss texts, know you’re not alone! You’re part of a club that might not have a name but definitely has a membership card. Let’s just hope your next job has a no-texting-at-7-AM policy. Or at the very least, a boss who understands that sometimes, it’s best to let people wake up before bombarding them with work-related messages. Until then, keep your phone on silent and your coffee strong, my friends!
Inspired by: “The way my boss texts me every day is so obnoxious” (r/mildlyinfuriating)