This topic does not involve swimming AT all ... sorry ... I cannot stand my co-worker! She drives me crazy. First of all, I work in a very small law firm. There a total of eight employees. Four attorneys (one is part time), two secretaries, an errand boy (aka the head partner’s son), and myself. We have an open office sans cubicles. So there is NO escape. Moving on ... we are a very busy firm. Normally we have a couple of law clerks but right now we don’t. So most of the extra work falls on me. We don’t really have carved out jobs really we all kind of do everything. Though we do all have things that only we do. The annoying co-worker complains non-stop all day long. Seriously. Either she doesn’t have enough to do or the guys ask her to do stuff and she flips out “I don’t have time for this. I can’t handle this right now.” She complains about everything she is asked to do. She complains and/or comments on every phone call she answers. She gets all snippy with me and has basically told me that if I keep eating the way I do (I snack on healthy things all day) that I am going to get fat, so I should enjoy it while I can get away with it. She talks endlessly about how her son is in marching band and how that is the most important thing EVER, how hard it is and how much time it takes up ... I want to yell, do you know how many hours a week I spent in a gym in high school? Like, 30! AH! I can’t take it. I seriously want to yell SHUT UP! Everyone is busy and no one cares. She is a drama queen to the max. She is ALWAYS in pain, her knee, her back, she has a headache, a stomach ache, a cold ... she hasn’t been here everyday all day for two weeks since I started in September. It drives me crazy. I am really afraid that one day I’ll just blurt out shut up you whiney wench! Gr! Do any of you have annoying co-workers and how do you deal with it? Thanks!
Usually, I am not a complainer I swear, and I do see the irony of complaining about someone complaining.
Former Member
Originally posted by Fishgrrl
I think a torrid affair is an awesome idea!
Is that for you or the annoying co-worker?;)
Seriously though, annoying co-workers are a drag. I used to work with a guy who would talk to you all day long if you let him and half the day if you didn't. I actually got to the point where I would turn away from him and stop responding. I would sit at my desk and work. Literally, I would get lost in what I was doing and then 15 minutes later realize that I hadn't responded in a loooong time, but he was still there talking as if I was fully engaged in the conversation!
Heather,
Most of us at some time or another have run into similar situations, maybe not as severe as the one you portray, but similar.
From your posts my not clear as to her relationship to you in the office; a superior, subordinate, peer, none of the above?
And if she is as bad as you say, why hasn’t she been fired?
As mentioned in previous posts, you can live with the situation, deal with it, or leave. If you want to deal with it and you’re not sure how to proceed (which appears to be the case), I’d recommend reading Dealing with People You Can't Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst by Rick Brinkman. It’s one of the best books I’ve found on handling difficult people.
Thanks for all the great responses. I figured most people have dealt with a similar situation so I figured I'd tap into a wealth of knowledge.
I'm not exactly sure how to deal with it yet. I know that everyone else in my office has realized that she is a drama queen (I don't think you can fire someone for talking too much or being annoying). One of the attornies actually asked me once how it was going and I said fine. And he said, well of course there is no drama because Pam isn't here. So they all realized it too.
I know she doesn't realize how annoying her behavior is. I do pretty much tune her out. We actually don't have cubicles (they said they designed the office to be open I think they were being cheap, but that's just me). Anyway, I really don't pay attention to her unless she screeches my name.
Also, she can't exercise because she hurt her knee two years ago ... or her back hurts or ... see where I'm going with this.
Thanks again for all the helpful advice. And feel free to share annoying co-worker stories as they make me laugh ... I'm not sure she'd catch on if I started talking about someone else annoying that complains all the time, because she complains all day long about how our payroll lady does nothing but complain and whine about doing her job ... it's crazy.
Thanks again to all, I feel better already. Too bad I can't kick her chair that would relieve tension.
Last year, I had a similar problem with a rather annoying girl, who I found out was slightly mentally challenged.
I work for a non-profit organization that helps the bilnd, visually impaired and mentally disabeled, which usually supplies them jobs in our sewing and assembly shop. (I'm a studio engineer for our non-profit radiostation)
This happened on four seperate occasions:
Since I started swimming, I developed a healthy appetite, so I know what Heather means by being hungry all of the time.
I remember going to the break room to buy a soda from the soda machine, since I usually buy a soda. Thirty seconds later I hear her blurt out:
"Hey, It's NOT BREAK TIME!!"
at first, I gave her an awkward stare and shrugged it off, since I rarely saw her.
The second time, about a week later, I went to the same break room to get me a snack. This time she blurts out:
"Hey, it's NOT LUNCH TIME!" ...as if she were my supervisor or something. I was speechless to hear that nobody in the break room backed me up.
You could imagine how annoyed I felt. Normally, I would confront the annoyance and politely tell them it's not to place to do what they did, but being since she had a mental disability, I went to a co-worker's office for advice and got the name of her supervisor, who happened to be a friend of mine.
I later went to her super's office to explain what is going on.
He talked to her, which worked for about three weeks and was back to her annoying ways.
I felt uncomfortable getting snacks and sodas after that. after the fourth time, she blurted out something, I went to her super again. This time, I was in the same room with them when he explained to her that I wasn't in the same department and that it wasn't her business nor place to tell me when and when I couldn't get a soda and or a snack.
Toward the end of last year, she eventually got fired for the many complaints that others placed. I'm sort of glad she's gone now because she unfortunately, was a toddler trapped in a woman's body and couldn't hold a job as one who is mentally capable could.
Result: she ADMITTED she was like that too "I can relate to that. I'm like that," and proceeded to give several reasons why and basically justify her negativity!
Now, where do you go with that?
Good question....
My response could have been....Gosh, you have so much going for yourself....and to look forward to.....why not correct the problem rather then give in to it.....
Heather,
Don't let the men here know you're really flexible! I think they're tortured enough with your charming personality- flexibility would just fry their minds!
Wow that would have totally annoyed me. I'd be like it's annoying, STOP doing that!
Of course I am actually NOT good at confrontation so ... I'd probably just laugh ...
Ok, annoying co-worker update! She's been on the phone pretty much all day (I justify being here all day b/c of that) on personal calls. Now she is crying because her son didn't get section leader in the band and she told him quit, you should just quit. Yeah, that's a great way to raise a kid. When something gets hard quit. Of course seeing as I have no children I am an expert at raising them.
I can't stand that quitter attitude. I had fractures in my back and dislocated vertebrae and I went back to gymnastics because I wasn't going to end my career like that. Gr! Just looking to be annoyed ... though in light of today's discussions I should probably let it go and realize that everyone has their problems, and everyone is just trying to do the best they can.
