I also can't stand the fact that smokers can take unlimited 'breaks' whenever they please just to come back stinking up an entire room with their smoke.
That feels like a workplace problem. Why would a workplace give them unlimited breaks? And why would nonsmokers not be allowed comparable breaks? This feels odd to me. My recent jobs have been ones where nobody is micromanaging my time, so anyone can take whatever breaks they want. As long as productivity doesn't obviously suffer, nobody cares. My past jobs in retail didn't allow smokers to take extra breaks. They'd get the same breaks as everyone else (for an 8 hour shift, that meant a 30 min lunch and 2 x 15 min coffee breaks).
If you want peace and quiet a workplace generally isn‘t it. Cities and towns in general, I think it drives a lot of us crazy this constant noise and bustle, so little quiet places. I found a corner behind some building in my workplace where rarely anyone ventures to take my break and that‘s the best I could do.
OP added context. Their work colleagues relax on their breaks in a different way than OP does and this is the end of the world apparently. Everyone must sit in silence, no music, no swearing, no smoke breaks. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that OP isn’t exactly well liked by their colleagues…
Lmao! Do you call tea and coffee drinkers “drug addicts” too?! Yup, smoke breaks should either be deducted from the allotted lunch break, or all employees should be allowed to step outside for 5 mins or whatever.
It depends on how often they use their drug and how they act about it. If you can’t function and treat people like shit because you haven’t had your coffee/tea yet, you’re a drug addict.
This is an emotional manipulative tactic, and not a great look. It's no different than calling copyright infringement "theft", abortion "murder", or someone who speeds a "criminal".
Note that you're not wrong. People that get cranky if they don't get enough caffeine are probably feeling some withdrawals from it, and caffeine is a drug, but calling those people "drug addicts" leverages the emotional connotation from it's more colloquial usage. If you can't support your stance without emotional manipulation, you don't have much of a stance, yeah?
Then there's no reason to be emotionally manipulative. If you were being honest right now, there would have been no reason to use the term "because you're a drug addict" in your comment. The gist of the comment doesn't change when that phrase is removed. It's just not as emotionally manipulative.
My opinion is that they are drug addicts. My opinion is also that being a drug addict is not something that should grant someone special privileges. How is that “emotionally manipulative”? I am not manipulating anyone.
You did no such thing. "it's just my opinion" doesn't make it less manipulative. I'm sure people that call abortion "murdering babies" are "just stating their opinions", too.
Here, I'll give you an easy out to save your wounded pride-- maybe you didn't realize that you were being emotionally manipulative?
My mom argues the same way DreamySweet does.
It's easy to dismiss her arguments as I know the scripts she fills on a monthly basis. Yes mom, I'm totally a drug addict on the weekends.
Dreamy's probably a great person, just cranky until they get their morning Xanax/Lipitor/Zoloft/etc.
oh i thought cuz you were mad about their unlimited breaks that was a factor for you
sounds like the amount of breaks for them dont matter then, its just that they're stinky. which is fair. but you can get the breaks just the same if you wanted. maybe getting out for some fresh air would be good for you
You’re not sorry and I’m not offended. There’s no need for fake platitudes on the internet.
Are you neurodivergent by any chance? Aside from smokers getting extra work breaks, the things you’re complaining about are not mildly infuriating, they’re other people’s personal choices that don’t impact your ability to do your job. They’re examples of completely normal experiences that nearly everyone has to deal with - mild annoyances at best. You don’t get to police what people do on their breaks. You don’t get to police what people do to their bodies. You don’t get to police what language people use when talking amongst themselves.
If you’re so offended by bad language and music, wear some noise cancelling headphones on your break. That will have to added bonus of stopping people from talking to you at all, so you can get that decompression time you need in order to do your job properly. You should definitely start taking your own non-smoking smoke breaks if your boss/HR won’t address the issue of smokers getting additional break time.
Focus on the things that you can change to make your work environment more palatable because that’s all you can control. And try not to be so judgemental. You may not say it out loud but I’m positive your colleagues can feel your distain for them, and that won’t help foster a mutually respectful environment at all. Good luck.
You're disagreeing, but that shouldn't invalidate what mildly infuriates people. What mildly infuriates one person, doesn't mildly infuriate another.
You're talking like everyone has the same feelings about things, which isn't the case at all. I don't like this habit people are engaging in where because something doesn't bother you another person isn't allowed to be bothered by it.
Having people blast out music on a bus is mildly infuriating to me, so is people talking really loud. The misophonia probably doesn't help but in my eyes that is mildly infuriating and it is to other people.
There’s no need for fake platitudes on the internet.
On this, we agree.
Aside from smokers getting extra work breaks, the things you’re complaining about are not mildly infuriating, they’re other people’s personal choices that don’t impact your ability to do your job. They’re examples of completely normal experiences that nearly everyone has to deal with - mild annoyances at best.
The community is listed as 'Mildly Infuriating'. The few examples I gave in my post are things I personally find mildly infuriating. I don't know where you work, but in most places of employment, a certain standard of professionalism is expected.
You don’t get to police what people do on their breaks. You don’t get to police what people do to their bodies. You don’t get to police what language people use when talking amongst themselves.
Where in my post did I suggest the actual policing of the behaviors I found irritating? Or did I just list them?
If you’re so offended by bad language and music, wear some noise cancelling headphones on your break. That will have to added bonus of stopping people from talking to you at all, so you can get that decompression time you need in order to do your job properly. You should definitely start taking your own non-smoking smoke breaks if your boss/HR won’t address the issue of smokers getting additional break time.
Headphones are restricted in most work environments, hence the speaker loophole.
I've got nothing against free speech, but there's a time and a place for shit talk. Why is that up for debate?
The break disparity wasn't the issue I was addressing. And asking for additional breaks for myself does nothing to fix the issue.
Why are you saying they shouldn't be complaining about things they find mildly infuriating on a board dedicated to complaining about mildly infuriating things?
Your comment is full of massive assumptions about OP. Some people don't want to hear loud music and want noise to be at a volume where they can actually think and focus. There isn't anything wrong with that. Is it the end of the world? no, is it mildly infuriating for OP? yes. The post fits.
Workers taking smoke breaks is fine. Anything that gives workers more breaks is good. You can takethose breaks too. Just tell them its a smoke break. If management says anything, tell them you have just as much need for it as anyone who smokes. Don't get mad at your fellow workers. Get mad at the employer.
You've got me there; lung cancer and heart disease do make for irrefutable excuses to cut out.
Anyway, my complaint was more about the smell of smoke and how it lingers on clothes and in the air for nonsmokers. It wasn't mentioned in-post, but I'm constantly hearing wet coughs as well, which is both disruptive to my workflow and is just gross (especially in a post-pandemic work environment where people refuse to even cover their mouths or use sanitizer anymore).
Wow. You're really sensitive to external stimuli, huh? Even just hearing someone cough disrupts your entire workflow? You know that's not typical, right?
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