do you hate it when you're writing a personal email and there's people standing over your shoulder?

Question

how would you react in this situation?

Answer 1

YES!!!!!!
I just type:
there's an asshole
at my back rEEADING WHAT IM WRITING!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Yes. It's very rude of people to do that, but sometimes you can't do much without creating an even worse problem.

If I do anything, what I do is either say pointedly, "I'll be with you in a minute, this is a personal email," or else save and close the file in a way that shows the rude person that I'm peeved.

Or, if they can't take a hint, and I'm typing the email on my own computer and my own time instead of at the office, I might just ask them to back off.

Obviously, you have to use judgment. It's easier to silently or openly ask subordinates or kids to back off than it is with your wife, your boss, your friends or your co-workers.

Answer 3

Aurghh... TOTALLY !!! I get so mad when they do that (my sisters and sometimes my mom / dad). I just stop what I'm doing and minimize the page then go like '' Uhh, do you mind ?!'' or '' Do you have a problem ?!" then they just get the picture and leave. But if they dont I just go like '' Hello... why you staring at the screen, its none of your busniess so buzz off !''. LOL...

Its really annoying. People like that should totally respect other people's privecy and not watch whatever they're going or, especially, if they were writing a personal message. When were at school and my friend comes on to my computer in the 'Computer Lab' she never looks at the screen. She stands behind it and does like '' Dont worry I'm not looking !'' LMAO... Now thats a good friend... Haha... Seriously, I like her for that. She totally respects what I'm doing. But anyway, I just go like '' Its OK, you can look !''.

Haha... I wrote alot !! LOL... Well thats all I have to say for now =)

Answer 4

I usually get mad, save the email to draft and sign off the computer, but then I hate people standing over me while I do anything.

I think the most proper thing to do would be to just say to them , "Excuse me, but this is private. Would you mind not standing so close while I'm doing my email? Thank you."

Answer 5

Thank you! My mom does it constantly and I hate it. More often she stands over my shoulder when I'm talking to my bf online. That's really awkward. She knows I hate it but does anyway, so I just flat out tell her to go away. Or I just minimize the conversation and turn around and glare at her

Answer 6

Yes I hate it but when using a public computer in an Internet cafe it is difficult to do anything about it. It is like making a 'private' phone call on a mobile phone in a crowded public place nothing there is private and to assume that it is well that is just delusional.

Answer 7

Depending on the circumstances (that is whether the person is a coworker, friend, or supervisor or boss), I either politely tell them I'm writing a personal email and could they please excuse me a moment, or I shrink the window and ask them what I can do for them and then resume writing the email after they leave.

Answer 8

Yes, I would be annoyed.
But I would stop writing the email and write it later.
I am assuming you are at work, because if you were home, ppl would not be standing around. At work you ought to be working, not sending personal emails.

Answer 9

Yes! That drives me bonkers! I ask them to politely remove themselves from the view over my shoulder and if they dont I open a new tab in IE and type something like "controlling that abhorrent forest of a yeast infection." Haha, works every time ;)

Answer 10

Certainly.
1. Minimize the window and temporarily do something else, including possibly talking to them and possibly telling them you are finishing your private mail at the moment,

...so wait till i finish, and go sit way over there and look at your own email and if you don't have any sign up and answer questions at yahoo, but you're welcome to converse with me if you talk very slowly after having turned your chair to face directly away from me while I type.

Answer 11

I have the perfect solution.. While I am writing and they are reading it over my shoulder I will say something derogatory so they can read it and they walk away... Good luck Grant M in Pennsylvania