Ever wished your coworkers respected your privacy and actually knocked before they came in? It seems like an obvious thing to do, you might think, especially if you’re the one who’s focusing on that mind-boggling excel sheet or that tedious report. No matter if you’re working in a private or shared office room, a cubicle or a designated spot in a coworking space, people walking in and out can easily disturb your workflow and snap you out of your flow state in an instant. How do you politely tell them to bugger off and leave that morning chit chat to a more convenient hour?
Here’s our list of 12 most clever ideas of a do not disturb sign in your office.
1. This sign is simple and classy enough to get your point across
Source: Etsy
If you’re struggling to emphasize how critical it is for you to maintain your focus on that extremely important email you’re writing, try Capitalizing Each Word And Putting It In Italics. This poster is simple and straightforward – I’m In The Zone, and, please, respect that for a while.
2. This sign is perfect for keeping your coworkers on hold
Source: Etsy
Sometimes 10 minutes is exactly what you need to finish that presentation or proof-read for any embarrassing grammar mistakes. Keep your peers from bothering you for 10 minutes more with this clever do not disturb sign for your office door or cubicle.
3. This sign hilariously asks for some privacy
Source: Imgur
Some coworkers just don’t get the amount of focus your type of craft requires to get things done. Educate them with a good lesson how you want things to be done – like this do not disturb sign does.
4. Literally the lightest (and potentially the strongest) way of saying “do not disturb”
Source: Luxafor
While a picture says a thousand words, the red light says just enough to understand: DON’T. This wireless gadget lets you change colors and patterns to communicate that you’re either busy, open for conversation or up for a cup of coffee. Besides, it isn’t just a status indicator – added features like the Timer, Pomodoro, and integrations with productivity and notification apps, make Luxafor Bluetooth your personal assistant.
5. This sign gets straight to the point of having a do not disturb sign
Source: Miller + Co
Sometimes you just have to draw the line. How many more times can you stress not to walk in when you’re writing or meeting with your client?! This do not disturb sign is as bold and blunt as it gets – straightforward and perfect for showcasing your sarcastic side.
6. This sign gives rare exceptions for entering
Source: Imgur
Sometimes nothing gets your point across better than a good dose of dark humor and exaggeration. Don’t be absolutely strict though – set some rules for an exception like this do not disturb sign does.
7. This sign is perfect for overworked introverts
Source: Imgur
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If you’re swamped with work and having a chit chat will only make things worse, save yourself from needless talking with a clearly stated do not disturb print-out like this one.
8. This sign answers questions before they’re even asked
Source: Reddit
When you’re super busy and want everyone to stay away, here’s a brilliant idea. Put a FAQ on your do not disturb sign so that you don’t waste a minute on unproductive conversations.
9. This sign clearly states what counts as an excuse for disturbing you
Source: Pleated Jeans
Either you’re working from your home, a coworking space, or your company office – if you want to work uninterrupted, you have to set some rules. Here’s another useful list of the three only exceptions on which your coworkers, friends or family could trouble you. Fire, blood, or puppies – and nothing else.
10. This sign features some strong hints of “leave me alone”
Source: Imgur
Here’s another brilliant way of saying there’s literally nothing more important than finishing your tasks. Perfect for sarcastic workaholics or whenever you need to be one, this do not disturb sign will ward off even the most chatty coworkers (even if they’re on fire).
11. This do not disturb door hanger is brutally honest
Source: Creative Market
When you and your colleagues share the same pain, it’s much easier to relate to their struggles and respect their boundaries. Creative Market offers an awesome pack of printable door hangers perfectly adapted to the daily turmoils of working in the creative industry; or any industry, really.
12. This sign says do not disturb in its own poetic way
Source: Pinterest
Sometimes being vague works better than being direct. If you want to repel unwanted intruders, but leave a bit to imagination about what’s going on behind your office doors, have a do not disturb sign that simply puts it this way – there are things we are doing that don’t include you. What’s not to understand?
Our Final Thoughts:
As you can see, the effectiveness of a do not disturb sign relies pretty much on the wording and some formatting. For the sign to work properly, choose bold fonts and bold colors to emphasize your power words of choice that will help you avoid disruptions from coworkers, friends or family. Besides keeping the intruders at a distance, the do not disturb sign can also cause an occasional chuckle from the passers-by if the humor is suited to the general mood in your office.
However, if you’re working in a place that doesn’t favor a light-hearted sarcasm or if you simply want to remain professional, send out those do not disturb vibes effectively via colored LED busylight patterns using our simple and brilliant Luxafor Bluetooth. Now, if words are open to different interpretations, there’s no way your coworkers could misunderstand a bright red light politely and silently speaking: leave me alone!
