This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by BenoitMalige
\
Work is 90% communication and 10% trying not to lose your mind over miscommunication.
\ Ever had a coworker who spams you with emails when a simple Slack message would do?
\ Or a manager who loves last-minute meetings that could’ve been an email?
\ Or worse—someone who takes three days to respond to a simple yes/no question?
\ Misaligned expectations = Frustration.
\ Solution? Create a How to Work With Me Cheat Sheet.
\ Here’s how to build your own personal user manual—so people know how to work with you before they drive you insane.
How to Work With Me Cheat Sheet: Set Expectations Before They Set You Off
You know what’s worse than a tight deadline?
\ A tight deadline + people who don’t know how to work with you.
\ Work would be 10x smoother if people just knew what you need:
\
The best way to reach you
\
How you make decisions
\
What drives you crazy (so they can avoid it)
\
Most of the frustration at work isn’t from the work itself—it’s from poor communication.
\ So instead of waiting for people to “figure it out,” just tell them upfront.
\ Here’s how to create your How to Work With Me Cheat Sheet.
Step 1: Communication Preferences (So No One Wastes Your Time)
How do you prefer to communicate? Short messages? Detailed emails? Voice notes?
\ 🔹 Best way to reach me: Slack? Email? Carrier pigeon?
\ 🔹 Response time expectations: Do you reply instantly or check messages twice a day?
\ 🔹 When NOT to contact me: Nights? Weekends? When I’m eating lunch and watching YouTube?
\ Example: “I check Slack every morning and after lunch—don’t expect an instant response. Email me for important stuff. And for the love of God, no long voice notes.”
Step 2: Decision-Making (So People Don’t Leave You Hanging)
How do you make decisions? Gut feeling? Data-driven? Need time to think?
\ 🔹 What I need to make a decision: Bullet points, a spreadsheet, a 2-minute pitch?
\ 🔹 How fast I decide: Immediate? A few hours? 24 hours?
\ Example: “I make fast decisions when I have clear options. If you send me a novel-length email, I will ignore it.”
Step 3: Work Style (So People Don’t Drive You Insane)
🔹 How I handle meetings: Daily check-ins? Weekly reviews? No meetings unless necessary?
\ 🔹 Preferred working style: Collaborative? Solo deep work?
\ Example: “I work best when left alone for long stretches. Need me? Send a message first instead of booking a random meeting.”
Step 4: My Pet Peeves (A.K.A. How to Stay on My Good Side)
What tiny things unreasonably annoy you? Meetings without an agenda? People who “circle back” 15 times?
\ 🔹 Biggest productivity killer for me is…
\ 🔹 If you want to frustrate me, do this…
\ Example: *“If you book a meeting with no clear agenda, I will fake a Wi-Fi issue and leave.”*
Step 5: Personal Stuff (So People See You as a Human, Not Just an Email Address)
🔹 A few random facts: Favorite coffee order? Do you have pets? Hobbies?
\ 🔹 What keeps me sane outside of work?
\ Example: “I drink three cups of coffee before noon, and yes, I am addicted. Also, if I’m not online, I’m probably at the gym or eating tacos.”
How to Use This Cheat Sheet
Once you have yours, share it.
\
Add it to your onboarding doc
\
Send it to new hires
\
Drop it in Slack when someone joins the team
\
Or just keep it for yourself—so you can be more self-aware and avoid unnecessary stress.
\ Because let’s be real: 90% of work headaches come from bad communication.
\ Fix that, and everything else gets easier.
\
Final Thought
If you don’t tell people how to work with you, they will make assumptions.
\ And those assumptions will be wrong.
\ Save yourself the frustration—set expectations early.
\ The best working relationships start with clarity. And clarity starts with you.
\ Until next time ✌️
\ Ben
This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by BenoitMalige
BenoitMalige | Sciencx (2025-03-11T19:00:07+00:00) This Cheatsheet Method Prevents You From Getting Triggered at Work (And Actually Enjoy Your Job). Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/03/11/this-cheatsheet-method-prevents-you-from-getting-triggered-at-work-and-actually-enjoy-your-job/
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