Recently a buddy of mine called me the IM Nazi ala Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi. I asked him why and he said you never sign on unless you schedule a time to meet with someone and I know you’re on the computer.
Well he’s right. I find instant messengers intrusive. There is nothing like being in the middle of writing an email, forum post, blog post, or reviewing some code and some one popping up asking “What’s up?”. Well nothing now you nim-come-poop. It just disrupts my thought process, makes me loose my place and flow with what ever I’m doing.
Interruptions of any kind really annoy me. I hate the when phone rings or the doorbell rings and I’m in the middle of something or someone starts talking to me about nothing. I guess I wouldn’t last long in your typical office. 
You gotta love the folks that sit online under invisible mode then pounce on you the minute you get online. Why sit invisible if you’re going to talk to people? I don’t get it never have. I do sometimes sit under invisible if I’m waiting for someone but make myself available when then get online.
I even go so far as not to IM people unless I have something worthwhile to say. I’m considerate I know I don’t like the interruption of instant messages maybe they don’t either? I get the ole “you never IM me” comment from people and it makes me wonder do people really want to be interrupted with small talk are they that bored?
For as much as my generation and the generation after it is known for multitasking I like doing one thing at a time. I may have several things going on at once or several programs open but I’m rarely doing more than one thing at once. On the rare occasion I’m on the phone, I get off the computer to BS on the phone. If I’m IMing with someone chances are I’m not writing an email or surfing the web as we chat. I cannot be the only one who prefers to “unitask”
Don’t get me started on messaging. I cannot stand sites that have built in message systems and don’t allow people to email you. Friends will tell you that it generally takes me a lot longer to respond to MySpace and Facebook messages not to mention forum PMs unless it’s a forum I visit all the time. I look at my email inbox as a to do list. I read your message, decide if I need to respond and how long it’s going to take me. If it’s a quick 1 or 2 liner you get an instant reply. If it’s more involved I’ll set some time aside later. Myspace and Facebook notifications keep getting moved to the bottom of the list as I get more emails.
What about you? How to do you deal with IMs while working and website messaging?
I personally can’t stand it when somebody pops in and bugs me. I have several clients who can be rather annoying and long winded. I deal with it though sometimes haha.
Also, I don’t IM anymore because of the wasted time and resources loading an IM application. I like Facebook chat but that’s it, it is easy, non obtrusive, and does not have those annoying da-ding flamboyant notifications we have become near and dear to know.