Have you ever been in the middle of a task and then suddenly your status changes to “Away” on Slack? This can be annoying, especially when you’re fully focused and don’t want any interruptions. In this article, I will provide some useful tips and techniques to prevent Slack from displaying you as away.
1. Adjusting your status settings
Slack provides various status settings to let your team know what you’re up to. By default, Slack automatically sets your status to “Away” after a certain period of inactivity. However, you can change this setting by following these steps:
- Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the Slack interface
- Select “Set a status” from the dropdown menu
- In the status window, click on the “Clear after” dropdown
- Choose “Never” to prevent Slack from automatically setting you as away
By adjusting this setting, you can ensure that Slack doesn’t falsely indicate your absence when you’re actually active.
2. Utilizing the “Do Not Disturb” mode
If you want to completely avoid being interrupted by Slack notifications, you can enable the “Do Not Disturb” mode. This mode allows you to set specific time periods during which you won’t receive any notifications, including status changes. To activate “Do Not Disturb” mode:
- Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the Slack interface
- Select “Do Not Disturb” from the dropdown menu
- Choose the desired duration for your “Do Not Disturb” mode
- During this time, Slack will not change your status to “Away”
This feature can be particularly helpful when you need uninterrupted focus or during non-working hours.
3. Using keyboard shortcuts to stay active
If you often find yourself being marked as “Away” due to inactivity, you can use keyboard shortcuts to keep yourself active on Slack:
- Press and hold the
Shiftkey while reading or writing in Slack - This continuous keystroke will prevent Slack from considering you as idle
By using this keyboard shortcut, you can actively engage with Slack without having to worry about your status changing to “Away”.
Conclusion
Slack’s default setting of automatically changing your status to “Away” can be frustrating, especially when you’re in the middle of important work. However, by adjusting your status settings, utilizing the “Do Not Disturb” mode, and using keyboard shortcuts, you can have more control over how Slack displays your availability. Remember, it’s important to communicate with your team and set clear expectations regarding your availability, regardless of your Slack status. Happy collaborating!