AITJ for hard muting my coworker after hours and then missing an "urgent" issue

December 18, 2025

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AITA for setting boundaries with my coworker who constantly messages me after hours and then accuses me of ignoring him?

My teammate in a different time zone bombards me with non-urgent messages late at night, so I finally set boundaries by muting notifications after 6 p.m. But when a minor issue arose, he accused me of ignoring him and causing problems. Was I in the wrong?

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As a data analyst with global teammates, I drew a line with after-hours messages, but faced backlash when a minor issue arose past my set time. How do I navigate this conflict?

My teammate constantly messaged me late at night despite my requests for non-urgent matters to be limited to core hours. When I finally silenced notifications after 6 p.m., he accused me of ignoring him, causing tension in our team dynamic.

"They said I'm leaving him to drown by setting boundaries."

Despite communicating my availability and providing an on-call number for emergencies, my coworker still felt neglected when I didn't respond after my designated offline hours. Was I wrong to prioritize my own work-life balance and boundaries?

"Could I have checked my laptop for one minute? Maybe. But my boundaries were clear."

The incident highlighted a clash between respecting personal boundaries and being constantly available for coworkers. How should I handle similar situations in the future to maintain a healthy work-life balance while meeting team expectations?

🏠 The Aftermath

Following the confrontation, tensions within the team have escalated, making it challenging to find a balance between professional availability and personal boundaries.

While the incident did not have significant repercussions on work deliverables, it exposed underlying communication issues and differing expectations regarding work hours and availability.

Moving forward, establishing clearer boundaries and expectations with teammates may be crucial to prevent similar conflicts in the future and maintain a healthy work environment.

"Balancing accessibility with personal time is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance."

Reflecting on the situation, it is evident that open communication and mutual respect for boundaries are key in fostering a positive and productive team dynamic.