Once upon a time, when work was a place rather than a state of mind, the concept of “Away” was simpler. Now, the realm of digital communication offers new nuances to “Away” in the form of statuses on Microsoft Teams. Not everyone wants their status to be an open book, and so, I decided to go on a journey to find ways to control this omnipresent “Away” status. Today, I’d like to share my discoveries: seven best methods to block your Microsoft Teams Away Status.
1. Adjust Your Status Manually:
Most folks don’t realize that Teams give us the freedom to set our status manually. By clicking on your profile picture at the top of the Teams app, you can choose between Available, Busy, Do Not Disturb, and, yes, Away. It’s a quick fix that works well, especially when you’re stepping away but don’t want Teams to let the world know.
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2. Playing with the Idle Timeout:
The inactivity period before Teams decides you’re ‘Away’ is five minutes, but there’s a workaround for this using Teams’ admin settings. This method can be a bit complex, and requires administrator privileges. If you have them, head to the Microsoft Teams admin center, and navigate to “Org-wide settings > Idle timeout”.
3. Stay Active with a Virtual Presence:
Tools like Mouse Jiggler can help keep your status from going idle by generating “dummy” mouse movements. But use this option sparingly – we don’t want to promote the idea of being “always available”, right?
4. Controlling Presence through Calendar:
Microsoft Teams syncs with your Outlook calendar to reflect your status based on meetings or appointments. Making smart use of this feature can also help you maintain your preferred status. For instance, block out periods of the day as ‘Busy’ or ‘Do not disturb’ when you don’t want to be disturbed.
5. Teams and Windows 10 Focus Assist:
Windows 10 has a nifty feature called Focus Assist. When it’s turned on, it can stop Teams from changing your status. This article guides you through the process of activating Focus Assist.
6. Using Third-Party Apps:
There are third-party apps like PresenceLight that can be linked to Teams. They allow you to manage your status and even display it using smart lights. It’s a cool little method I’ve had fun experimenting with.
7. Communicate Clearly:
Finally, nothing beats clear communication. Let your team know when you’ll be away or busy. It may seem old-fashioned, but it’s a method that stands the test of time.
And there you have it! My journey to mastering the Microsoft Teams Away Status has been enlightening. I’ve learned that I can control my digital presence with just a few tweaks and tools. Try out these methods, mix and match, and find what works best for you.
