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r/networking · u/SprinklesImmediate16Aug 1, 2026, 6:41 AM

Project manager is populating my calendar for projects

Here we go, just started at a a small map as a project/Network engineer. We have multiple projects varying deadlines. Some are small single site builds (fortinet firewall solutions). Some are bit more complex. The job is not difficult but this is the first time I’ve worked for a company where the pm is filling my calendar with the slots on what I should work on and on which day. Each customers build is slightly different and I feel that every time I leave a project unfinished because I have to move to another customers task I lose valuable time as I now have to spool up in that mode.

In the past I’ve been given the project and been told the deadline (ideally) and I just cracked on with it and delivered it . (Massive msp)

I don’t feel productive as I can be as I am switching between tasks too often.

Have you guys had anything similar or is this standard?

TLDR: pm keeps booking slots in my calendar for my projects rather than allowing me to plan my day . Working for a small msp

120

Comments

u/Blarg_3721Aug 1, 2026, 6:53 AM
As a former PM I will say you need to sort this out very quickly, unless there's some level of management between you and PM that you haven't mentioned. The PMs job usually includes getting expert estimates on man-hours and timelines, and it sounds like this part may have simply been delegated to you directly in the past. Your new PM might feel a stronger sense of responsibility, a smaller crew means higher visibility for each crew member, so you need to book a time to literally sit and ask about the processes in place and whether you can help by providing your expertise and experience at an earlier stage of the planning. This probably needs to be resolved somehow (even if it's just a matter of both sides feeling comfortable with what the other side is doing) and communication is the only way to get there.
- u/nof4Aug 1, 2026, 7:26 AM
  A daily 15 minute standup going over each project in order of delivery date would go a lot further and allow OP to manage their own time like the adult they are.
  - u/SprinklesImmediate162Aug 1, 2026, 10:11 AM1 reply
- u/SprinklesImmediate161Aug 1, 2026, 10:10 AM
  Thanks, there is no management between myself and the PM, I report to another person. I’ve been involved in different stages of the proposal ie I’ve been asked how long a project may take (roughly). These tend to be existing customers so we’d be involved, the new projects are mostly for new customers which has been costed and by the time it ends up either the engineer, it’s driven by the PM by micromanaging my calendar. On top of this we have a half hour call as well as a group chat that gets pinged through out the day.
  - u/heavyPacket3Aug 1, 2026, 12:01 PM
u/ipub8Aug 1, 2026, 7:11 AM
Builds should be standardised and automated if you're expected to conveyor belt everything.
u/nof20Aug 1, 2026, 7:24 AM
This is 100000% the reason why your predecessor left.
- u/SprinklesImmediate161Aug 1, 2026, 10:12 AM
  Maybe, could’ve been the case
  - u/Cheeze_It1Aug 1, 2026, 4:17 PM
u/DatBoiSlag0Aug 1, 2026, 7:28 AM
Sounds like you work for dashealth lol
- u/DatBoiSlag1Aug 1, 2026, 5:47 PM
  Why the downvote lmao, sounds like the position i just left
u/VictariontheSailor3Aug 1, 2026, 7:29 AM
Just tell him what you told us. Make a hour count for last week/two weeks to show him as an example if the message somehow gets hard to transmit
u/Roshi881Aug 1, 2026, 7:43 AM
Sort a method which is goin to work for both. Micromanaging can work for someone (I still need to know em, but still...) but definitely not for everyone. Sort it out or it will be painful for you and for your company
u/Snogafrog5Aug 1, 2026, 8:16 AM
First tell your manager what you will do. Then I would have the conversation that you are not working that way. The decline all the invites on you calendar and going forward.
u/pops1075Aug 1, 2026, 8:46 AM
I used to be manager for 10 engineers a while back and this started to creep in from the PMs to the techs. The way it used to work was the PMs would give me a list of jobs to be done and time frames and I would manage with the techs who was doing what job and when. I was able to plan things in a way that when you was going to finish a job there would be space before the next job, this would be booked in for documentation, training or 3rd line cover etc that could be moved around if a job overran without any issues. But I ended up been a bit of a bottleneck so we built out skills matrix and other bits so the PMs could have an idea which tech is right for which job. The idea was this started right at the presales stage, so sales would check either with me or the skills matrix, speak to a tech and could book them in do the presales, win the job and sales would hand over to the PMs including which tech. The tech would then be the one doing the install. This would then start to fall down when a PM would just book random jobs into their calendars, sometimes the wrong techs, or could be 3 jobs in one week that are all 200 miles away from each other and not communicate with the tech. Tech would speak to me and I would have to sort it all out again. We created a rule, the PMs had to discuss with the tech the job they was trying to book them in for before putting it in the calendar. If something appeared in the techs calendar that hadn't been discussed and planned, they deleted it or I did. You need to have a chat with your boss or the PMs about comms and the issues, I personally think the best PMs are the ones you feel like you are working together to complete projects properly and on time. The PMs role should be much more than just a calendar manager.
- u/liamnap3Aug 1, 2026, 8:53 AM
  What this PM is doing is a normal thing for PMs to do. But as this person says, it should be agreed between the two of you. There’s nothing wrong with what is being done. But everyone works differently. It’s all about hitting dates and I’ve seen many an engineer who I have the deadline date to, and they’d miss it, leading to escalations coming to me from PMs and then I’d have to remove that person in favour of someone who would hit dates.
  - u/pops1072Aug 1, 2026, 9:14 AM1 reply
  - u/FriendlyDespot1Aug 1, 2026, 3:03 PM1 reply
u/LukeyLad1Aug 1, 2026, 9:09 AM
Iv had this before myself. In the end I ultimately told the PM I do not work for you. Any resource you need for a project should be provided by my manager
u/lungbong2Aug 1, 2026, 9:59 AM
Unless the slots are to talk with the customer talk to the PM now, context switching kills productivity. They're doing it to plan things out but if it doesn't work for you you need to speak up now and get the right thing done.
u/bh02Aug 1, 2026, 10:47 AM
Talk to your manager? We needed to have a “conversation” with one of our project managers thinking they were people’s bosses at one point. They are not our bosses in any capacity. Problem was fixed immediately.
u/flyte_of_foot1Aug 1, 2026, 10:58 AM

every time I leave a project unfinished because I have to move to another customers task I lose valuable time

It's not clear what you mean from this, are you not finishing the work in the time required?

As devil's advocate I've worked with a lot of engineers who will disappear off into the weeds when given the chance. Task takes a day and you give them a day, it gets done in a day. Give them a week instead and it will take all week. Maybe the PM has been burned by this kind of thing before.
u/Smitticus2282Aug 1, 2026, 11:19 AM
They manage the project, they don't manage you. Can see in a comment you mention you report to another person. First thing to do is sort this out with the PM direct. Engineer flow states are important, being pulled off one project into another without wrapping a task up means you have to spend time picking up context and where you left off - you also lose productive time. This isn't strictly speaking the end of the world, but for a professional environment this strikes as micromanagement. He can check in on progress and adjust your momentum, but you're the engineer. Kirk tells Scotty that he needs Warp in 30 minutes, he doesn't tell Scotty how to achieve the deliverable. If you can't get a satisfactory outcome with the PM, go to your boss. Recommend coming armed with some examples and impact.
u/guppyur2Aug 1, 2026, 11:56 AM
This is why I never think PMs add much to a project in an IT setting. Maybe it works better in manufacturing or some other field, but PMs never know how any of this stuff works and they end up being counterproductive or the engineers and techs end up managing the project. They have to get all their info from the engineers and techs anyway, so there's no point filtering it through an extra person who doesn't even know what questions to ask. The best PMs I've ever had are the ones who didn't do anything, who at least were better than the ones who actively created problems.
- u/zeealpal1Aug 1, 2026, 1:33 PM
  My company assigns a work package manager from the technical team, who handles scheduling, requirements, inputs, RFIs, meetings and generally interacts with the project manager and client. These are assigned from the specific engineering discipline, E.g. I might me the networking WPM for project X, and there are three engineers who I manage for the project. On another project, one of them might be WPM for me. For small projects, one person might do it all. That way when we are engineering, we don't have the constant interruptions, but we also have to experience and understand more of the management side as well.
u/zombieblackbird1Aug 1, 2026, 12:26 PM
Ah yes, the project micro manager. I build inbox rules for guys like this. Then go about my day getting things done in my own efficient manner. It's even easier now that copilot (super Clippy) can take on tasks like declining without response based on context.
u/Finster19661Aug 1, 2026, 1:51 PM
Sounds like your productivity is not up to par and the PM is being a task master. Quit and find another job.
u/XxTh3g04txX1Aug 1, 2026, 2:11 PM
sounds like he is doing the heavy lifting and you just need to crank out product. Let him deal with any and all details. Pay is the same even if you have to change your old habits. Maybe it gives you more time to focus?
u/Cheeze_It1Aug 1, 2026, 4:17 PM

I don’t feel productive as I can be as I am switching between tasks too often.

Context switching is the most expensive and most detrimental thing for work.
u/PaoloFence1Aug 1, 2026, 5:33 PM
Hat du einen direkten Vorgesetzten mit dem du reden kannst? Darf der PM das überhaupt? Du sagst als Experte was wie lange dauert, da kann der PM sch*** gehen. Darum bist du da und er kann dann seine Pläne anpassen.
u/Broken_By_Default1Aug 1, 2026, 6:18 PM
It's okay to decline meetings. or use the decline and propose new time feature in outlook. Another thing you can do is book out "time for concentrated work" in your calendar. Some will overlook that and double book anyway. In some organizations it's up to you to manage not getting overwhelmed. Some PMs will run you like a dog.