Nothing brings out workplace chaos like someone insisting their way is the only way.

What would you do if a coworker constantly overstepped, demanding you follow their process, even when it slowed you down?

Would you explain why it doesn’t work?

Or would you follow their instructions and see what happens?

In the following story, one healthcare worker finds themselves in this very predicament.

Here’s how it played out.

Do It Your Way? Okay.

I work in healthcare, caring for clients at a residential facility.

Upper management thought we were going through too many trash bags, so they put them in a locked cabinet, and we had to ask the LVN to give us x amount for each shift.

But that isn’t the issue.

You see, when it’s my turn to add new bags, I like to do it at the start of my shift.

There’s little to no trash, and it’s easy to put a new bag on top of the old one (and it’ll be quick and easy to take the trash out at the end of the shift).

Apparently, everyone has their own opinion about trash cans and bags.

One of my coworkers had an issue with this, though.

When I asked the LVN on shift for bags one day,(they were still doing a lot of end-of-shift paperwork).

My coworker told me, “NO. You HAVE to do the other chores FIRST,” and the LVN decided not to get the bags for me.

Which meant that when I finally got to the trash, they were all filled with something or other, and I had to wrestle with them because the PM shift likes to tie the bags around the hinge of the garbage lid.

Irritating as all can be, but fine.

We’ll do it your way.

The NOC shift likes to use grocery bags on some of the smaller trash cans, too.

Somehow, a can got missed.

Yesterday, I was working, and the same coworker told me they had put grocery bags on some of the cans.

They said I only needed 6 bags and to give an extra one to client 4’s room. (We have 12 trash cans, and they only put out 5 bags.)

So I listened to them and put bags in most of the cans.

Anyway, at the end of the shift, one can was without a bag, and the AM shift was unhappy with us.

My coworkers tried to blame me, and I reminded them that I followed coworker’s instructions.

Then they started arguing with each other on whether client 4’s room needed 2 bags or not.

Not the best story, but I wanted to get it off my chest.

Wow! This is why it’s always best to focus on your tasks.

Let’s see what the people over at Reddit have to say about this.

This person finds limiting trash bags pathetic.

Here’s someone who gets it.

Yet another person who understands what she was doing.

Good point, but they missed what she’s getting at.

Sometimes, you just have to show them.

Next time, maybe they’ll listen to someone else’s ideas.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.