Constant interaction, digital interruptions, and shrinking time to think and act characterize much of present-day communication. The management of time pressures is a key concern for contemporary workers as work responsibilities encroach on each other and other domains of life. This study focuses on how individuals and collectives try to exert control over time through communication. An analysis of observational and interview data (N = 26) at a health research organization revealed that workers encountered cyclical, pervasive temporal structures marked by commotion: a blur of jarring, immediate tasks that require intense communication. As workers sought to make time for sustained focus, these pervasive temporal structures stymied their efforts. The findings contribute to communication theory by illuminating relationships among organizing, time, and control. This study provides metalanguage that facilitates the description and examination of temporal activity, and it describes a form of temporal control that was evident across hierarchal roles. Power differences explained the efficacy and agency of team members’ choices to manage busy, disrupted, and fast-paced work.

持续的交互、数字中断以及思考和行动时间的缩短是当今沟通的主要特征。时间压力的管理是当代工人的一个关键问题，因为工作职责相互侵占，也侵占了生活的其他领域。这项研究的重点是个人和集体如何通过交流尝试对时间施加控制。观察和访谈数据的分析（N = 26) 在一家健康研究组织中发现，工人遇到了以骚动为标志的周期性、普遍的时间结构：需要密集沟通的不和谐、即时任务的模糊。当工人试图为持续专注腾出时间时，这些普遍存在的时间结构阻碍了他们的努力。通过阐明组织、时间和控制之间的关系，这些发现有助于传播理论。这项研究提供了有助于描述和检查时间活动的元语言，它描述了一种跨等级角色明显的时间控制形式。权力差异解释了团队成员选择管理忙碌、中断和快节奏工作的效力和代理。