The Cluttered Desk

It's been a while since I seated in an office chair like this. In all honesty I was completely overwhelmed with the fact that leaving this kind of environment makes me a whole lot of lovely. I can tell you many stories about office colleagues, office conducts, different personality traits of my co-workers and the ever famous rules and regulations in and around it. Maybe, I can even create a book about my three years work experience from my previous job. I'm certain that there are a lot of interesting stories I could make.

One thing I miss a lot on my cluttered desk is the mirror which I properly put into place everyday because I have to put it back in my personal box every time I leave work. I just love it I couldn't risk trusting others who work nights and may use my computer so I don't leave it on my desk. I get annoyed every morning when I see morsels of snacks or food on my desk. It just makes me really upset. Not only me but some of my team also had a fair share of that. I just don't understand why there are some people who are so inconsiderate of leaving a mess let alone when the workstation is shared. And never forget to wipe the keyboard with alcohol or sanitizer. You'll never know what you'll get with a dirty keyboard.

With that in mind, here are some tips on how to survive and have a stress free office life:

1. Make Small Talk - This doesn't necessarily mean to occasionally say hi's and hello's to everybody you meet in a regular basis. You have to get yourself involved to other's social conversations too. Try to chat up one person and seek for common grounds that you and your co-workers might be interested into. This is to avoid an absolute 'leave me alone' attitude you might inject to their perception if you are just trying to mind your own business. This is also a great way to create a good rapport among your bosses, co-workers and clients.

Ex. I had this co-worker before who doesn't get along with mostly all of our other co-workers just because he was assumed to have an 'attitude' with regards to work ethics and socialization. Almost all the negative words are being thrown at him mainly because he doesn't care about what others will perceive about his actions and behavior. He at times was arrogantly speaking as well even to his superiors. I think this could have not happened if he freely expressed himself well because for me he is just clearly misunderstood. I have nothing against him. I even let others know that he might be needing some attention that most of us are afraid to give him because of fear that it might give him a negative impression. Being friendly is different from being polite. I just wished he manifested the latter.

2. Organize your system apps/ Sheets/ Emails and Research Windows - Those days you're a bit panicky because you are handling an unusual case that needs a lot of time to tackle and maybe should be put on research were the times you would most likely feel absolutely freaked and stressed out. So, take your time. Research and pend if necessary. The quality of your work is more important than achieving your daily quota. If you are out of any tools and probably confused about anything then that's the cue to get the attention of someone that might be a source of help. You don't want to hear your co-worker say things like "have you checked this and that thoroughly?". So, rather than saying, "hey I need your help about something", try to make a point about something and establish a point of argument about things they already know and the things that you might want  to bring up. This would create a give and take information rather than showing yourself a no brainer in the scene.

3. Own your space - Requesting a personal space is not to much to ask. All employees working in an environment that needs to influence thinking ability  are deserving to a have a peaceful working station. You might even want to add details on your workstation to make it more appealing and gives you that drive to work hard and influence your mood. Changing it up a little bit like bringing your own mouse and keyboard you are most comfortable using or adding a decorative living plants would make a difference.

4. Ignore Politics - This is very common to any competitive driven companies. Offices that has an air like this would feel like hell. I think the only solution for this is to ignore it. Those who are running for higher positions and are expecting to be promoted are most likely the ones who'll be torn with this issue because granted there are people who will always stabs you at the back and say negative things about you. But don't stoop down to their level. Competing is good, healthier even. But if the food is getting spoiled, it is better to throw it away and look for some freshly baked goods elsewhere.

5. Be considerate - Every employee should be mindful of this. Being considerate is making a good name and reputation for yourself. Consideration can be found anywhere in and out of the office. Late, absences, cause of delays, messing up with your co-worker's stuffs are just some of the things to ponder. Making excuses, lies and alibis are heinous crimes in most cases. So before thinking of possible alibis you might give you superior, think of how it could be unfair to others who are productively working. Think of the others who would feel upset if you leave a mess on their desks. They might even leave you a "hate letter" next time you'll take their shared workstation. So before leaving make sure the cluttered desk is well organized and clean.