Most of us these days work in an open space environment. I doubt it’s much like the office featured in The Apartment where C.C. Baxter (played by Jack Lemmon) worked, but it is definitely an environment with fewer walls and more invisible boundaries. Most of us don’t work in amazing spaces either so it’s up to us to define it.
My question is — how does your office space appear? How much of it do you claim for work and how much of it for yourself?
I figure with the use of computers, we are are usually looking at more than enough material that is work-related so why have more of that outside of the monitor? The power lies with the individual.
credit: plutor
The Challenge
To keep your office space or walls free from work. Make it truly your own. Posters, art prints, photographs, or perhaps some nifty toys?
Of course it depends on your office environment but how one copes with stress or difficult situations can be tied to how we approach our immediate work environment (i.e. our desk). More importantly, it’s all about making where we spend majority of our day more fun!
Some of my favourite approaches that I’ve encountered:
Flying books? — credit: graymalkn
Kirby and friends — credit: leoboiko
Postcards, postcards, postcards! credit: Sailor Coruscant
Subtle or prominent, the approach is up to the individual. The key however is perhaps to look at something other than our work when our eyes aren’t on our computers.
Of course this whole idea doesn’t only apply to cubicles. It’s all about your workspace. Check out Penguin UK’s Showcase Your Workspace to see what great ideas other people have thought of.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I stare at a yellow wall all day long. Well really I’m looking at a computer screen with a yellow wall behind it. I share an office with a co-worker, and that is cool. The problem is that you are not allowed to put anything up on the walls, not even in cubes.
The cubes are grey and yellow. The only art that is allowed is stuff that the owner has bought and put up on the walls (link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3424159232_665431771a.jpg ). There really is a sense of broken spirit about this place. It looks like the building from “Office Space” ( link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3329226470_c88ba8ee20.jpg ).
I’m just glad I only spend 10 hours here. The yellow really gets to you after a period of time.
That’s very unfortunate! I don’t see how putting up some art will hurt the bottom line. Of course every set of managers have their own style and agenda.
How about your desk? You can put stuff on your desk right?