Have you ever noticed that some people get really comfortable at work? It's very strange. My boss takes naps in his office during business hours. He is the owner of the firm and announces to everyone that he is going to take a nap. He stores his kids' old toys in the office. He has also brought boxes of stuff to the office from when each of his parents died. All taking up valuable work space (this is a small office- one floor of an old house).
We have a paralegal who lists the office number for her physicians, friends and family. There is a legal assistant who has files for her personal businesses on the firm computers. She makes personal business calls from the office telephone and personal business faxes from the office fax number. There is another legal assistant who lets her step children make personal calls from the office telephone. Sometimes her step-son's friends will call when he is not there which of course requires office staff to answer the phone for a 14 year old.
I've never been that comfortable at work. I don't nap at work, I don't list my work telephone number as a contact number for my doctor offices, I don't even email my friends from my work email address. I try to maintain a strong separation between work and home life. I don't have personal knickknacks at work, no pictures, nothing. I don't even have my degree hanging on the wall. I always think I don't want to have to lug a lot of stuff around if I get fired or the office moves. Are you that comfortable at work?
I'm not that comforter at work either. I do use the fax on occasion but obtained permission to do so first (and even offered to pay for the use!) I do take personal calls, but they are always on my own cell phone and I make a point of keeping them short.
ReplyDeleteOne time or rare use of office resources is not a big deal to me. I just think it's weird that people use their workplaces like it's an extension of their home.
DeleteI like to keep my work and home life very separate. I like my privacy. The only personal item I have in my office is a painting my mum did that I love and I have some paintings that students gave me as thankyou presents.
ReplyDeleteI know one person who has a nap in their office every afternoon and my friend in the office next door has heap of family photos everywhere.
I find I need to be in a 'work' headspace when I'm there so I can get stuff done, all that personal stuff around me would be a distraction.
I am the exact same way! I want to relax and be comfortable at home. All that stuff at work would definitely be counter productive to me.
DeleteI agree with wanting privacy. Work is work, and I want to keep it separate from personal life.
ReplyDeleteYes! The guy who sits next to me at work, for instance. EVERY DAY, he will get the office, sit down, and immediately use the office phone to make personal phone calls. I guess he doesn't have that many projects to work on at the moment, but he could at least try to look like he's doing something productive. Just a couple of days ago he was on one personal phone call for 2.5 hours. WTH?!! Listening to him was driving me to distraction. Ugh. Guy is too comfortable.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't do anything non-work related on my laptop. Nothing! Employers have a right to track and record anything you do on their property, with their property or via their property... and use it against you any way they want. Yeah, no thanks.