I haven’t posted for a while – mostly because I’ve been busy, but also just a bit down. Some of that is work related. Whilst I’m thrilled to still have a job, these are strange times. It is a tough busines environment and everyone is under pressure in their own way. I accept that. It isn’t great, but you just have to get on with it.
The piece that is really getting me down is the fact that my daily work environment is basically a cave. I’m lucky enough to have an office but the only window looks over a lightless hellhole. I bought a SAD lamp last year but it doesn’t seem to make much difference. So I try to work where there is some natural light – some of the conference rooms, the cafeteria, by the stairs in the lobby…
Now everyone thinks this is slightly eccentric. It seems to be quite usual for people to spend their entire working lives in cubes like battery hens. I miss the open plan offices and banter that I’m used to. I think I feed off the buzz of having other people and ideas around me. Now if if I have back to back phone meetings I can go whole days without any human interaction – despite the fact that there are people working just a few yards from me.
One horror I’m spared is the sound of the cubes…somehow people get more revolting if they can’t actually be seen. There was one chap here nicknamed “Mucus Man”. Enough said.