(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 26, 2006, Sunday)
By Roel Andag
Contributor
Create your own bubble in a corporate wild
YOUR own office, with its own door, is your bubble that insulates you from sounds of the corporate wilderness -- dings, rings, deets, taps, whirrs, and office babble. Your office bubble is your island of peace -- a sanctuary that others can penetrate only with your permission.
What if you do not have an enclosed office but rather a cubicle with chest-level walls and surround-sound feature right in the middle of noise central?
Our response will vary depending on the stimulus, primarily the nature of the job and office culture. Kristina, a former call center team leader, escapes to the sleeping lounge or an empty conference room to shut off the noise. Rochel, a high school teacher says: "I focus on the task at hand. It's very difficult because it's as if I'm in the middle of an ocean with all the waves crashing on me." Ramil, who heads the research department of an NGO, tries his best not to let office noise overwhelm him. Nieva, a director in a government agency, insists on keeping communication lines open at all levels of the organization.
Perhaps, only the most jaded will not get a bit distracted from time to time. The faint-hearted might self-destruct.
How do you build your office bubble? How do you keep it from bursting? How do you regulate interaction without offending colleagues?
Some tips:
1. Listen to soothing music. Use earphones.
2. Punch in early so you can enjoy some calm moments in the morning, no matter how brief. You can also go out early to pursue after-office interests that reenergize you.
3. Write down your agenda before talking to an officemate about official business.This also applies when making phone calls.
4. When the conversation strays, politely ask the other party to excuse you so that you can finish a task and beat the deadline.
5. Prioritize your tasks. Attend to e-mails and phone calls first. People tend to be energetic and clear-minded in the morning.
6. Declutter your desk. Organize with boxes, folders, and a memory stick.
7. Make an effort to interact with colleagues only during lunch and coffee breaks. This helps establish in their minds when you block off quality time with them. Managing your interactions, you will be attuned to office goings-on while being less prone to getting involved in office politics. Overall, this will strengthen your professional reputation.
8. Officemates sometimes get carried away. When they laugh too loud or when the guy in the adjacent cubicle blasts his music, pick up the phone receiver and pretend you're having a conversation with a pretend client. Politely ask your officemates to tone it down. On occasions, play your own music. Use earphones.
9. Discuss your concern with your supervisor. Emphasize the adverse effect of the noise on your productivity. If this does not solve the problem, seek help from the HR manager.
10. If all else fails, resign and look for a workplace with a meditative or monastic atmosphere -- perhaps a library, spa, or retreat center.
Recently, it was reported that a man threatened to commit suicide by jumping from a high billboard on Edsa. Authorities set up nets on the ground to soften his fall and save his life. The man descended from his suicidal perch after hours of negotiations. Perhaps he realized the nets and cushions beneath him will prevent his death. The police superintendent told reporters that they no longer asked the man the reason for his death wish. They respect his privacy, the police official said.
Office noise, especially at intolerable levels, erodes task motivation and poses health threats. Don't wait until you are ready to jump off the edge for safety nets to be spread beneath you.
Building an office bubble may not be easy. And even if you did, it might burst anytime. But once you do, and are able to keep it puncture-free, your 8 to 5 life will be less stressful and more enjoyable.
(The author is the program and communications manager of Schering Philippine Corporation. Feedback at r_andag@yahoo.com.)
