Ah, the joys of an open office. No…privacy…whatsoever. Personality traits are often exposed as we learn each other’s habits. There is the woman who reads her emails, then makes her morning oatmeal. The morning ritual is followed by the sound of wrappers coming off a protein bar every two hours (by the way, that’s me). Or, the mother who receives a call from her teenage son around 3pm every day. She walks him through how to make a snack to hold him over until dinner. Or, the man who spends more time than he should, talking to coaches about practice schedules and the big little league game coming up.
According to columnist Ginny Graves, almost ¾ of U.S. offices now have open floor plans. Designers intended to build a space to support a collaborative environment. However, studies show it actually elevates stress, reduces motivation and causes cognitive overload. How are we dealing with this? Ironically, many of my millennial colleagues spend the day with their ear buds in. This contradicts the purpose of the open office. You call over to your colleague in order to ask a question or offer up a new idea, and they can’t hear you. So, you get up and tap them on the shoulder in order to get their attention. Well, I suppose it helps me get my steps in for the day!
I haven’t had my own office for over five years. At a previous company, I had a beautiful office until my department moved to another wing of the building. I had to give up my office with a balcony and a view of the foothills, for an office half the size with a view of the parking lot. The space was so tight I couldn’t even close the door without moving chairs out of the way. What I wouldn’t give for that closet office right now! These days, any private discussion needs to take place in a pre-booked conference room. I know I am not alone with this. How do you do it? What works (and doesn’t work) for you in an open office?
A recent study confirms what we already know: open offices increase distractions and impede concentration, which can leave you feeling frazzled and frustrated. There is a clear and direct link between my state of mind and how many times I was interrupted on a given day. I try to ignore the world around me and focus on the task at hand. I try to maintain inner peace, but we are hard-wired to pay attention to what is going on around us. This simple fact has contributed to our survival. In an open office we have to ignore that instinct and try and tune each other out.
One good thing that companies are doing, is allowing flexible schedules. In my department, people start anywhere from 7am to 9am. This limits the hours when everyone is in the same space. My personal survival method only works because I don’t have children or pets at home, and my husband currently works in another state. Starting early and leaving late is my strategy, along with acceptance that this is just how it is. Most days I eat lunch at my desk when everyone is out. This guarantees I will be able to think with a minimum level of distraction for at least two hours each day.
Maya Angelou once said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Even in close quarters, always remember to stay fabulous and be strong!
