I Don't Want To Know



 It's no secret that I am not a fan of being in the office.  I've been "back" since 2022 and I’m well aware that I've bitched and moaned about it.  But I do it, even though I feel that I can be more productive from home because it is what the company mandates.

I will admit that there are advantages to going into the office.  (OMG!  Bfth is going to admit that there are positives?)  I've met some nice people on the bus.  (Am I the only one who wonders about the people that you see day to day? )  I enjoy saying good morning to Luis at the security desk in the morning.  (I really enjoy wishing Nilda a good night at the end of the day.)  I do enjoy (most of the time) the company of the people that I work with.  (Although I do wish the "work sections" were better arranged so that I was closer to the people that I might interact with.)  And on most Wednesdays, I get a free lunch.  (I say most because while most Wednesday the department orders lunch for us, due to my food allergies sometimes I don't order.  I never know where we are going to order from, so it is a gamble.  I always err on the side of caution; it is better to NOT eat than to risk eating something that might send me into anaphylactic shock.)  I've got my routine and while I may not love it, I do accept it.

The one thing that I really don't like is the lack of privacy.  There are 4 workstations in a row and most aisles consist of 2 rows.  If I have a meeting, I will try to find a conference room or even a "phone booth" so that I don't disturb others.  That is getting more and more difficult as more and more people come to this office.  (It's not that more people are suddenly coming back, but we've acquired more businesses which means more bodies.)  As such, I may sit at my "desk" and participate in calls and meetings, but I do TRY to be mindful.

That is not the case for some people here.  Recently our aisle was "updated" and the people who work "behind me" are from a completely different line of business than mine.  That's fine, although it would make more sense if the people in the general area had more to do with my lines of business or areas that would impact me, but...This line of business requires phone calls.  Lots and lots of phone calls.  So my relatively quiet area (I like quiet) has gotten quite loud.

To top it off, one particular person makes personal calls.  These calls are none of my business, but I can't help but hear.  Believe me I DO try to tune out, but I now know that this person is:  selling their house, probably moving to Monmouth County, NJ, has a dog, shops at ShopRite and likes to make soup from scratch.  I don't want to know.

Then there is a manager who likes to come speak with my manager.  Human interaction and social interaction is a plus for the office.  I freely admit that I like to chat with work friends on a regular basis.  But again, I try to keep it quiet to respect those around me.  However, now I know (and I really wish I didn't), how this manager styles her hair.  I know in detail the steps she takes.  I'll admit that she has great hair, but I don't want to know.

I also didn't want to know about that manager's direct report who was doing a juice fast.  I REALLY don't want to hear about juice fasting and all the "other things" that go along with it.  (I'll leave that to your imagination...believe me you DON'T want to know.)

I suppose I could put in ear buds and work with music playing in my ears.  (I do know some people in the office do this.)  However, I'm not a fan of ear buds.  They are uncomfortable.  I've tried several different types and my husband even bought me wireless ones two Christmases ago.  It was a thoughtful gift, but I really don't use them all that often because I just don't like the way they feel.  (And maybe that's something YOU don't want to know.)

While there is no "solution" for this...I guess what I should try to do is focus on the task at hand. WORK.  And if things are slow (occasionally they are), let my mind drift and focus on "calming" things.  (There is definitely not enough calm in my life.)

If you have any suggestions on how to tune out (when necessary) or how to mindfully focus on calm., let me know.  That I DO want to know.




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