Workspace, offline and online

31 July 2022 · Filed in DevOps Infrastructure

My workspace has changed drastically over the last 2 years (thanks Covid). Is it better?

The Office

I used to sit in an office. I didn’t get a desk, well I was able to sit at a desk, but with the clean desk policy and hot desks, it really didn’t feel like home. It was stale, clinical, functional?

This was after I had completed the journey to get there. Get up early, walking to the train station, sitting or standing on a crowded train, getting off and making your way to the coffee shop?

I still do that, but only about once every couple of months, and then to a meeting room. Still same sterile desk environment, but in a room with my teammates.

WFH

Contrast that with my home office setup. Lets be honest, it’s a sea of stuff. Plants, notebooks, a little waste bin that is always full, a pile of books that I’ve promised I will read, soon.

The most random thing on my desk is a rock. I got it when attending my daughters wedding.

There is also a lava lamp and of course a huge screen, and my laptop. I have a chair, setup just right.

I feel much better at home, in this personal space, next to the window (that opens), and my teammates just a click away.

The conflict

The conflict I feel is when I leave the desk. It’s a very stationary outlook with all my stuff so near. The coffee machine and toilets are closer to me now than in the work office.

Must take regular breaks from the screen, said my optician. I used to find that easy. My workmates and I would go get coffee from the shop. Going outside and chatting about ideas and how we can progress work. We still chat and ramble, but on screen.

I don’t miss the commute though.

I would love to hear your comments. You can find me on Slack.

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Tags: devops · office · wfh