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Do you personalize your Work Area

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by onbliss

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You might work in your own office or cube. You might work in a common area or room - with individual desks, or shared desks. Do you personalize your work area and [b]desktop[/b], screen savers?

My wife, she says, has our kids pictures. I am not sure how much more personalization she has done (note to self: talk to wife about this, this evening).

As far as me, I do not personalize. I will have some technical books, paper & stationaries, water bottle, moisturizer (for the dry winters), squeeze balls (I have RSI symptoms), then other material related to project. On the walls, I would tape/pin work related material mostly and name board supplied by my consulting firm (you know sales and what not) That's about it mostly.

In one project, I think I had my kids picture as a screen saver - very briefly though. And couple of times I got little creative with the styrofoam coffe cups and scribbled something and pinned it to the wall.

Currently, I notice that I have a post-it note on my wall with a house-fly sketch. I once noticed a house-fly sitting on the window pane, and I was bored and just sketched, using a pencil.

My habit of not personalizing my work area would have been as a result of me being a consultant (not wanting to accumulate stuff) But I have seen consultants bringing in flower pots, family pictures, kids drawing, religious material, and a whole lot of stuff. I have seen people watering the plants...

How do you personalize or decorate your work area?

ps:
this might lead to a wider subject "the place of work in our life" which might require its own thread.

46 replies

by jamesrl

I have an office. We are expected to decorate actually - my old boss gave me a hard time.

I have pictures of my kids, pictures of "cottage scenes"(I dont have a cottage but you gotta have a dream/goal), and as I mentioned in a previous thread a recent addition of a Rockwell print of JFK accepting the nomination in 1960. What can I say it spoke to me.

I do have a plant, but I just picked one out of a number that were available. We have an external company that waters them.

Not really fancy I am afraid. My next door neghbour has an aquarium with some nice fish, but its not my thing.

James

by jamesrl

We who occupy personal offices are strongly encouraged to personalize it. (With Flair! if you have seen Office space). Management should set an example

Cubicle workers here are welcome to personalize them, but if you don't, no one says anything. The longer term employees do decorate their cubicles. Hockey playoff season can be exciting as we have die hard fans of opposing teams sitting near each other and trash talking. Occasionally I've seen people steal or hide flags.

We often decorate the floor for specific events.
We had a little internal event for the world cup. Halloween is always fun.

James

by faradhi

I do personalize my work area. Heavly

I have pictures of my neices and nephews.
I have sight gags like a baseball bat with a sign above it saying "Computer Migration Tool" and a pair of fuzzy dice with a sign saying "Project Time Estimator".

I also have a sign that says "I live in my own little world, But it's ok, everyone knows me here."

I have a Ziggy cartoon that says, "Instant Nice Person just add coffee", a Calvin and Hobbes pane that has Calvin holding a sign that says, "Love the sinner, hate the sin", and a dilbert that has a slide. http://www.hccfl.edu/pollock/images/Dilbert.jpg
I have various other cartoons I have collected over the years as well.

I also have several Despair.inc signs. http://www.despair.com/ambition.html and http://www.despair.com/cluelessness.html

I have a map of middle earth. The cubs schedule and currently last years Memphis Tiger Basketball Schedule (Soon to be replaced by the Tiger Football Schedule.)

All of this is a reminder to try to keep my humor and that I work to live not live to work.

by old guy

"I live in my own little world, But it's ok, everyone knows me here." with me too--along with a couple of other ones. Sounds like you have a really cool space (or, whatever word they use today for cool :) )

by mjwx

I have this as a desktop. its a shame they dont offer it as a poster. http://www.despair.com/disservice1.html

It really helps on a bad day and would be good for scaring the end users.

I dont have many office decorations, I have three white walls and 1 grey one (I'm still neutral about the colour) all empty except for a couple of network diagrams. I have been requested a framed picture but so far management is yet to bite.

by old guy

personalizing at work. I don't really socialize a whole lot at work either. I kind of have my work life and my real life. I have good work relationships but they don't really spill over much in my private life.

I use a laptop primarily at work which I also use for some personal work as well. I do have that personalized somewhat on the desktop and screen saver. However, it goes with me when I leave each day.

by mishanv

this is the recommended approach and it works rather well for me. I'm easily distracted as it is, or at times hyper-focused on what I'm doing. Besides, if I personalized I probably wouldn't pay attention to it anyway. :)

by tig2

I do have my workspace personalised somewhat. Mostly books that I refer to frequently, a beany bear that has followed me for years, every colour of post-it note on the planet, the project folders that I prefer, a rear view mirror for my monitor- necessary for those hyper focused times- and an X-Files coffee cup that says "Trust No One..."

I have odd pictures that I don't really "see"- been with me so long I have tuned them out. Don't know why I bother with them. I keep a bible with my management books. Not much else.

If I am working in an environment that doesn't encourage personalisation, the list gets trimmed to the office supplies, coffee cup, and bible. Different places, different things.

by j.lupo

First, by definition there is a clean desk policy here. So, nothing can be left out on the desks. If you have to lock it up, do you really need it every day there? This includes photos, fans, water cup, coffee cup, etc.

So, less is better. My computer belongs to the company (a laptop) so that too is controlled and we can't put screen savers or wallpaper on it. So no personalization there either.

Remember the movie 9-5 with Dolly Parton? At the beginning where everyone sits at a desk that is the same as the person next to them? Well that is here. We are all lined up in nice rows sitting at desks doing our work. No papers, pens, staplers, calendars, project items, and especially no personal items allowed.

by j.lupo

I forgot to add my 2nd point. I am a contractor/consultant here. Don't use my own equipment so again it really doesn't matter. I leave stuff on this desk all the time and they tell me all the time that I need to lock it up. Then I remind them that I am a consultant and don't have keys to the desk. ;) See where this is going?

I keep a few things in the overhead book shelf which I do have a key for. My tea, my coffee cub, water, stuff like that. I also keep my files up there. Hey I don't mind doing management work without keys to lock up personnel records. No problem - right? :) :)

I get a kick out of this place.

BTW: I used to work at a company where we did personalize everything. It was like a second family there. We went to each others weddings, divorce, kids b-days, graduations, etc, etc. We had balloons and other stuff around everyone's workareas. In fact, one manager was turning 40 and so we had dead flowers delivered with 40 black balloons. :) He laughed along with everyone else.

Oh and at that same place, we had this guy who was from another country where guys are "macho". Well he made the mistake of underestimating me after insulting me about not knowing it was his b-day. Well the next year I had it all ready. I got everyone in the office in on it too. I had a special very b-day, very feminine flower basket delivered to our receptionist (other end of the building). He was called over the loud speaker to pick up an important package at the front desk. Well he had to walk through the whole building carrying this basket of flowers and I made sure everyone knew what time to come out of their workspaces and line the hallways. You should have seen his face.

Well he tried to sneak out to his car with it, and Everyone crowded into a corner office and we called his cell phone (55 people in an office designed for 5 people MAX) He answers, and we all start singing happy b-day. I take the phone just as he looks up from the parking lot to the window and wave and said "I never forget a b-day". He said everyone was fired. :)

No we weren't really fired, but we scared him the next day by hiding when he came in and he couldn't find any of us. The recptionsit played along and so did the HR director. They told him since he fired everyone, we didn't show up for work. It was one of those kodak moments.

by mickster269

Well, it's actually a very old building. It was built in 1895. As a Roman Catholic Church.

We (as in my boss) gutted it, and reconditioned/ built new inside. It now has two floors - but the second floor is actually a platform, set about 5 feet away from the walls.

They did this so the floor to ceiling stained glass windows on 3 sides of the building are un-interrupted by a floor. I can stand next to the wall, and see all the way to the rafters. There are 4 windows on each side, and the front wall has 3.

On my desk (ok, it's a cubical, but it's big) - I have 2 pictures of my son, a picture of a 2 masted schooner, a 6' solid quartz polished ball.

But, my piece d' resistance is my authentic, genuine..

Magic 8 Ball. And I do use it to give answers to the Programmers.

by ciderick

Starwars figurines - Yoda, R2 & Chewbecca.
A think geek monkey (with it's hands tied behind it's back & a blindfold).
A small picture of a guy in black with a long beard & a quote 'I work in IT & somehow this makes me better than you'
Picture of the angry monkey from 'Family Guy'
A small crystal rock paperweight & finally - A picture of my girlfriend (amazing I know - after the starwars figurines & IT jokes I still managed to pull)...

by mjd420nova

If there's any more difficult service call to make, it's when I have to unmount personal touches users have added to their PC's, monitors and such. Everything from cartoon characters GLUED to the top of the monitor and a dozen stickers to the sides. The crying starts when the unit has to be replaced, and the things cannot be removed with out destroying them. Also the placement of different peripherals can reduce clutter but create unique problems in that they won't work in any other position or location. In the early days, users bought plastic stands for the cases of the PC, allowing them to stand the unit on end, on the floor. This caused untold hair pulling when the unit would fail to boot. Usually returning the unit to a horizontal position cured the problem, and a backup, burnin in the vertical position and restore solved this problem. One user placed his printer on top of his monitor. After about a week, the plastic case had heated and warped enough that he couldn't make it work anywhere else. When the monitor failed due to lack of circulation, the user had to mount the printer on wood blocks to simulate the position on the monitor and replace the fried monitor. Some lessons are learned the hard way.

by falling burrito brother

Several times over the last few years I've been called onsite to fix a broke PC - only to find that the client has a quite powerful magnetic toy or two stuck on the side of the device (usually about as adjacent to the HD as it's possible to get). You've got to laugh. And - don't you just hate it when you're trying to clean up an otherwise OK monitor that has biro marks all over the screen? I've even seen a person outline areas on an LCD screen with their biro (not at a site under my admin control, luckily for that person).

by w2ktechman

with computer equipment mainly. Looking at my desk I have 9 monitors with systems attached and working on amost all of them (mostly dual monitor systems), 4 notebooks, 1 desktop). My PDA, water and soda cans/bottles, coffe mug, post-its everywhere. Dilbert cartoons pinned to the wall, and some certs hanging up. Oh, and the yearly vacation calendar is hung up.

On the tabletop area are 8 power cords for different types of units, 8 LAN lines (open), and 2 kvm units, for desktop and laptop repair/setup.

On the other side, a pile of cables of all types, docks, etc. Under my desk are boxes and boxes of parts, 12-paks, linch, files, printer, etc.

Everyone who sees my desk knows that I am IT. and most comment on how I can work on all these monitors simultaneously.

I would say it is personalized. But I would hate to be the one to clean it after I am gone....lol

by mordacity

.. if I had more space. I have a small work area at the moment, so the only frivilous item is a Despair Inc plaque. 'Apathy - If we don't take care of the customer, maybe they'll stop bugging us'. I'm moving to a huge office upstairs next month, and I've got no idea what I'm going to put in it.

by maevinn

I have nightmares about the amount of personalization I've seen others accumalate, and vowed that I will never have more than one medium sized box worth of personal stuff. To that end--I have a framed picture of me and my husband. A vial of magic pixie dust (you know, to take with me when called upon to perform IT magic), a very angry looking gargoyle, a small white plastic jumping frog, a clock, 2 POT SHOTS post cards (My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating + You are Cordially invited to my next Fiasco) and some flowers that are kept fresh. I also bring most of my own office tools (scissors, stapler, pens and pencils plus the holder for them, post its, etc)and cleaning euipement (electronics safe wet wipes, dusters) because I've learned that I'm a snob about office equipment and will not use the cheap crap provided in most places. I also bring in my most referenced tech manuals and the binders of references I've compiled from various sources--but I don't consider them personalizing since they are totally work related and make my job easier.

by jmgarvin

I also have a sign on my desk that says:
Trying is the first step towards failure

The rest of my work area is buried in paper, cds, jewel cases, binders, computers, and books. I also have a tiki mug in there somewhere, but it's lost to the ages for now.

Oh and my desktop wallpaper is something I found at HackintheBox

by falling burrito brother

...of my daughter - 6 or 7 shots, various ages, all looking damn cute. Several clients have been seriously impressed ("wow - are they ALL yours??")

No personalisation per se of computer desktop - I can make it look cool (should anyone care) just by keeping it spare, clean & not having the little arrows on shortcuts (a regedit I allow myself).

by jim_p

Probably because I couldn't be bothered. For two reasons, one decorating just doesn't interest me, and secondly I don't spend enough time at my desk to enjoy my personalisation.

Kind Regards,
Jim

by prefbid ii

I have a half dozen pictures of family, a photograph of me blowing up stuff in the Army, some momento mugs from years ago, a few Dilbert dolls, a small statue of a dragon taking a bath, 5 cheap pieces of art and 3 pieces of art that my son painted (which he sells on-line at $100 a pop, so those are actually worth something).

Overall, it looks like I'm trying to send a message, I just can't tell what it is, though.

by twistabister

My cube always looks like im ready to leave at a moments notice. I keep work, home life and private life very very seperated. Personal effects are an invitation for people to ask questions and assume things. Its bad enough I hafta deal with these people 8 hours a day let alone shoot the bull with them about my personal interests.

by maevinn

If I felt that way about my coworkers, I'd be finding a new job. Because it's a majority of my waking hours 5 days a week, I want my work to be someplace where I'm comfortable and happy. That means coworkers that I like--even if it's only a few out of the crowd--are just as important as job assignments that I like!

by shellbot

the desks in our office are arranged in groups of 4 put facing together, with dividers between them which are well over head hight. You have to stand to see over them. Gives you a feeling of more privavcy and i like it. The dividers are covered with a bluth "cloth" which i delight in sticking things on.

On the dividers I have pictures of my kid and 2 cats. Assorted postcards, and seasonal cards (xmas, b day, etc), funny quotes, amusing images i print off..these i would change regularily.

On my desk i have an ever changing assortment of crap. My desk is an extention of my home..i spend more "awake" time at my desk than i do in my own house, so in my eyes..i make it mine. Coffee cup, water bottle, personal stationary, calendar, mail, cd's, books, shopping purchases, etc.

If our place came out with a "clean desk policy" i'd be fired on the spot :)

by tig2

I work from home. I wear a track suit or walking clothes to the "office". And slippers.

The wallpaper on my desktop is my cats. I use them wherever possible. My alternate is a pink ribbon graphic.

I have a photo of my partner on my desk- regardless of where I am working from. Keeps me grounded.

When in the office, I have pink ribbons everywhere. I am single minded, and directed.

I need to have visual reminders of my life outside of work. Your mileage may vary...

by geekchic

I have been moved 7 times since I started working here and finally moved into my very own office. It is a nice big place...no windows but that is ok because it is very, very nice. I have some mascot stuff, a framed grouping of pictures from home, a small plant (artificial cause I would kill it otherwise), an atomic clock (with date time temp etc) and my framed degrees. Oh yeah and a desklamp that I bought at Walmart for 6 bucks...but it is a cool lamp!!

by onbliss

I talked to her last evening, except for a picture of our eldest son, she does not personalize her work area either.

by maecuff

I have pictures of my kids, my neice, some artwork made by my kids, 30 or 40 cds in a two precarious stacks, candles, two vases with flowers on top of my book shelf and an 'insult a day' calendar that my boss gave me.

My husband on the other hand, will not keep anything personal in the workplace. He says his personal life is no one elses business. He's a private person, I am not. It's amazing we get along as well as we do..

by zlitocook

I have a Dilbert and boss dolls, I have a candy dish so people will stop by and talk. IT people seems to be thought of as stand offish so I incurage people to stop in and talk. I have a wizard fighting a dragon screen saver and a free tips and tricks basket for any one to look through and take what they need.

by jack-m

When I worked for the old Bell System and it's successive BOC's I'd personalize my desk very slightly. A pic of my family so my peers would know I had one, a small sign indicating my interest in popular causes and that was it. Simce I retired and work now as a consultant to the same companies I do no personalization at all. Reason...my contract will expire and I don't want to miss what I never really had. And I don't want to be constantly asked to support the local boy scouts, girl scouts, little league
and the rest of the LOCAL(worthwhile) causes.

by darrahg

I purchased two M&M clocks for my office, primarily because I am interested in clocks. Now my office is fully of M&M stuff. I should have hung a couple of twenty dollar bills on my wall instead.

by gsg

I have my own office, and have purchased a shelf that contains... Harry Potter valentines, 3 Russian Harry Potter magazines, Russian Harry Potter playing cards, a Harry potter hat, a statue of the Argonath, Gollum, and Minis Tirith, a Scooby Doo doll that says "Rets Rolve a Rystery", two packs of Bertie Botts every flavor beans, then overflowing to the desk I have Darth Tater, R2Potatoo, and my Spud Trooper with Laser Masher, a 1 foot tall Yoda Pez Dispenser, a 1 foot tall C3P0 pez dispenser, various toys from vendors, a wine goblet that I throw change in, and finally, the piece de resistance, a gumball machine full of ibuprofen.

by tig2

As a major supporter of the ibuprophen industry, I need to know where you found your gumball machine. Share please???

by gsg

I bought a small gumball machine at Wal-Mart, threw the gumballs in a candy dish, and filled it with ibuprofen. The pills tend to drop out sometimes as the slot won't close all the way, but I've figured out that a small shake or bang, and I get the perfect dose. It's always a good laugh especially for the new folks that are introduced and they see my office. I also forgot to add that I have a sign on the door that says "The Crab is in." I get cranky sometimes, so my co-workers pitched in and got that for me.

by tig2

Marketing idea for Motrin!

I have to get one of those. I have ibuprophen for breakfast most weekend mornings. We are walking 20 on Saturday and NEED the stuff just to stay ahead of the muscle ache and inevitable stiffness.

Thanks, Mavyen! I like Jelly Bellies too...

by dmambo

In my old office I had a snapshot of my two older kids at ages 3 and 2 standing next to the bathtub watching it fill-up. It was a really cute shot and very funny to me. One visitor came in and saw it and told me that she had a similar photo in her office years earlier, and her boss made her take it down during a "pornography" sweep. He wanted to be sure that nobody could accuse him of permitting child porn in the workplace.

As far as current personalizations go, I have lots of kids' art work, a couple of paintings by former neighbor and I rotate live plants in for a couple of months until they're completely dead then replace them with fresh ones to kill again. (I'm not too good with plants) :(

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