Keep away from these cubicle workstation crimes

Now, before you scan the whole article, close your eyes for 5 seconds then open them. Now, take a look at your own office desk along with your desk neighbors. Noticed anything?

You all have your own interesting displays and personalized decorating knicknacks. What do you see in your cubicle? If you find yourself taking a second look and contemplating whether you’ve over decorated, check out these cubicle crimes you could have been committing.

Your humorous poster could be really funny.. only to you. Your coworkers may or may not find it as witty or funny as you do; worst case, some may find it offensive.

Anything and everything that are in your desk space are for public viewing; unless you have your own private office this shouldn’t be too big of a problem. But for most employees, it’s a free display for everyone. The same goes for your photographs. Your intimate photo with your significant other is best left at home in your bedroom. Also, choose a professional looking work calendar and not those raunchy ones. Choose wisely what you want to put on display otherwise, you’ll be called by the HR and subjected for a violation you’ll be surprised of.

Thou shalt not leave cords and cables exposed and tangled.The twists and tangles among your cables and cords are horrific enough. Keeping them at sight for the others to see can be a little hurtful for your organization and puzzle solving skills.

Take a time off to focus working on your cables — it can be time-consuming to get those wires neat and tidy. Once you’ve finished your tasks, start working on your cables. Untangle the cords and be careful for you might accidentally unplug your phone or monitor cord. Once you have successfully solved the puzzle, label each and every cord with color-coded tape. And finally, you may have the option to hide them e.g. putting a box over the cables or whichever way you prefer.

Thou shalt not leave your desk a disaster.By disaster meaning uncluttered, completely a mess and unorganized; almost as if a hurricane struck only your work space and left it in a state of calamity.

Yes, your pens are stylish and cute but do you really need two mugs of pens? Do you really need six different sticky notes, three different and often used notebooks, a number of books for display and design purposes, a dozen of washi tapes, and a whole lot other stuff going on on your tiny workstation? Too much can be overwhelming, you know. Declutter your space every once in a while and go through your inventory every month to observe waste management. Throw away the things you no longer need, are outdated and accomplished daily, weekly or monthly. Maintaining a clean space means having a clear head.

Thou shalt not groom on your work desk.It is fairly understandable that your desk is your second home. But it is not an excuse to take your personal grooming in the office even if it is your own desk.

Clipping your nails, prepping your hair, setting up your makeup, spraying perfume and other kinds of grooming is a major no-no in your work desk. Remember, you are seen, heard, felt and easily noticed in the office; you are not invisible. Keep your personal grooming or preening at home or in the restroom.

Thou shalt not make it your living
room.Yes, it’s mentioned previously that your personal work desk is your second home however, it’s not an excuse to treat it as your living room.

Yes, your employers want you to feel at home and comfortable at work so you can do more and still live while you work on a pile of documents. However, being too comfy isn’t really ideal. Even worse, treating the space as your home. Nope, making a sandwich on the desk is a major don’t. The crumbs and other leftovers will only attract pests. Bringing in too many pillows to make you more comfortable shouldn’t be tolerated too. If you want to
stay long in the company, behave appropriately.

Thou shalt not neglect lighting. You see, not everyone gets their ideal cubicle or a private office unless you have worked hard and finally reached an executive status (although not everyone prefers a private office e.g. Mark Zuckerberg).

Despite this, lighting can really make a big difference. A dim workspace can result into decreasing your productivity and overall negatively affect your performance. A nice little desk lamp, a clip-on lamp or central lighting can brighten your day. Opt for natural lighting since it’s more good for your eyes.

Have you got any more cubicle/office workspace pet peeves? Don’t forget to leave a comment and share it with us!

Chie Suarez is a writer for Ideal Office Furniture, a company specialising in a wide selection of office furniture designs servicing large corporate businesses to small home offices throughout Sydney.