“Office” sounds like a “prison”—it’s just true. And I work too hard to treat myself like a prisoner. I choose to see my place of employment as just another vibrant, dynamic space that I occupy in this world. The moment I abandoned the word “office” and embraced the word “space” everything changed. For the first time in a long time, I’m—heck, I’ll say it—I’m in love with the giant corporation that pays me to answer phones.
Life is all about giving yourself something to look forward to every day. Once I broke down those insane barriers in my brain, the barriers that said, “I worked in an office,” my vision for my perfect space emerged. It hasn’t been easy bedazzling my landline, but they say nothing worth doing is ever easy. Plus, making collection calls to devastatingly poor people feels much better when you have chic wall art to look at. Throw pillows, plants, desk toys and accounts receivables—what more could an Ivy League-educated secretary ask for?
My favorite part about working in a space is the freedom it affords me to be myself. Now that I’m in a space, I can wear whatever I want! As long as it adheres to a business casual dress code. Also, Happy Hour doesn’t apply to me, because it only applies to basic office slaves. I drink all day at my desk between, but only between 5:30PM and 7PM. With this type of corporate freedom, I feel like the sky’s the limit in terms of my personal and professional growth.
What kind of space, you ask? Me, I choose to work in an open space. Thoughts flow more freely when they have room to breathe. There’s no hierarchy in wide-open spaces. If I work at the same desk, on the same computer and for the same company as the CTO, then who cares if they own a beach house?
My workplace has also become a wonderful platform in which to share my uncomfortable family stories. Without a cubicle, my meltdowns are all public meltdowns…and you know what? I’m glad people know not to ask me about the gash across my face. As the company handbook (that I wrote) clearly states, “Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you’re forced to tell everyone because there are no walls.”
Abandoning the confines of the word “office” and accepting that I work in a space really improved my sense of work-life balance. So, say it with me: You can have your dream job—especially if your dream is to wallpaper your desk with imitation mandalas.
