Summary

The article reflects on the unexpected benefits and pleasures of working in an office environment, contrary to the author's initial skepticism.

Abstract

The author, initially skeptical about the traditional office job, finds surprising contentment in a structured office routine during a work assignment in Paris. Despite previous concerns, the office environment offers a dedicated workspace free of distractions, facilitating focused work and productivity. The office also serves as a hub for insider information, allowing the author to better understand and solve company problems, thus increasing his value. Instant solutions to work-related issues are readily available through on-site support staff and resources. Moreover, the office provides a diverse community of colleagues, fostering unexpected friendships and a sense of belonging, which the author suggests is crucial for success and happiness.

Opinions

Working from home is often idealized but can be fraught with distractions and interruptions that lead to procrastination and deferred work.
The office environment, with its clear separation of space for work, can enhance focus and productivity by minimizing temptations and excuses for avoiding tasks.
Being physically present in the workplace provides access to valuable informal information and insights that can be critical for career advancement and problem-solving.
The convenience of having immediate assistance for technical issues, administrative tasks, and even basic needs like toilet paper contributes to a smoother workflow.
The author values the serendipitous interactions and relationships formed in the office, which may not be possible in a remote work setting, emphasizing the importance of a workplace community.
Despite the trend towards remote work and digital socialization, the author appreciates the diversity and civility of office relationships, challenging the notion that friendships should be based solely on shared interests or beliefs.

Your Boring Office Job Might Actually Be Perfect for You

Without a Community, You Won’t Succeed

Man in architecture office — New Old Stock (https://nos.twnsnd.co/)

It happened last Thursday in a Paris metro station as I strutted down the connection between the metro lines 1 and 9. A spasm through both cheeks: what was going on? I reached up and touched the sides of my face, trying to get a beat on what was happening.

I was smiling!

For the last 8 weekdays, I’ve been on assignment in Paris, France. Each of those mornings, I climbed into a train packed with bodies, took a 38-minute commute to the office, and worked from precisely 8:50–5:30.

Despite this, I had a grin plastered all over my face.

I thought an actual commute would be murder: wrong. I thought being back in an office environment would be miserable: wrong. I thought sitting in the same physical space as coworkers would be pointless: wrong. Instead of suffocating, my new routine feels comfortable and warm.

This feels traitorous. What self-respecting millennial could possibly admit to loving an office? After another week of self-reflection, I came up with these things.

1) It’s a not a workspace. It’s a Work Space

Working from home, the ideal day typically goes like this:

5:30 am: wake up and walking the dog (well, he walks me)
6:30 am: drink my water, and reading or writing
8:00 am: eat breakfast with my wife Kate
9:00 am: tackle the most important task for my “real job”
10:30 am: take a break for some laundry, dishes, or other household work
11:30 am: lunch
12:00 pm: back to computer to work some more
2:00 pm: run some errands around town
3:00 pm: finish any lingering work, send any emails which need to be sent before the next day
6:00 pm: eat dinner

Sounds reasonable, right? But in reality, maybe one out of every ten days goes exactly as planned. The rest often look like this:

6:37 am: the dog spots a cat across the street and loses his mind whining and barking
8:30 am: breakfast turns into doing dishes which turns into straightening the kitchen which turns into a family budget meeting
11:30 am: oops the dog allegedly needs to go outside again
11:45 am: a family member calls to see if we want lunch. It’s been a while since we caught up so Kate and I go. I think “I’ll finish that later”
2:00 pm: there is traffic in town, Walmart didn’t have the thing I needed, and Kate and I stop for a snack before getting back home
5:00 pm: I’m hungry and a little bored, so I call it a day and help with dinner

None of these unexpected interruptions are bad, per se. However, they are temptations, easy escapes for me when I don’t want to finish whatever task I have at the moment. The punishment for this procrastination is deferred work. The deference, of course, builds up until it reaches a fever pitch. Usually there’s a mad panic on Friday when, driven mad with stress and guilt, I lock myself in the office and rush through sub-par work.

With my Parisian office, there are no surprise errands, no dogs, and no family. My brain says: “Oh, this is a Work Space. We work here.” The triggers in my environment tell me what to do and I do it. No questions asked.

2) Insider information

At home, Kate and I eat lunch together most days. We often have meaningful conversation about the broader vision and impact of our lives. Thanks to my flexible schedule, we don’t have to work these important conversations in at the end of the day when both of us are tired and would rather watch TV.

In Paris, though, something else is happening.

I’ll chew on a mouthful of quinoa and hear: “Oh yes, she’s leaving the company.” I swallow my chicken and a colleague says: “That business unit isn’t doing very well.” After dessert: “Todd, are you finished? Let’s go upstairs. I can introduce you to…”

In the past, I would have written all this off as meaningless office gossip. Maybe there’s more to it.

I battled hard over five years to arrange my work-from-home-all-the-time schedule. I wanted nothing more. Now, in the center of the company’s information hub, I realize every new piece of information leads to a problem. The better I understand the company’s problems, the better positioned I am to solve them.

The more problems I solve, the more valuable I become.

3) Instant solutions

Computer is broken? No need to fix it yourself. Walk down to the 5th floor and talk to Guillaume the IT guy.

Waiting on approval? Don’t leave 16 messages on an answering machine. Take the elevator up to the 11th floor and visit Julien in Human Resources.

Out of toilet paper? There’s no need to go to the store. Slide the lever on the dispenser and grab another roll. Alternatively, go find one of the other 53 stalls in the building.

Need to collaborate? Forget about finding a slot which works for everyone. Instead, tap Christine on the shoulder and ask if she has 8 minutes to chat with you and Alexis over a coffee.

Speaking of coffee, do you need some? It’s all over the place. It’s unlimited. It’s in different flavors. It’s free.

Trash full? It’ll be empty when you return from lunch.

Internet down? No it isn’t.

4) Built-in friends

There is a French word — “copain” — which means close friend. (You probably immediately made the jump to “companion,” right?).

The word literally means “co — to share,” and “Pain — bread.”

Today, it’s a little outdated to make friends based on your geographic location. Why do that when you can hand-select people who have already professed to share your hobbies, social class, and political opinions? However, in a world where the political and social divides are larger than ever, I’m starting to wonder if the only thing we’ve managed to build with our social technologies is one large echo chamber.

In the office we all have different backgrounds and baggage. Despite this, civility happens. I find myself longing for simple companionship, skin deep and convenience-based as it may be. I can’t wait for lunch, even if I don’t understand 90% of the words spoken.

During my time in Paris, I’ve been required to make the daily trek to an office. But also, I’ve been more plugged in to information which will help me do my job, I’m building better relationships, and (get this) I’m actually happy.

So, should all of us trade in the safe confines of our homes for an office? Probably not. Doing so may not even be possible for you. But the resurrection of Office Todd reminded me of this: even if you don’t have an office, you must have a community.

Turns out the place I once called a prison cell had one waiting for me.