Required “Fun” Lunch

So, today I got a meeting request for a “fun” lunch to celebrate the recent reorganization of my department. Just to get you up to speed, the reorganization went something like this:
1. Write down what everyone already does
2. Review this list and then move people into teams without changing their actual job duties or titles
3. Give everyone a new desk and/or boss without changing job duties or responsibilities
Reorganization Complete!
That sounded fun, didn’t it?

So anyway, this was clearly something worth celebrating so we were all invited to sit in a conference room and eat pizza during our normal lunch break. I don’t particularly enjoy being forced to cower in a conference room and make small talk with my colleagues at a time when I’m normally allowed to run free but I’m not going to be the one to blow the cover on this operation, so I went. It was fun.

When I got back to my desk I started to feel restless, since I didn’t get my normal 30 minutes running on the wheel that I usually require, and needed some fresh air. My office is in the suburbs with nothing to do so the options were to either drive around in my car and waste gas or stand in the parking lot. I wish there was a bench or something so I could sit outside, but since there isn’t I chose b. stand in the parking lot. As I was standing there it must have looked inviting because slowly but surely 3 of my co-workers came outside and stood in the parking lot with me. We shot the breeze for about 20 minutes and then went back inside to our cages, I mean cubes, and went back to typing away. The parking lot was most definitely the highlight of my day.

A Day in the Life

So, most of the time I actually have a lot to do at work but the main problem is the working is so boring and routine that I have to find ways to break up the day. I’ve learned to combat the monotony by breaking my day up into 6 segments. Here’s how a normal day goes:

Segment 1
Get to work close to on time. Turn on my computer and check my email. Don’t answer anything and go into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast. Return to desk and eat breakfast while checking personal email. Once caffeine has taken effect, start to answer work emails. Become annoyed by an email and check facebook. Comment on a status update. Check gmail and chat with co-workers who sit less than 5 feet away from me. Return to work email and begin a project.

Segment 2
Eat a mid-morning snack (usually a granola bar). Walk over to other cages and chat with the inhabitants about their previous evening activities. Return to desk and check personal email and facebook. Check the top news stories. Return to work email and project.

Segment 3
Lunch

Segment 4
Do the majority of the work I will complete for the day before a string of unnecessary meetings begin. Attend meetings and look interested. Return to desk and check email.

Segment 5
Mid afternoon snack (see segment 2) – sometimes I feel a little crazy and visit the vending machine.

Segment 6
Hurry home so I can begin everything all over again in the morning.

Introduction

Who I am is not important. What I do is not really important either. The point is that I’m a mid-level employee who works at mid-sized company in an office space filled with cubes as far as the eye can see. I spend most of my days alternating between answering emails and finding other ways to amuse myself around the office. I don’t think my office is particular interesting or different but I do find the day day-to-dayness of it somewhat entertaining, in a weird out-of-body seriously are we doing this kind of way that I’m sure others an relate to. This is my story.