You are sitting in your cubicle and begin to get a little claustrophobic. The background noise and interruptions are making that seventh hour, a really slow one.
Why do we feel uneasy and might even hate our cubicles, managers, jobs, chairs, and co-workers?
Well, it all started several thousand years ago.
In his book [1] Brain Rules
Brain rules might also explain why cubicle life feels like one in prison. Starting with spending 40 hours per week in a 10’ x 10’ cell with half an hour break and no windows, here is an inside of what does our brain “think” of this environment and why. No wonder its inventor, Robert Propst, lamented his unwitting contribution, before he died in 2000, to what he called “monolithic insanity.”
Run Brain, Run!
Medina says we think better in motion. Brain rule No. 1 suggests that people might be more productive if they spent some of the working day (separate from the gym) on treadmills.
Our brain adapted and evolved as a result of constantly being on unstable outdoor environment, and to do so in nearly constant motion trying to survive prehistoric, and dangerous, environment for thousand of years. We learned as we go. Just recently, we were thrown into cubicles.
People that work out outperform couch potatoes in long-term memory, reasoning, attention, problem-solving tasks, and more. - Says Medina
Hammocks Room
In most Latin American countries, and cities in Spain, people go home for two or three hour lunch and nap breaks. This makes sense and agrees with rule No. 7. Sleep well, think well.
You need adequate sleep, because that’s when the brain processes the day’s learning. People should be encouraged to nap at work during the midday hours. I could use a nap in a hammock every now and then.
Meetings, the real reason why less is more
Dr. Medina explains in Rule 4 that we don’t pay attention to boring things. Anyone with me here; meetings are boring. Nowadays, with the invention of concurrent calendars like Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar and email and think we can pretty get rid of this “ceremonial” gathering so our boss can self validate his existence and use this time more productively.
Stressed brains don’t learn the same way. Rule 8
In prison you must deal with sadistic wardens. At work they are called managers. Cross that; I would call them micromanagers, control freaks, people with poor hiring skills and/or nothing to do.
People are routinely put under stress at work, yet studies have proved it to be counterproductive and costly. Medina writes: “Stress attacks the immune system, increasing employees’ chances of getting sick. Stress elevates blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and autoimmune diseases.” That increases absenteeism and health care and pension costs.
How to Fix this Square Mess
Dr. Median proposes a redesign of the cubicle that includes laptops on top of treadmills in front of full size windows to the outdoors. I would try to eliminate the whole thing all together - eliminate before managing. Here is why;
The most productive people have developed ways to work outside offices, not in them. People are escaping their cubicles and becoming more productive (There is a new concept called ROWE. Join cubicle hacks by sending an email to cubiclehacks@aweber if you want to learn more about ROWE.
Where do this happier and more productive people work at? There are two new working spaces rising up from the creation of the internet and laptops; homes and coffee shops.
Other (Sad and Funny) Reasons
I found more reasons why cubicle life feels like prison and why cube people scream; “I hate my cubicle”;
References
[1] Brain Rules . 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School
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Tags: cubicle, etiquette, productivity, psychology
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