"There's nothing piled all over your desk, so you must not be busy"

[BluePatriot]

Should I become deliberately disorganized at work to "manage perceptions?" DUers weigh in...

[El Fuego]

1. It seems messy desks types are getting their just revenge.

:evilgrin:

[BluePatriot]

2. Hee. But then they can't find anything.

:)

[El Fuego]

3. Hey, I know exactly where everything is!

:rofl:

[xmas74]

4. I always hated that whenever I did office work.

I always had the clean, extremely organized desk. Because I didn't have papers falling onto the floor, the lastest fast food toy giveaways lining the borders of my desk and half opened soy sauce packs soiling my paperwork I didn't look busy enough to others.

Guess what? I always received more work than anyone else and was always passed up for promotions. Oh, and I had a reputation for being anal.

[Sequoia]

5. Heh, heh...I've worked with you before!

What's that movie where the new guy is told to go slow so he won't make others looks bad.

I worked with an intern once who was so very picky about how clean his desk was (almost nothing on it) and I'd ever so slightly nudge his in box in front of him and he'd have a fit. Poor 18 year old boy that I tortured. I know what you mean about those goofy toys because to me seems the worker isn't very serious.

[xmas74]

7. I was cool about things.

I didn't care about things like boxes and such on my desk. My main problem is that I'm a really disorganized person and the only way I know things are done is to be super organized. (I know-sounds strange. But talk to really organized people sometimes and many will tell you that their minds are extremely cluttered.)

I was just angry that I was the one who was organized, I completed my work on time and yet I was penalized. And I was angry that my desk was the one that everyone rummaged through while I was on break, "borrowing" a quarter, a tea bag or a tampon. (Easy to find since I had everything in labeled bags/evelopes/boxes all around my desk.)

I made a list of what had to be done at work and the priority. I do that at home. It's not my fault that others don't do the same.


(Yes, I'm still mad to this day. This has held over to other jobs-I'm always the superorganized person and the go-to girl who gets passed up over those who choose to get drunk w/ the bosses.)

[Sequoia]

8. You must've worked at crummy places in a crummy city for a crummy boss.

I worked in Los Angeles all over the place and no one messed with me. In fact, the neater you were the more you were preceived as being organized. I hope things have improved. I wish I were more organized. If my house was neat and tidy I'd be happy, but it's so small everything is crammed around and that was after I got rid of a lot of stuff.

[xmas74]

9. Smallish areas,

lots of nepotism.

I was on the outside-no way they would promote since so-and-so was dating Joe Bob, 2nd cousin twice removed from the boss or some other crap.

[Sequoia]

10. I hear ya!

I'm not in LA anymore and in the small town I'm in I was told that I wouldn't get anywhere because I didn't have long hair!

[xmas74]

11. Mine is mostly

that I don't go out w/ everyone after work. I have a child-I don't have the time or money to do anything.

I don't have a desk job anymore either. Once I "popped out a kid" (as one coworker called it) I was no longer desirable working as a secretary. I started noticing that the other secretaries were getting younger and were working for less.

[Sequoia]

13. Interesting.

Where I work there are only about 6 of us out of around 30 who have school-aged children. All the rest are young single MySpace types, and a couple with children who are now adults. However, I wouldn't want to be in my 20s these days. Too much techno toys and gadgets they just "have to have". Just remember....She who rocks the cradle rules the world only I don't have a kingdom whatsoever!

[xmas74]

14. In this area

most of the employees dated each other. Most were in their twenties and related to someone either working there or working for someone in town (who needed a favor).

I never did fit in. I had a serious relationship and when I had a child it was even worse how I was treated.

[skygazer]

6. I think there's a similar mindset in about every business

I run a wine and liquor department in a grocery store and have an area in the backroom for my extra stock and supplies. I keep it very neat and organized and so every time I come in to work, I find other people's stuff in my area. Why? Because it's the only place there's any room because everyone else is a slob. :grr:

[Nikia]

12. Have organized piles

That makes you look both busy and organized.

[BluePatriot]

15. Good thinking

Just piles of something would work...probably completed files. I can always delay putting them away by a few days.

So sad. I guess they think if you have time to be organized you aren't working hard enough. There is an alternate school of thought here that it is a sign of a good, efficient worker. Probably need to play to the middle by having moderate clutter, lol.