Comments on: 10 Things I Hate About You

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:15:37 +0000

Elaine, I can completely relate to the TOO many hours working thing. It can be difficult to get away from work when work is right at home!

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:10:28 +0000

There are pros and cons to both set-ups. I love the creative energy one can tap into when working in a single environment. Ideas flow from one to another. On the other hand, there are well-meant colleagues who visit your office to shoot the breeze and keep you from doing your work. That’s annoying.
Working in a home office means that I spend TOO many hours attached to my computer. I have yet to practice balance. But, it also means that I don’t have to put on make up, dress up and drive somewhere unless I have a meeting. Plus, I can have lunch in the backyard, watch the news (on a TV outside), enjoy the flowers, or just listen to… peace.

By: Bronwyn

Bronwyn — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:32:56 +0000

There is nothing better (as a creative person) than being able to stand up, walk over to my other creative people and sit down and start brainstorming over topics that just came to mind. I hate being at home and working alone, and having no one to turn to, excitedly, about a new project, idea, solution, etc.
Secondly, to you people who have problems with others at work — grow up. If you can’t work with people, means you can’t live with people, which isn’t good for the long run. Social interaction is kind of important these days, given the amount of time we spend online alone. People are forgetting how to properly communicate. Since when did ‘call you later’ become ‘text you later’ *shudders*
p.s. regardless of all this, i so wish i could work from home :OP

By: oddpodz

oddpodz — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:26:34 +0000

We are a a virtual company, too, spread out all over the place.
We are all very self-disciplined, so we can get things done.
Sometimes it would be nice to be able to meet up face to face, since email and phone can get confusing, and some of us gesticulate a lot. We’ve used Skype have our almost-face-to-face meetings. We do make sure to get out of the PJs and at least business casual for the video conference calls.
Another perk of working at home – it’s ALWAYS bring your dog to work day!

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:46:03 +0000

What I live about working at home is making coffee on cold, rainy morning. That is heaven!

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:57:57 +0000

hi ann:
lol, this proves that office irritations are universal.
how about the person who sharpens their pencils every 10 minutes with an electric sharpener?
or the person who is obstensibly in your office to ask a question but is staring at your computer monitor and looking over the papers on your desk?
i have enjoyed working in office environments but working at home has its benefits too—my favorite? baking up a quick batch of muffins on a cold, rainy morning—heaven.
enjoyed your post.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:17:05 +0000

@ted: Don’t you HATE that guy?!!

By: Ted Page

Ted Page — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:24:48 +0000

Ann,
When I work at home I always find myself taking a very long nap or eating uncontrollably, or eating uncontrollably and then taking a long nap, or napping uncontrollably. Then I suffer from home office politics, whereby I blame myself for everything that went wrong, steal my own food, or tell the boss (me) that I’m just not up for the job.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:57:28 +0000

@Yep Cologne/perfume.. yes!
@Jonathan True — I’m only talking about annoyances in a physical setting here, but all that other valid stuff you mention happens, too. thanks for that!
@shelley very true.. plus, you’d spend all day cooking in the break room.. and then NONE of us would ever get anything done….

By: Sonny Ahuja

Sonny Ahuja — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:59:41 +0000

You are absolutely right. That is why our office is different and looks like this:
http://www.grandperfumes.com/clean-funny-perfumejokes
Everyone is too happy…:)

By: asdf

asdf — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:50:34 +0000

sadf

By: Shelley Ryan

Shelley Ryan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:46:09 +0000

I’d never get a damned thing done if I worked in an office with you, Ann. We’d be in the breakroom too often, looking for coffee and snacks and making everyone within earshot laugh.
Love ya, but I gotta stick with my schnauzer here at Mission Control. ;]

By: Jeanne Byington

Jeanne Byington — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:58:20 +0000

I live in the space that David describes–I mean live, because I’m at the office more than at home. I love it on East 44th Street.
At times we collaborate but more often than not, we conduct our own affairs. We accept packages for one another and are gracious to office mates’ guests. When the Golden Rule doesn’t work both ways–that gets me.
From days in a traditional office, a boss’s tantrums scared me. The hair on my neck prickles just remembering.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:36:40 +0000

I agree with Neal 120%.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:28:17 +0000

Well, virtual or not the Marketing Profs’ articles, blog, forum, and online seminars are all outstanding!
You have a great team. Keep up the good work!

By: David Reich

David Reich — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:24:30 +0000

To me, the only benefit of working at home is you can just roll out of bed and be working. Other than that, for me at least, I prefer working in an environment with other people.
Many of the negatives you listed are on target. I’d add one more — one of my neighbors, who edits an online beauty magazine, burns scented candles in her office, The smell permeates the entire place and has caused me to have sneezing fits and teary eyes. I finally had to ask her not to burn her candles.
Bit I’ve tried working at home and I am not disciplined enough to resist all the distractions — the TV, walking the dog, the refrigerator, any project in the house that needs to be done. At home, I’m a terrible procrastinator. So when I come to the office, it’s for work, not procrastination.
As a solo practitioner, I had to build my own collegial workspace. So I rented space with several offices and I sublet the other offices to other people in p.r., advertising and graphics. (A short commercial here: I have two private offices available now, both with windows. One seats one, the other can handle 2 or even 3 people. Contact me if you want more info. I’m at 44th and 3rd in midtown Manhattan, a block from Grand Central. Call me at 212 573-6000 or email at david@reichcommunications.com)
Ann, send me a bill for the ad. (Not)

By: courtney benson

courtney benson — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:27:53 +0000

Don’t forget the boundary problem along with working too much. Both of these can be found at home or in the office. You can do something about boundaries but it’s more difficult to change a workaholic.

By: Kamna Narain

Kamna Narain — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:19:46 +0000

Very loud sighing (which, of course, I’ve likely been guilty of myself on occasion!)

By: Jonathan Kranz

Jonathan Kranz — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:57:55 +0000

But Ann, your list covers the misdemeanors — mere annoyances. What about the real felons?
Brown-noses who suck up to the boss.
Credit-stealers who appear at every meeting — then disappear when there’s real work to be done.
Back-stabbers and saboteurs who undermine your work.
Crafty manipulators more skilled at office politics than anything else.
And just plain old incompetent idiots who waste time and energy.

By: Yep

Yep — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:35:33 +0000

The worst: wearing a lot of perfume and/or cologne. Stinky!

By: Mischa

Mischa — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:29:18 +0000

I have done both and can say without a doubt doing it all from a home office is best. Yes, you can’t “bond” as well with co-workers, but you don’t get into tiffs with them either (or you’re not in smacking distance). Just about everything we do can be done virtually now. But with that siad, some meetings are best in person, an dit is good to get in some “face-time” as well. It just doesn’t need to be everyday.