Working Within a Cubicle and 10 Things You Should Know

Let's face it, working in a cubicle is like letting your dirty laundry out for everyone to see. But if you use simple common sense, working in a cubicle doesn't have to be all bad. Just try and remember:

1. Keep personal phone conversations to a minimum. I don't care what you're having for dinner tonight and I don't care if your daughter's son finally did graduate to "big boy" underpants. It was about time, isn't he three? I've been listening to you and your daughter trying to potty train this kid for two years!
2. Do not talk so loud that everyone in the entire office can hear you regardless if it is personal or business. Conversation, especially in a cubicle, should be kept to a low decibel, like just between you and the person with whom you are conversing.
3. If you are conducting business, again do not talk so loud so everyone can hear simply because you want everyone to hear you are actually doing your job.
4. Personal belongings such as pictures or plants, keep them to a minimum. No one but you loves your family like you do so why put 125 pictures of you, your mate, the kids, the kids' kids out on display for the world to see. One or two perhaps even three or four tasteful pictures and plants are plenty to claim your cubicle is your own.
5. Please do something with that stack of papers that has been in the left corner of your cubicle for the past decade. If I've noticed it time and again, surely your superior has too.
6. If work is piling up on your desk and your desk looks like a bomb exploded on it, look around for some "trays." At least that is a way to have a spot for all your work that has either been addressed or is yet to be addressed.
7. We know you are clean because your cubicle is the one with all the cleaning supplies from the Dollar Store. Hey, it's great to be clean, but you aren't a cleaning woman. You are a professional. One can of Lysol of and one roll of paper towels is plenty when you want to do a quick clean up.
8. Speaking of quick clean ups-when your trash is overflowing out of the tiny trash can they provide in those cubicles, take the small one that is overflowing and find the huge one that you can empty your tiny one into.
9. Everyone loves a delicious lunch but when it stinks up the entire office, be kind and dispose of the container in the "big" trashcan outside the cubicle area or at least wash out the container in which you brought your lunch, and don't forget to take the container home. Nothing is worse than walking into someone's cubicle and see and old dish or container growing mold-oooooh!
10. If you smoke or drink, try keeping some mouthwash or an odor freshener handy. People who do not smoke or drink, their noses are quite sensitive. And, yes, I'm talking about alcohol. You'd be surprised how many people come to work the next morning still drunk from the night before. Your co-workers can smell the alcohol. Keep some gum handy too!