Xmas-Stress in the Future-Office
Sitting together with colleagues is really nice. Chat a little, stop thinking about work for a few minutes, have something sweet to eat. And for sure – Christmas time really does mean a bit of rest and reflection for her.A little psychological hygiene; everything should run smoother than during the rest of the year. That’s why she can’t understand those colleagues who run from department to department with five glasses of punch in five different rounds, all at the same time. That’s not for her at all. Besides, people like to come to her and sit down. People know what they get here. Namely, a warm welcome in a friendly pre-Christmas enclave, a comfortable recreation area with an aroma of oranges and ginger tea.
That's clearly why her inbox sees a little more action than usual at these times. Honestly-given greetings are returned equally honestly. It’s good that there's electronic communication, because it means that you don’t have show up everywhere personally any more. Nonetheless: the people who really like her will stop by anyway. And how nice when a physical package arrives rather than just an electronic greeting card. People know where she can be found.
Connecting People
At the end of the year, his senses always feel as if they were electrified. As if there was a constant flow of electricity through his body. Plugged and unplugged – it seems to him as if the last days of work plug right into a general Christmas hustle and bustle and finally into the unavoidable chaos of the holidays. He likes it all, although it means even more activity. On top of the widespread ambition to ‘finish-one-more-thing-this-year’ there are lots of side shows going on: parties being organised, good ideas spread, tips exchanged.
His geek tendencies, otherwise kept in check, finally have a good reason to run wild. Making plans on doodle (there really are still some people who aren't on Facebook!), sending photos via MMS of 'must haves', taming the mailbox and making a mental note of the shopping lists, but postponing it all until the weekend.
Colleagues like to fall back on his all-encompassing knowledge. Who else should they call, text or email in times like these, to ask who can be reached where or how and when to take the next steps – who, if not him? The man with the unbelievable overall view, the patience of an angel and the friendly willingness to help? People like this man and his iPhone.
36 hours a day
It’s all a question of being organised. As a rule, it goes like this:
8:00 am: Departure
9:00 am: Start of the day’s first meeting after a short warm-up on the laptop. With coffee and biscuits.
10:30 am: Amiable meeting over late breakfast with clients and the first sounding out of next year’s to-do list. With coffee, no biscuits.
12:13 pm: Return to the office. Slightly late, so two meetings with colleagues are combined into one in the lounge. In retrospect this turned out to be a real stroke of luck, allowing unsuspected synergies to develop about getting the job done. Biscuits from the kitchen decorations.
1:00 pm: The time this has saved means a half hour for a quick glance at the latest emails.
1:30 pm: Start of the big round of budget discussions for 2010. Quick afternoon coffee and biscuits.
3:30 pm: Call to postpone the planned supplier meeting to the next day and continuation of the budget meeting.
4:00 pm: Check out of the ongoing meeting for a client visit. On the way out, the first friendly invitation to a glass of punch with biscuits.
5:00 pm: Meeting with business partners at Rotarian punch stand in the city. With biscuits.
5:30 pm: Ad hoc meeting with more business partners at Rotarian punch stand in the city. With biscuits.
7:00 pm: First cautious attempt at a polite farewell.
8:15 pm: The final glass of punch for the day. Definitely without biscuits.
Invitation to an ongoing journey
Research for innovative product concepts
Brigitte Schedl-Richter
