Surviving Open Plan
As I may have mentioned in my blog, I have just moved into an open plan environment.
Can't say I like it. Yesterday a colleague - without asking I hasten to add - just opened the window to let some air in. It was freezing!
There is noise around and everyone is looking at each other which I am highly conscious of.
Yesterday one of my immediate colleagues commented that I was "very quiet". I didn't realise this, but I suspect that the change of environment has something to do with it.
As I also mentioned in my blog, I am going to try and stay busy throughout the day. I think that this is the best way of coping with these conditons.
The move is relatively temporary - around 7 months - but I need to work through this period.
Does anyone have any thoughts about other techniques I could deploy to assist in the process?
Open Plan
Sounds like this plan is a bit overwhelming and will take time to adjust. I think I might've been a little shaky if I had to be put in a plan like this. Sometimes temperature becomes a issue in our area. There are times either the A/C is too high or the heat is too high. There times either the heat is too low or the A/C is too low. Then there are people who are hot and others who are cold. I rarely get into major confrontations or issues with this situation unless it really bothers me.
Well at least it's something temporary. 7 months usually goes fast either though it doesn't seem like it. Good luck!
Just do your work and keep to yourself.
Successful Adjustment
We discussed via this thread a few months bcak the issues relating to working in an open plan office.
I have been doing this for a couple of months and I think that I have adjusted quite successfully.
Key to it, I think, has been mental preparation. I knew that it would present a challenge and that there would be issues, but I anticipated them and adjusted accordingly.
Central to this, I feel, was the knowledge that I would be under the gaze of others and so consciously taking stock of things when there were lots of people around me.
When this is the case, I am ensuring that I look busy and engaged and don't practice any AS negative behaviours - like echolalia for example.
When the office is quiet I can take a step back and unfold a bit!
Adjustment and Mental Preparation
This is a good method. Preparing for something like this mentally before you actually face it. In this preparation one can think about the whole picture, figure out how to handle the situations at hand, understand things before you face them, figuring responses to certain issues and tips for staying calm. I do this a lot myself when I have to face various situations at work. Sometimes it works really well other times it doesn't but regardless it's a method.
Redecoration
I will shortly be subjected to change in this area again when they redecorate my office.
It shouldn't be for long. However, what is concerning me more is the end result and, in particular, if it becomes embellished with excess lighting.
The CEO was in my office this morning; I wish I had mentioned something to him to gauge his reaction!!!
Hope it goes well for you
It can be annoying when they start decorating and renovating things in the work place. Sometimes the changes are not for the better plus when they're doing the changes it's disturbing because of the noise, the dust, the moving things around and the extra people traffic plus sometimes certain areas get closed up.
They (in my place) are in process of moving the Admissions and the Bursar office closer to our center. They killed a large room in the front of the building and got rid of 10 classrooms right across from us. The noise is annoying and sometimes it becomes difficult to concentrate on work.
Hopefully your situation works out for you.
Preparing for Change
This is where I think that building change into our lives - particularly changes in routine - can be so useful.
I know it sounds daft but I have been forced to take a different path into work at the moment because they are doing some repairs to a footbridge that leads to my work.
The changes is good because it disrupts my routines and, therefore, makes me feel more comfortable about it. The reason for this is that I get used to different things.
The benefit that this gives me as that, when change does occur at work - especially in my environment - then I am mentally more able to cope.
The other thing that is also really advantageous is that, when a change does occur, not to think about it for a day or two (when I am most uncomfortbale with that change) and just get on with what I have to do.
What I then find is that after a couple of days it doesn't seem like change at all!!!
Past Experience
I cannot emphasise how important and invaluable past experience has been for me.
I have been in a similar situation before which caused problems. This time I have known in advance what they encompass and I have been able to implement the methods and actions which have prevented the same problems from appearing.
I am almost beginning to wonder if learning via experience is the only effective way that someone with Asperger syndrome can learn actually.
Certainly, for me, the only use of formalised learning techniques such as reading books or attending seminars or lectures can be appropriate is if they are after the event and I can relate it to what I have practically done.
I wish I had some advice for
I wish I had some advice for you. There is a war over temperature with my coworker and I. I am always hot and/or sweating. She is always cold. The thing is, she can see the sweat running down my face at the same time I am clutching her chilly hands. I have a fan at my desk which is on constantly, but if I need to move to do some filing or work at the copy machine, I am instantly very uncomfortably hot.
I wonder could your
I wonder could your co-worker wear a warm coat or cardigan or some fingerless gloves? I also feel the heat and find it tricky to cool down without having a fan at my desk even when others are saying it's cold.
Protocols
Its a good suggestion but I honestly don't think I could ask and it would run the risk of making me appear "different" I think as its quite an unusual (AS) approach.
On Thursday, I closed the window after the person had left the room for a while. I nearly did it without asking my other colleagues beforehand - quid pro quo!!!
I had to remind myself to do so. They agreed but I nearly made the same error.
It would be a boring world
It would be a boring world if everybody were the same but kudos for asking the opinion of the other workers before shutting the window.