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Tabula Rasa or What would you do if you were starting over in a brand new environment?
Jamie Phelps | Oct 25 2007
Most people are rarely lucky enough to have the chance to ask for help like I am. I think our resident alliterative basket case would call this a first world problem. I just started a new job (an IT internship for a large corporation), and my cube is bare. I fetched a few supplies for the desk, but before I go further getting myself situated, I wanted to ping you guys. What would you do if you had essentially no constraints on a new setup? Here's some info about the parameters: 1) Windows XP with Outlook for email. This isn't negotiable. 2) Can't install apps on the computer. Mobile apps should be OK, so I can use Firefox, et al once I install it on my flash drive. 3) Cube with a locker, four drawers (one for files, doy.), two overhead shelves/cabinets, and an open shelf. For my personal system, I rock an iPhone and hPDA for actions. I don't want work to bleed over into my personal time so I think I'm open to a new setup for work. But I do love my index cards. So, what say you 43folders friends? 12 Comments
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 Do what works for youSubmitted by NathanBowers on November 5, 2007 - 3:26pm.
Hey, if you're 31 and invested in where you work and you've got a lifestyle that must be maintained, good for you. Keep your day job. My advice was for the original poster who's finishing up a CS degree, already has his own web consulting practice, and is presumably under 25. "Grownups" do a huge disservice to young people by encouraging them to "get good jobs" and "settle down" right after college. Before you have kids and mortgages and all that is the IDEAL time to travel, start businesses, and take risks. You're much more risk and ramen tolerant at that age (plus you learn faster) so spending those years in a corporate cube is probably the absolute worst thing you can do. Regarding corporate IT: Yes, I realize that huge IT departments have to work that way, but it sends implicit messages: "We don't trust you. We value the lower cost of this 17-inch monitor more than we value your productivity." If you work in tech and your workplace treats you that way it's a signal that you should move to job where technology is a core competency instead of a cost center. One final point: day jobs feel safe, but in many ways they are riskier than self employment. At your day job your boss may be replaced by someone who hates you, or you could be laid off, or the company could get taken over, or the culture could become intolerable, or they could promise you a raise and under deliver. If you own your own business, or have multiple clients and streams of income you can weather the loss of individual pieces of your income and correct your course. » POSTED IN:
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