As you know, I’m a receptionist at a commercial talent agency in LA. I’m one of the lucky ones that has a pretty flexible job. I just answer the phones. I don’t have to file things or do any “real” work really. I get to meet some interesting people like Malcolm Jamal Warner and John Stamos (I died…LOL). I’m able to use the internet freely, which lets me work on my blog all day at work.
So why do I want to smash my head against the walls sometimes?
I don’t think it really has anything to do with the actual work I do. Answering the phones is easy. What’s not easy is sitting in a windowless lobby for 8 hours a day. What’s not easy is knowing I’m leaving in 8 months but wishing I could leave now. Dealing with crazy people calling about chupacabras (true story) and selling themselves to you on the phone isn’t easy. Some days I go home way more exhausted than I should be. I feel trapped. I’m psychically trapped because I can’t leave my desk, and I’m mentally trapped because this job isn’t what I want to be doing with my life. Some days I get such intense anxiety I have to leave the office for a few minutes and breathe. Sure, I’m basically getting paid to work on my blog, and my job is a lot easier than most people working in an office, but I really do feel like I’m losing brain cells sometimes.
Besides working on my blog, there are a few other practices I’ve managed to come up with to keep me sane at work:
1. Stretch, Walk, Jump, Move around
We all know the effects of sitting anywhere for 8 hours in a day. Every hour, I get up and move. I’ll walk around my desk, stretch my back and legs, do some jumping jacks, basically anything to get the body moving. I come back to my desk refreshed and my mind is clear.
2. Do not eat lunch in the office
I only get one hour of free time in my day, so you better believe that I’m not spending it eating in the office. Even if I bring my lunch, I’ll go outside and eat it. On my lunch break, I usually take another brisk 10 minute walk or I’ll just find a sunny place to sit. Sitting in the sun does wonders for my energy.
3. Don’t take it personal
When an actor or casting director calls and is rude to me on the phone, I used to get upset about it and complain. I’ve slowly learned to not take their crappy attitudes personally and just let it roll off of my shoulders. It’s not my fault, and I’ve done nothing to them. I make an active decision to not let if effect me, and in turn I don’t want to throw the phone across the room.
4. Listen to Pandora/iPod
I know this might not be possible for everyone, but thankfully my job allows me to play my own music on my computer (as long as it’s work appropriate of course). Music is one of my favorite ways to de-stress, so I always make sure my iPod is updating with all the latest music!
5. Call out sometimes
I know this is controversial, but it’s okay to call out “sick” sometimes. Not often of course, but sometimes you just need a day off where you can finally finish the laundry, read a book, take your dog to the dog park, walk around the mall, whatever you want to do. It’s okay to need a breather now and then.
I’m counting down the months until I leave, and in the meantime I’m using the above tips to keep myself from pulling my hair out and screaming. Do you have any tips for surviving the office?
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Great post! I totally agree with you about being inside and not having windows making work worse.
If it makes you feel any better, one of the shitty jobs I worked at in LA was at a scam talent agency. In addition to being windowless and physically confining and not at all what I wanted to do, it was unethical. I quit on my third day, but had to stay 8 days as a professional courtesy. It sucked, but now it’s a terrific story. I think the beauty of shitty jobs is that, generally speaking, the shittier the job, the better the stories you get from it.
ugghhhhh Scam talent agencies make me so sad. I have a few guesses with who they could be..lol
I think writing/reading blog posts really help me get through the days. And oh, lately, I’ve been listening to online spanish courses to prepare ourselves for our trip. That helps too
Totally. I always let my google reader build up and take a day or 2 to read all the posts. My boyfriend got us the Fluenz program for Spanish, which is like Rosetta Stone but better to me. I started, but I never finished…maybe it would be a good idea to start back again!
Ufff I can relate, I’m also able to work on my blog (I’m actually at work now) at work but yes, there’s times you can go insane. I think the word is “cabin fever.” You make a good point about the lunch, fresh air is needed and I think I’ll just do that as of today.
p.s. If Kate Beckinsale calls, send her my way
I also have Pandora playing in the background; listening to keys typing nonstop all day can wrack your brain. You’re almost there – only a few months to go!
My best tip: be productive at what you’re passionate about. Working at the office all day, it’s easy to go home, plop down on the couch, and lament all the time that was wasted you could have been writing/traveling/blogging/etc. It takes will power to take that time and use it towards something that makes you happy, even when you’re mentally tired. It proves to yourself that you can survive the long hours at the office and still have your own dreams, too.
Exactly! One of the things I also make myself do is workout when I get home. I usually guilt trip myself by saying I’ve already sat 8 hours, so I can be active for a minimum of 30 minutes. It really helps relieve all of the stress of the day too.
Me too, it feels really good to work out after sitting in a chair all day. Plus, it’s not something you have to go out of your way to do while traveling – walking around new cities/countries all day is a workout in itself.
Great advice and I especially like number 3. I learned to separate work from my emotions and life is do much easier now! I just go to the office do what I have to do without becoming emotional about things people say or do, and go home!
Exactly. It’s probably the one thing I do struggle with the most. I’m super emotional, but I’m SO much better than I was when I first got the job!
My ipod is about the only thing that keeps me from screaming and random intervals during a day. I work in a big open office and get sick of the chaos. The nice thing about listening to music is if you do happen to scream, it is easier to just sing a bit after that and pretend it is one of your songs.
The movement is good, riding my bike back and forth to work will have to be enough until I can gather enough energy to go to the gym more often after work. Come on sunlight, spring is almost here.
Very cool. I work in a call centre to finance my travel plans and that can drive me doolally. The only thing that keeps me sane is the thought that I’m doing all of this to finance my dreams and every moment is one step closer.
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