Best Office Purchases

[eigen]

Second PhD Comics.

[Liquidambar]

I started a new thread to discuss office door cartoons, since it's important enough to have its own thread.

[rhetoricae]

We've just had a major renovation, so right now my office is pretty stark, but in my previous space I had a few little luxuries that I'm hoping to "reinstall."

I keep several plants in my office and have an LED grow-light to keep them healthy (we have no windows in any of the faculty offices in our building). These give me a reason to take a break & look at something nice & green, and also make the space nicer. The grow-light made things seem cozier & more atmospheric, and also caused folks to drop in to ask questions about the purplish light, plants, etc.

I had a floor lamp and a desk lamp - I have chronic migraine, so I can't always tolerate overhead fluorescents. These lights (along with the plant light) made life bearable on the tricky days. I also keep an electric kettle, because there are those days when I need copious amounts of caffeine. (This is either tea or coffee made w/my Aeropress.)

Lastly - my door had a  window in it, and I found that when I really needed to get some time un-disturbed, the window made that next to impossible. So I tacked up some sheets of pretty origami paper to cover the window; looked lovely, ensured my ability to pretend not to exist and actually get things done.

[the_geneticist]

We've just had a major renovation, so right now my office is pretty stark, but in my previous space I had a few little luxuries that I'm hoping to "reinstall."

I keep several plants in my office and have an LED grow-light to keep them healthy (we have no windows in any of the faculty offices in our building). These give me a reason to take a break & look at something nice & green, and also make the space nicer. The grow-light made things seem cozier & more atmospheric, and also caused folks to drop in to ask questions about the purplish light, plants, etc.

I had a floor lamp and a desk lamp - I have chronic migraine, so I can't always tolerate overhead fluorescents. These lights (along with the plant light) made life bearable on the tricky days. I also keep an electric kettle, because there are those days when I need copious amounts of caffeine. (This is either tea or coffee made w/my Aeropress.)

Lastly - my door had a  window in it, and I found that when I really needed to get some time un-disturbed, the window made that next to impossible. So I tacked up some sheets of pretty origami paper to cover the window; looked lovely, ensured my ability to pretend not to exist and actually get things done.

I also support the covering up of the office window!  My last workplace renovated our offices (yay!), but they ended up smaller (boo) and the designer insisted that the walls facing the hallway had to be frosted glass so we appeared more "available" and the office doors had HUGE glass windows (not so yay).  My colleagues that liked to bike to work & change in their office were VERY upset at the lack of privacy.  It was impossible to pretend to not exist and made it obvious if you were in your office or not.

[Hibush]

the designer insisted that the walls facing the hallway had to be frosted glass so we appeared more "available" and the office doors had HUGE glass windows (not so yay).  My colleagues that liked to bike to work & change in their office were VERY upset at the lack of privacy.  It was impossible to pretend to not exist and made it obvious if you were in your office or not.

We have a buildig where the hallway wall and doors are clear glass for faculty offices. The overexposure means that nobody every works in their office, so it has not had the effect of making faculty seem more available.

They are happy to meet you there for a chat if you email them. Since nobody else is around, you have decent privacy for a conversation.

[euro_trash]

Cheap picture frames. I've got photos of all my family and kids and vacations all over.

[Aster]

Command Strips.

[bio-nonymous]

I just started here, and my office is small--no loveseats or lounge chairs in here! BUT, I did have to use some start-ups funds to get a good adjustable high-back big and tall leather office chair with an excellent adjustable lumber support. It makes my life better--I love my chair! The old chair was surplussed by the department (even they didn't want it around, "...just give that old chair to the new guy...")

[notmycircus]

Cork board for photos and procedures.