[Anonymous]

This post is not the typical post on the forum but I see a lot of people asking for advice in their career and situations. I started a job in private less than 2 months ago which I am ecstatic about and love! I love the work, my commute, my office, and my desk is hugeee (compared to my little cubicle I have experienced in the past). Anyways the woman next does data entry and is entering information literally all day on the computer. She wears long fake nails that create a clacking sound on the keyboard and adding machine literally ALL DAY! From the second I get in to the second I leave. I have tried to ignore it but I am having a really difficult time, I try not to concentrate on it but its literally become all I hear CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK. I leave work everyday with an ear ache and splitting headache feeling stressed out and agitated and then on top of that I have to come home and study. I try putting headphones on when I can but my boss sits right by me and she always calls out my name and I have missed her calling a few times from the headphones. Plus this is a new job and I don’t want to look so introverted right away. She is a really nice lady so I feel bad and I definitely do not want to say anything to her what am I going to ask her to remove her fake nails (Although, at my first internship I had nails on for a wedding and they asked me to remove them within the first 3 days but I would never say that)?? I don’t know what to do… There are literally no other seats open and I would feel so embarrassed asking for a seat change when I have been here for such a short period time. I usually study during my lunch break and in between assignments for a few minutes here and there when ever I have the opportunity and I haven’t been able to do this lately. Has anyone been through anything like this and if so how did you fight through it? I need some advice I do not want to let something so silly affect my life like this but it really is that bad…. 🙁

[CarrieM]

It is difficult to your “on the cube farm” but having worked on one for over 20 years, allow me to offer you some advice.

1. I think asking for a desk move at this point is a little premature.

2. You will make an almost immediate enemy of this woman if you create any kind of request that she not wear her nails, and frankly, unless it is impeding her job (which it does not sound like) or is a violation of the dress policy, it won't happen and in the end, it will only make you look bad.

Ok – done with the doom and gloom. Here's what you can do!

Go ahead and wear headphones. Tell your boss that you are wearing noise canceling headphones in order to better focus and concentrate on your work. In my family what we do is give each other a heads-up (especially in the car) and say “I have my headphones on!” Just give your boss the heads up – “Hi Boss, Just letting you know I'm putting on headphones – if you need me, tap on my shoulder/throw something at me/ whatever.” I think proactively addressing the issue and phrasing it as a positive thing can do nothing but help you. What boss doesn't want you to focus on your work?

Here at my office we have Sametime, a Lotus Notes chat, so I make sure I am logged into it and anyone who needs my attention can send me a sametime.

I work with several noisy coworkers. Heck, I'm fairly noisy myself!! It's very common in the current open work environment for people to have headphones on. I don't believe you will appear introverted. Because I am forward and customer facing, I actually put up a little whiteboard that faces outward that I write “I have headphones on, but feel free to interrupt me” because even though my hair is black and I purposely bought white headphones, my hair is long and people often don't notice I have them in and start talking before I can hear them.

Your other option would be to get a small white noise machine… but if that disturbs another coworker, that might not work.

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[CarrieM]

It is difficult to your “on the cube farm” but having worked on one for over 20 years, allow me to offer you some advice.

1. I think asking for a desk move at this point is a little premature.

2. You will make an almost immediate enemy of this woman if you create any kind of request that she not wear her nails, and frankly, unless it is impeding her job (which it does not sound like) or is a violation of the dress policy, it won't happen and in the end, it will only make you look bad.

Ok – done with the doom and gloom. Here's what you can do!

Go ahead and wear headphones. Tell your boss that you are wearing noise canceling headphones in order to better focus and concentrate on your work. In my family what we do is give each other a heads-up (especially in the car) and say “I have my headphones on!” Just give your boss the heads up – “Hi Boss, Just letting you know I'm putting on headphones – if you need me, tap on my shoulder/throw something at me/ whatever.” I think proactively addressing the issue and phrasing it as a positive thing can do nothing but help you. What boss doesn't want you to focus on your work?

Here at my office we have Sametime, a Lotus Notes chat, so I make sure I am logged into it and anyone who needs my attention can send me a sametime.

I work with several noisy coworkers. Heck, I'm fairly noisy myself!! It's very common in the current open work environment for people to have headphones on. I don't believe you will appear introverted. Because I am forward and customer facing, I actually put up a little whiteboard that faces outward that I write “I have headphones on, but feel free to interrupt me” because even though my hair is black and I purposely bought white headphones, my hair is long and people often don't notice I have them in and start talking before I can hear them.

Your other option would be to get a small white noise machine… but if that disturbs another coworker, that might not work.

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[teeteenounouche]

Great advice CarrieM…let your boss know about head phones and try the chat feature…we have that at my job and I love it…btw the noise in my office is annoying sometimes also, so I am always blasting the radio or cpa audio

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[teeteenounouche]

Great advice CarrieM…let your boss know about head phones and try the chat feature…we have that at my job and I love it…btw the noise in my office is annoying sometimes also, so I am always blasting the radio or cpa audio

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[Anonymous]

Thanks. No other noise bothers me its just the repetitive clacking of the fake nails on the keyboard. Unfortunately we don't have a chat feature here but I will have to say something to notify my boss about the headphones. My last job everyone wore headphones in public but her I haven't seen a person yet. I guess I will have to start the trend. I am getting a review at 6 months I'm thinking about possibly bringing it up there if its still an issue.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. No other noise bothers me its just the repetitive clacking of the fake nails on the keyboard. Unfortunately we don't have a chat feature here but I will have to say something to notify my boss about the headphones. My last job everyone wore headphones in public but her I haven't seen a person yet. I guess I will have to start the trend. I am getting a review at 6 months I'm thinking about possibly bringing it up there if its still an issue.

[CarrieM]

Oh – one more thing – I can't believe I forgot to add this:

If you worked in my office, and came to me with this problem, I would encourage you to book yourself a small conference room during lunch to use for your study times. Or perhaps there is a “traveler's cubicle” or an unused cube at another part of the office where you can go and study on your lunch.

I do this all the time for my managers – people who actually have closed door offices!! The problem is that they get interrupted and it really disrupts a train of though or a flow of work.

Personally I also find I put myself in a different frame of mind for different situations. Changing my physical environment changes my mindset – hence going to the library to study when I have something that really needs my full attention. I can't even walk into a certain part of our public library without my books because if I do, I feel ‘weird” LOL.

I'm a mom and have 20 years work experience, got my BA last year and will have my MAcc in May. You sound young (and positively delightful! I am sure you are an asset to your office!) I am giving you the same advice I give to my kids (middle school) — life is full of annoying challenges. Learning to work around them is a very hard lesson, but one which will serve you well.

I sympathize with you, I really do. We don't currently have a “clacker” but we did have a guy who pounded so heavily on the keys you'd think he was able to get change to fall from the keyboard the harder he typed. I could literally hear him in the bathroom! He was an otherwise great guy, he just had a very heavy keyboarding style. We also have people who have extremely loud voices or laughter (I'm probably in that group!), ones with a particular verbal tic, a guy with a hugely annoying cell phone ring, Mr. “talk on my speakphone all the time” and a few other ‘charming' personalities in a room of over three hundred employees that was built during the time when ergonomics didn't exist and work environment meant that hey – there's a bathroom, right?

You will do yourself and your career a big, big boon by teaching yourself some coping mechanisms, tricks and tips to work around this stuff. It will come in very handy… when you end up working for someone who clacks when they type (or something equally annoying).

Or as I say to my kids “learning to suck it up is a life skill.”

and before I forget – good luck on your upcoming review!! Hope its a great one!

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[CarrieM]

Oh – one more thing – I can't believe I forgot to add this:

If you worked in my office, and came to me with this problem, I would encourage you to book yourself a small conference room during lunch to use for your study times. Or perhaps there is a “traveler's cubicle” or an unused cube at another part of the office where you can go and study on your lunch.

I do this all the time for my managers – people who actually have closed door offices!! The problem is that they get interrupted and it really disrupts a train of though or a flow of work.

Personally I also find I put myself in a different frame of mind for different situations. Changing my physical environment changes my mindset – hence going to the library to study when I have something that really needs my full attention. I can't even walk into a certain part of our public library without my books because if I do, I feel ‘weird” LOL.

I'm a mom and have 20 years work experience, got my BA last year and will have my MAcc in May. You sound young (and positively delightful! I am sure you are an asset to your office!) I am giving you the same advice I give to my kids (middle school) — life is full of annoying challenges. Learning to work around them is a very hard lesson, but one which will serve you well.

I sympathize with you, I really do. We don't currently have a “clacker” but we did have a guy who pounded so heavily on the keys you'd think he was able to get change to fall from the keyboard the harder he typed. I could literally hear him in the bathroom! He was an otherwise great guy, he just had a very heavy keyboarding style. We also have people who have extremely loud voices or laughter (I'm probably in that group!), ones with a particular verbal tic, a guy with a hugely annoying cell phone ring, Mr. “talk on my speakphone all the time” and a few other ‘charming' personalities in a room of over three hundred employees that was built during the time when ergonomics didn't exist and work environment meant that hey – there's a bathroom, right?

You will do yourself and your career a big, big boon by teaching yourself some coping mechanisms, tricks and tips to work around this stuff. It will come in very handy… when you end up working for someone who clacks when they type (or something equally annoying).

Or as I say to my kids “learning to suck it up is a life skill.”

and before I forget – good luck on your upcoming review!! Hope its a great one!

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[Anonymous]

@CarrieM thank you so much for taking the time out to write me that advice, I really do appreciate it! Your are 100% right, I do have to teach myself some coping mechanisms. The advice about the study room or conference room during lunch is great. I feel the same way about the change of environment.

I am a very strong person and have immense willpower this has been one of my tougher challenges to get over believe or not. The fact that I let it stress me out and concentrate on it to the point where I have an ear ache and splitting headache everyday is overbearing.

I have experienced a lot of the scenarios you mentioned like the person who takes every call on speaker, annoying laughter and even a singer! I guess because this one is constant all day everyday with no breaks it has been the most challenging to work around. The loud keyboard pounder sounds the most similar to this situation.

You are right though “Learning to work around them is a very hard lesson, but one which will serve you well.” I will take your advice and implement it. I will stay positive and talk myself out of feeling overwhelmed by this situation.

Thank you again for your response and good luck with your review as well!

[Anonymous]

@CarrieM thank you so much for taking the time out to write me that advice, I really do appreciate it! Your are 100% right, I do have to teach myself some coping mechanisms. The advice about the study room or conference room during lunch is great. I feel the same way about the change of environment.

I am a very strong person and have immense willpower this has been one of my tougher challenges to get over believe or not. The fact that I let it stress me out and concentrate on it to the point where I have an ear ache and splitting headache everyday is overbearing.

I have experienced a lot of the scenarios you mentioned like the person who takes every call on speaker, annoying laughter and even a singer! I guess because this one is constant all day everyday with no breaks it has been the most challenging to work around. The loud keyboard pounder sounds the most similar to this situation.

You are right though “Learning to work around them is a very hard lesson, but one which will serve you well.” I will take your advice and implement it. I will stay positive and talk myself out of feeling overwhelmed by this situation.

Thank you again for your response and good luck with your review as well!

[CarrieM]

Hey CPAchick–

Just checking in on you to see how you are doing. I have been thinking about what you posted (and having to work with my daughter on “learn to work around other people” lessons!! LOL) and have been sending you lots of good thoughts.

I hope you are well!!

Carrie

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[CarrieM]

Hey CPAchick–

Just checking in on you to see how you are doing. I have been thinking about what you posted (and having to work with my daughter on “learn to work around other people” lessons!! LOL) and have been sending you lots of good thoughts.

I hope you are well!!

Carrie

FAR: 5/12/16... and if I don't die from an anxiety attack...
AUD: 7/8/16
REG: 8/25/16
BEC: 11/3/16

[Anonymous]

Hey Carrie,

I'm doing the best that I possibly can in my situation. I feel the same way but I have learned to not let myself get all worked up about it and put my headphones on constantly for now. I have my review coming up in a few months and a 10 day vacation in between so I tell myself “4 weeks to vacation.” After that I will only have a few weeks until my review where I am going to ask to change my seating for other reasons not referencing this one. I deal with a lot of confidential phone calls and I am out in the open so co-workers have mentioned to me that they should move me soon because of this matter so I'm hoping this all works in my favor!

Thanks for checking in!!

[Anonymous]

Hey Carrie,

I'm doing the best that I possibly can in my situation. I feel the same way but I have learned to not let myself get all worked up about it and put my headphones on constantly for now. I have my review coming up in a few months and a 10 day vacation in between so I tell myself “4 weeks to vacation.” After that I will only have a few weeks until my review where I am going to ask to change my seating for other reasons not referencing this one. I deal with a lot of confidential phone calls and I am out in the open so co-workers have mentioned to me that they should move me soon because of this matter so I'm hoping this all works in my favor!

Thanks for checking in!!

[r1racer]

Throw a set of Dr. Dre's “Beats” earphones in, turn on Pandora and enjoy the rest of your day.

[Author]

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