Space Invaders

Posted on August 9, 2021August 9, 2021 by David Hopkins

No matter where I work, there are always space invaders.

In the office, someone will always come and hover behind my chair until I turn round and acknowledge/talk to them. Or someone will sit on the edge of the desk until you talk to them. Worse still is the person who comes and rearranges your desk to make room for them to perch on the edge, and then interrupt you. Perhaps the worst space invader in the office is the person who will start talking to you when they’re still 15ft away, and somehow you’re supposed to know it’s directed at you when there are another 5 people between you.

If you’re lucky enough (?) to have your own office, the space invader will be the one to walk in and start talking, irrespective of what you’re doing. Or even if the door is closed. Or if you are already meeting with someone or on the phone. This interruption is also with the apology of ‘sorry to interrupt … ‘ and will then keep on talking.

Even at home, there’s the space invader here too – kids are the best/worst at this. They need to put something on or take it off charge, in they come to use my charger (despite setting up a ‘charging station’ somewhere else). Interruptions (especially in the school holidays) can be as simple as an argument somewhere in the house (usually right outside my door) or they storm in while I’m on a call and I need to sort it. Vacuuming is a regular interruption, as are random questions about other family matters. At least no one has come and hovered behind my chair or sat on the desk waiting for me to acknowledge their presence. Yet.

But you know what, I don’t mind my family interrupting me … I’m at home, in their space, working. First and foremost it is our home, and they have just as much right (if not more) to use the space as I do. The one thing I have always made extra sure of is that my work at home does not impact the home, either in terms of space, but also in terms of how active or noisy they can be.