When Corporate Status Quo is Not the Answer

I always knew that corporate life wasn't for me.

I believe it was my background in sports and extracurricular activities that really harbored an appreciation for physical activity, being healthy and movement. Funny enough however, what I noticed most about when I first entered the corporate world was the immediate stagnant space that is called "your desk" which is what some people refer to as what you are chained to throughout the day.

For instance, in most offices, you have a designated desk which you are able to make calls, answer emails and get your work done. Although it sounds simple enough, my basic anatomy cried for help with this transition into the corporate world. Coming from previous work environments where I constantly was moving around or on my feet in the server world to all of a sudden parked at a desk in a chair for 8 hours straight was not only taxing on my body physically but internally; spiritually, emotionally and mentally as well.

As humans, I feel this stiff environment is not well suited unless executed impeccably through a series of well thought out office geographies designed for interactive, collaborative spaces along with proper creative outlets which create openness for movement, at the bare minimum. While I understand progress is crucial to being focused and inevitably having employees at "their desk" may seem like the obvious choice due to resources and the status quo, this environment caueses serious consequences to company morale, bottom line and overall staff wellbeing equating to more time off. With real world alternatives like Google offering sleeping rooms and fresh food lunches, a perfect example of how improvements can be made or implemented but are widely not considered a priority in the name of core corporate business dealings.

The main cadence I have felt being trapped at a desk, whether remotely working or in office, is the lack of motivation I have to focus on the highest producing actions on a day to day basis. For example, when I have white boards, open spaces and dedicated time for shared experiences, collaborative meetings centered around growth, training, positive results and teamwork, I innately feel energized, excited and grateful for the people I get to work alongside. On the contrary, when I am bound by meaningless meetings that could've been an email, unstructured training sessions with little to no team input, and the whole day being a day at the desk, my basic desire to do better similarly naturally lessens and instead the feeling of being "chained to the desk" is that much more heightened and real.

I'm not saying being in the corporate world is only taxing with no upsides, but what I am saying is that if you are similarly active and appreciate movement in your everyday life, unless you find a company that is progressive in their operations and ability to make work environments collaborative spaces, corporate life might be unadvisable to pursue. You may be better suited for a more active role with less emphasis on being at "your desk" as the corporate world suggests is key.

If you're feeling corporate blues, just remember to go for daily walks, stay active outside of working hours and stay positive through reminders of your end goals whether that be goal boards, or pictures of family and friends. It might also help even to make micro goals of some activity or go a step further and recommend your company offer a 5-15 minute rest or revive breaks intentionally focused on these potential outcomes with continued awareness of how these downfalls can greatly impact companies and if done well, can provide sustained positive results.