Workplace
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
If your department does not issue a cell phone, use a prepaid burner with no personal contacts or photos.
Subpoenas are a thing.
- Especially relevant for law enforcement or sensitive roles.
one person who lived it
Seek work or activities that push you.
You will be around others who push themselves.
one person who lived it
Check out other places to work if your current environment feels toxic, as it may be a case of culture shock.
Your current workplace may be toxic.
one person who lived it
Do not allow parents to attend job interviews with you or speak on your behalf.
Employers view this as unacceptable.
one person who lived it
Step outside or away from colleagues when making personal financial calls at work.
It makes co-workers feel awkward hearing about your financial issues.
- Some co-workers do not care.
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personal, professional, colleagues, work33
Listen to workplace gossip to stay informed but do not participate or pick sides.
Tell nosy coworkers to leave you alone when they inquire about your personal activities.
You do not owe colleagues the truth about your private activities.
- The phrase 'none of your business' is considered inappropriate in a workplace setting.
one person who lived it
Do not join in when coworkers complain about others, even if you agree, as it reflects poorly on you.
Complaints always get back to the person complained about, and no one likes someone who talks badly behind their back.
one person who lived it
Listen to workplace gossip to stay informed but do not participate or pick sides.
Knowing what is happening is crucial and can be used to your advantage; ignoring it is naive.
2 people, independently
Leave the main work area during breaks to avoid distracting others.
Talking in the work area is a distraction for those who have trouble tuning out noise.
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Do not hire friends, particularly those you were friends with before working together.
It often leads to workplace conflict and poor outcomes for the boss-employee dynamic.
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Recognize that toxic work environments exist; if you are the only regular person among miserable colleagues, the problem may not be you.
Signs include no one being friendly from the start, silent lunches, and constant misery.
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Set strict boundaries around technical skills; direct non-IT requests to official support channels to protect your own work time.
Performing IT support outside your job description leads to being disrespected and hinders your ability to complete your actual work.
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Keep your professional and personal social media accounts separate to maintain boundaries with clients.
Clients are not friends and should not have access to your personal life.
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If someone starts gossiping to you, ask them what they plan to do about the issue instead of participating.
Diverting to positive potential is a career-building trait.
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Treat office parties as work time and maintain professional conduct.
Events are considered work time, and anything that happens there can be used against you.
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Avoid aggressive behavior toward strangers in public places like parking lots.
They may be connected to your social or professional circle, such as a spouse's coworker you will soon meet.
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Do not believe management claims that the company is a 'family'; remember it is often a manipulation tactic.
Calling employees family is often done to manipulate feelings, and frequent use of the term suggests the opposite is true.
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If a coworker shares their sex life stories, do not engage, chime in, or make related jokes.
Comments can be used against you later, potentially leading to termination.
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Do not hit on customers or employees in person, as it creates undue pressure and is perceived as creepy.
It is considered creepy under customer/employee circumstances.
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Do not hold it against a friend if they are fired due to office politics unrelated to your recommendation.
The firing was caused by a journeyman wanting to hire their own friend.
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Avoid joking about tattoos with colleagues, as you may not know who has them or their significance.
You never know who is hiding meaningful tattoos under their work clothes.
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Refer to subordinates as 'colleagues' in social settings.
It shows respect by implying they work with you, not for you, and subordinates have reported feeling respected by this.
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Leave workplaces that enforce toxic hierarchies resembling a medieval court.
Most normal businesses do not operate with this kind of Machiavellian concept.
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Address work situations that cause bad moods directly rather than suppressing them, to protect important personal relationships.
Speaking your mind makes you feel better and ensures you do not wear out important relations by taking it out on them.
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Accept that you cannot be friends with everyone you supervise and focus on getting along professionally instead.
A superior noted it is true that one cannot be friends with everyone supervised.
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Do not volunteer your proficiency in Excel or PowerPoint unless you want to be assigned those tasks exclusively instead of your regular duties.
Volunteering these skills may lead to being assigned those tasks exclusively rather than your normal work.
- Some individuals used Excel skills to get promoted multiple times.
- New jobs were created for some coworkers to take advantage of their Excel skills.
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If a friend you recommended tries to blame you for their poor performance or cover their lies, stand your ground and do not participate.
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Maintain professional boundaries by keeping personal information surface-level with coworkers.
Remaining professional and cordial prevents expectations of friendship, such as going out for drinks or spending holidays together.
2 people, independently
Avoid making jokes about unemployment or job security to casual or temporary staff members.
They may take it hard because they face financial instability, such as inability to pay rent.
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Never contact your child's employer regarding their job performance, attendance, or hiring status.
Doing so can cause the child to lose a job opportunity and violates professional communication protocols.
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Avoid involving yourself in gossip or negative conversations about colleagues.
Bonding over negative talk creates weak connections because others instinctively know you are the type to talk behind people's backs.
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Never slander or criticize coworkers publicly; address issues privately with the individual or their manager.
Slandering others damages your reputation and makes coworkers worry about what you say behind their backs.
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Inform colleagues when you are going through significant personal difficulties so they understand your behavior and can support you.
Pretending everything is normal can lead to being overwhelmed and potentially getting fired; communication usually elicits support.
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Respond with vague answers like 'stuff' or 'private thoughts' when asked about personal work to discourage further inquiry without being outright rude.
It signals that you will not elaborate while maintaining professional courtesy.
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Set clear boundaries with coworkers who excessively share personal stories by politely stating your discomfort with non-work topics.
Not saying anything falsely gives the impression that you do not mind listening.
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Reject the notion that your workplace is a 'family'; treat it as a professional team where roles are defined and underperformance can lead to termination.
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Defuse political conversations at work by using neutral, non-committal responses like 'Yeah, sure.'
It is virtually impossible to discuss politics without offending somebody or hurting someone's feelings.
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Maintain professional boundaries and avoid showing romantic interest if you wish to preserve a friendly professional relationship.
Reciprocating interest may compromise the desired professional dynamic.
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professionalism, events, work13
Limit alcohol consumption at work events to maintain professionalism and avoid embarrassing incidents.
Take a few minutes alone immediately upon arriving home to decompress and put the day behind you before engaging with others.
Spending just 5 minutes by yourself can help you feel much better.
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Let workers in your home work in peace, intervening only to ask necessary questions.
They often do not want to be disturbed, and constant interaction adds stress.
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Always give your best effort at work, even at terrible jobs, to secure good references.
Professionalism is key.
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Buy better paint to reduce labor costs and time.
Higher quality materials save on labor expenses.
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Order a drink you dislike at work events to naturally slow your consumption.
Disliking the drink prevents you from consuming it quickly.
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Use an expected value formula to estimate costs and likelihoods when deciding whether to lend money.
It is useful for estimating costs and likelihood of events.
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Limit alcohol consumption at work events to maintain professionalism and avoid embarrassing incidents.
Being the most drunk person in the room risks behavior that could lead to HR issues or embarrassment.
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Save work-related compliments received via email in a dedicated folder to present as evidence during performance reviews.
It provides an easily accessible list of positive feedback for evaluations.
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Focus on storytelling and clear narrative flow over aesthetic features when creating presentations.
Mastering storytelling allows you to present data and information clearly, which is more valuable than technical features like macros if the information does not make sense.
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Choose service providers based on professionalism rather than political alignment, avoiding those who make random political comments during initial interactions.
You may worry that expressing contrary opinions will affect their work.
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When discussing past work experiences, mention positive disagreements where you explained your viewpoint and reached a solution, rather than complaining about management.
Talking about old bosses is discouraged, while showing how you understood different viewpoints and solved problems is accepted.
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Read instructions and documents thoroughly instead of skimming.
The upfront time investment saves significant time later.
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If you prefer minimal social engagement at work, limit interactions to those essential for completing your job.
One person in industrial maintenance reported this approach works well for them.
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