Sometimes I Get Stuck In My Ways

As outgoing as I appear to be most of the time, I still get anxious putting myself in social situations where I don't know people. It isn't that I'm bad at socializing, it just takes me a bit to warm up to it. For certain I am predominantly an extrovert, but I have times when I prefer to keep to myself.

I work from home and the social opportunities aren't numerous. From time to time I schlep into the office and do the whole chatty butterfly act, flitting from one cubicle to the next, catching up with the people from work that I do know. I like this, though, it is one of the reasons I don't choose to work in the office more often. I get more work done away from the temptation to socialize.

Occasionally, there are benefits to making an appearance at the office; like tonight. I got the chance to put several faces to names and voices I have interacted with over the past year-and-a-half. When you have a picture of the person on the other end of the phone or email, somehow it makes it easier to to interact. It certainly makes it easier to remember who is on what project, since meeting someone creates a kind of quasi-investment on your part. It isn't as though you know the other person, but having met them and had an in-person conversation makes it less awkward or confusing when it comes to work like projects and meetings.

The commonality of working for the same company creates a community feeling. You don't necessarily have to like the people you work with, but somehow the whole 'we're in this together' atmosphere lends itself to a better work environment. At least from where I sit.

I got to have conversations with people I might not otherwise have come into contact with in this lifetime. My afternoon was a palette of color so varied and one I rarely get to see. An eclectic group of individuals with a common thread between them, it was a surprisingly good time. When you think of work — or at least, when I do, I don't usually associate it with fun. Sure, I enjoy what I do most of the time, and I've learned an incredible amount about websites from working on several, but when the workday is over I don't want to stick around. I actually wished I could have stayed and hung out longer tonight, there was far more conversation to be had.

I'm grateful that I had the chance to go and thankful for the conversations I did have. I believe that I will make a more concerted effort to show up and work in the office, at least, a few times a month. Who knows what benefits there might be from mixing in a little socialization from time to time.