I discovered a long time ago that communicating with co-workers is therapeutic. On my day job, I work long 12 hour shifts in an ER. I've worked with the same staff for years. There is limited time for lunch breaks if we're lucky enough to have one, but we always find the time to rehash the happenings of our favorite TV shows or share our kids events.
Hospitals like everything else are a business and idle chatter is looked upon as non-productive. Most bosses fail to see what an Ontario study showed.
"When you receive an enthusiastic or encouraging response from your co-workers, you will be happier with your job, and this will tend to lead you to act in ways that benefit the organization," she said. For example, you might go to some trouble to help out another co-worker, defend the company against criticism, or even volunteer for an event to build employee morale.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/water-cooler-chats-can-raise-productivity/article1241154/
So where do I go for conversation when I'm home writing? The answer is fb. It's even better than a water cooler. I can scan past the conversations I have no interest in. I can obsess over Outlander, travel with friends and comment on talk show hosts who bash nursing.
I have to give credit to Holly Jacobs http://www.hollyjacobs.com for coining this phrase. I once asked her how she found time to write and still post all her crafts and home projects. She told me "Facebook is my water cooler." It's what I think of every time I leave my Scrivener page and check out the latest comments and posts on fb.
So where do I go for conversation when I'm home writing? The answer is fb. It's even better than a water cooler. I can scan past the conversations I have no interest in. I can obsess over Outlander, travel with friends and comment on talk show hosts who bash nursing.
I have to give credit to Holly Jacobs http://www.hollyjacobs.com for coining this phrase. I once asked her how she found time to write and still post all her crafts and home projects. She told me "Facebook is my water cooler." It's what I think of every time I leave my Scrivener page and check out the latest comments and posts on fb.
I never thought of it like that, Zelda, but it is so true. Makes me feel a little better about the time I spend on fb. Thanks to both you and Holly Jacobs.
ReplyDeleteHi Zelda--
ReplyDeleteTwelve hour shifts! Congrats to you for still finding energy to write your novels. I agree that water-cooler chats builds camaraderie and morale amongst coworkers, so it's logical that fb would do the same for writers who's workplace is at their computer :-)
Victoria--
Love this piece! It's absolutely dead on right. FB has become my way of catching up and taking a break when I'm writing. The only drawback and it's a big one is that it's also a wonderful way to kill time and avoid writing. But all in all, connecting on FB I think is a good way to avoid isolation and keep up with friends.
ReplyDelete