I don’t know about you, but I can think of a thousand places I’d rather be than stuck in a cubicle all day, staring at a screen. It really drains you. Want to spend a few company minutes learning how to survive — and maybe even thrive — in cubicle life? Read on.
I’ve spent around 22 years in cubicle jobs. I wouldn’t call them ideal, but if you’re serious about retiring early or just making it through, there are ways to get through those years without feeling trapped. Stick with me — I’ve got some useful tips.
Funny thing: college hardly prepares you for cubicle life. You picture your first job in a lecture hall, not in a room of tweed-covered partitions, cables everywhere, and an office chair that squeaks every time you swivel. The first day you think, “How did I end up here?” A few hours chatting with coworkers and you start to settle in.
Eventually, you adapt. You don’t move as fast, your back hurts, your clothes feel funky by lunchtime—and somehow that becomes normal. Speaking of lunch, it becomes your daily escape: a short walk, a bit of sunlight, and relief from the hum of the office.
The best survival tactic I found was setting a long-term retirement plan. Give yourself a goal. When I created a savings plan and picked a target date for early retirement, the daily grind suddenly felt more like a path to something better. Turn on the light at the end of the tunnel.
I met a new blogging friend, Daryl Gerke from Jump to Consulting, who spent nearly 30 years consulting. For him, getting out of the cubicle was everything — “freedom” was his word. He and his partner used to joke about feeling like prisoners trying to plot an escape. And remember: they did it without the internet and phones to distract them.
From Daryl’s experience and my own, tip two is to start side gigs. They can help you discover what you really care about. A dreaded cubicle job can sometimes spark the idea that changes everything.
Other things that helped me: build strong teams based on trust, push for promotions, and take on leadership roles. Those moves kept work interesting and gave me purpose.
If the monotony gets to you and you think, “I’ve got 15 more years of this!” — breathe. Embrace Sunday night. Spend time with family and friends, join a league, do something social. Don’t let the Monday Scaries win. I tell myself every weekend: life is happening now. These are first-world problems. Slow down and enjoy the ride. That usually gets me through at least until Tuesday.
Little things help, too: pull harmless pranks on cubicle neighbors, ride your bike to work to feel a bit freer, watch The Office to commiserate, or just try to have fun. Time moves faster than you think, especially during those draining years, so enjoy whatever parts you can.
Over time I learned the value of a sustainable work-life balance. After a big promotion a few months back, things got chaotic — easily over 50 hours a week. Weekends turned into reading and answering “important” emails. I picked up ideas from the book It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work and decided I needed a plan.
I couldn’t take off unexpectedly, so I bought an extra week of PTO during benefits enrollment and committed to getting the work done between 8AM and 5PM whenever possible. That’s basically how many Europeans manage lots of vacation and little overtime: they show up to work, then go home to live their lives.
Can I daydream about early retirement again? I was aiming for July, but paying off the mortgage took longer than planned, so I moved my target to March 2020. Update October 2022: I’m still working, but I’ve left the cubicle behind and now telecommute full time — sweet!
If I could achieve the perfect work-life balance, I’d keep my remote job, five weeks’ vacation, and a boss who trusts me to own my work. Until then, I’ll light a candle, have a laugh, and maybe stick a coworker’s headset in a Jell-O mold for old times’ sake.
Are you in a cubicle and trying to escape? Share your experience — other people want to hear it.