In the cube next to me..pounds on her keyboard like a crazed monkey all..day..long..at a hundred miles an hour. Non-stop. Have no idea what it could be. I wear leafblower earmuffs and I still hear it. Going..insane...
Would the 'quiet' keyboard make a difference?
Some keyboards are LOUD by design, some are quiet.
I have a guy here who is very noisy on the keyboard, and I asked him where and when did he learn to type. Manual typewriter long time ago. That’s why. :-(
Pgmr777 -
Talk to your mutual supervisor about the problem !
A quieter keyboard could be the solution -stop by one of the office supply stores (and bring the pounder with you) and try some on for touch feel and sound level!
If no keyboard replacement possible, put a rubber mat UNDER the existing keyboard.
I learned to type on a manual typewriter also, with no lettering on the keys -just a chart on the wall!
..it wouldn't make any difference..I can FEEL it through the cubicle framework..it's like a JACKHAMMER..quiet keyboard would not help..she doesn't type..she POUNDS..and FAST..rapid fire..continuously..is she writing a BOOK? What could it BE???
can't talk to anybody about it cause of the f-ed up culture here (could tell you absolutely unbelievable stories)..can't leave cause of the great pay and benefits (which can be a curse as in this case where they make you put up with sick environment past normal limits)..i believe it is ultimately the rubber room for me unless i can retire prior to cracking up completely..it's a race between the two..
Have you inquired about a Telecommuting option ? get your work done without being in the cubicle ? If asked why, you could bring up the distraction in the next cubicle, and explain that you could be more productive without the distraction.....
You CAN leave (not an indentured servant), but you have already made a judgement that more money is better than your sanity. If it's that messed up, even more reason to leave.
Pound on you desk along with her. Maybe buy some drum sticks or use pens. Make sure you match her beat. At the very least, you'll amuse yourself and restore some sanity. Or, start hiding smelly things in her cube when she goes to lunch.
you guys' input is most appreciated. yes i have made a decision to stay based on the truly spectacular benefits..but the cost could indeed be my sanity. and what if i did go somewhere else and discovered that it all was mostly a mental condition and i started fixating on similar things at the new place? one of you mentioned the word "indentured", but aren't we all techno-slaves of a sort..working out of fear?
Have you had a physical exam lately ? there might be a health condition causing you to be more sensitive to noise and vibration.... also, how much caffiene are you using ? maybe cut back a bit ?
How about other people working close by? Do they go insane as well? If so, I see a support group forming soon where you can discuss “Why do I hate this Crazy keyboard pounder” and “How to cover my tracks when something bad happens to her”. Accidents do happen, you know…..
Combining what you said here and in thread655-1604936 ...
It's one thing to have boorish coworkers that "drive you crazy" in the figurative sense. But when those things start literally driving you crazy, and given that a few of the things mentioned in the other thread are really not things that would typically drive someone crazy, FredWagner's advice might be prudent...
as a preliminary step to getting a physical by a family practice physician, stop at your neighborhood pharmacy and get your blood pressure checked. Most of them have an automated setup where it's done, and it can be very enlightening. If the benefits where you work are as good as you say, they must cover routine preventive medical checkups. Another aspect to consider is your life outside of work - do you get healthy exercise? jogging, long walks, bike riding, swimming? Every considered Tai Chi or Tae Kwon Do classes ?
Anyone that has to work for a living is sort of an indentured servant (need a job to eat), but within that context, you can move around.
Have you confirmed that others think of her as pounding her keyboard or is it only you? Regarding the health aspect of things, and I say this NOT jokingly - people do develop mental issues through their life. Inability to cope, depression, manic behavior, paranoia - any possibility that something might run in the family?
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