My First Day Working at Gowalla

Having a separate break area is often overlook in office layouts but it is essential. It doesn't have to be anything more than a partitioned area of the office where people can set themselves to 'feel free to have a conversation with me' mode.

In an open plan office, you are most likely to eat at your desk, which means you are distracted by email or news infront of you, and are also probably distracting other people who are trying to work.

In a private-office office, you take your food back to your desk and not talk to anybody.

Having a separate or designated lunch area, even in the smallest offices, sets aside a part of the day where you can mix with your co-workers without distractions and without distracting others. I can specifically recall great features and ideas that teams I have worked with have come up with during these little sessions in break areas.

You can also cut down what would usually take 5-6 emails copied to half-a-dozen people into a 30 second conversation over pizza and red bull. Like informal mini-meetings but without the scheduling, agenda or pressure to say something that makes you sound smart.

Sounds awesome dude. Wish I could say the same things about my job. Enjoy it.

In case you were wondering...my first day was yesterday Tuesday the 31st.