After five months of unemployment, I'm happy to say I'm now in a job that was worth the wait. I love my job; I love the people I work with; I love my office. We occupy the entire floor of an Old City rowhome. There are no individual offices—we work in one big room and the ideas and conversation (and, admittedly, gossip) all flow freely. There's always music on, the decor is hip yet homey, and communal lunches or happy hours aren't uncommon. Even the most stressful days at work are mitigated with lots of laughter. I am a lucky, lucky girl.

That being said, shared office spaces, whether like mine or in more traditional office settings, where individual offices or cubicles happen to be shared by two or more people, are not without their drawbacks—specifically, lack of privacy. Sure, it's great that we can brainstorm ideas together, but it gets a little uncomfortable when Grandma calls me to talk colonoscopies. (True story.) And while my boss and I have done a few happy hours together, I sometimes worry she'll think I'm an alcoholic when she hears me on the phone planning another one. And so, to remind myself as well as to inform you, here are a few tips for dealing with the lack of offices at your office.

When the Cat's Away...
I am not suggesting that you slack off just because your boss isn't around. But what I am suggesting is that if you need to make an appointment with your gynecologist or urologist about that itch that just won't go away, you may want to wait until she's vacated the desk ten feet away from you that she sits at. She's going to have to go grab lunch eventually, right?

Try Really Hard Not to Eavesdrop.
It's hard, when there's no wall between you and your coworker, to ignore the sound of his laughter. Fight the urge to ask: "What's so funny?" He'll share the joke if he wants to.

Take a Walk.
Okay, so making that aforementioned doctor's appointment at the Starbucks on the corner may be even more awkward than making it within listening distance of your boss, but if you try to make the call while going out for a stroll, talk of your itch may well go unnoticed. Don't walk too close to the large group of teenage tourists or the teeming mass of businessmen in line at the food truck while you're on your call, and don't talk too loud. But take advantage of the fact that your voice most likely won't echo as you cross the street, and that the sounds of the street, while probably not obtrusive to the person you're calling, will give you a bit of privacy on your end of the call.

Keep Your Volume Down.
Even if you're on a call that's work-related, try to keep your voice down. Technology has come a long way, and you usually don't need to shout to be heard on the phone—whether it's your mobile or your land line. The louder you are, the more you're interrupting the work of those around you, so unless the person you're on the phone with is driving a motorcycle through a tunnel, try to keep quiet. And whenever possible, if you're in an open office setting, don't make a phone call while somebody else is on the phone. You may have multiple phone lines, but you may end up having a shouting match. And that's not exactly healthy for the workplace.

Image Credit: Flickr user ShutterCat7