A coworker told me my 'open door' policy was actually keeping people away

I used to sit in the main area of my local coworking spot in Austin with headphones on, thinking that was enough to show I was open to chat. After about six months, a regular I respect said, 'You look so focused, no one wants to interrupt you.' That was a lightbulb moment. Now I take my headphones off for the first hour each morning and just say hi to anyone getting coffee. It's led to way more real conversations. Has anyone else had to change a small habit to seem more approachable?

3 comments

3 Comments

brian_hart19d ago

Totally get the headphone thing, but honestly, taking them off for a set hour feels like a weird work hack. The real move is just leaving one ear uncovered. You stay in your zone but can still catch when someone says your name or asks a quick question. It's less of a big production and way more natural.

rowanw9119d ago

Oh man, that's so true. I used to do the same thing at the library, just staring at my laptop with my big headphones on. Tbh, I probably looked super annoyed. Now I make a point to smile and look up whenever someone walks by my table, and it's crazy how many more people stop to talk.

carr.luna18d ago

Ugh, the headphone trap is so real. I did the exact same thing at my old shared office space. I'd have my giant over-ear cans on, thinking I was just in the zone, but I must have looked completely closed off. My friend finally told me I had "resting work face" and it was intimidating people. Now I just use small earbuds and keep the volume low so I can actually notice if someone is nearby. Such a small change makes a huge difference.