my window has become the bird-watching window

A reader writes:

I have an odd dilemma that I have no idea what to do about.

I started a new job recently and my cubicle has a really nice large window that looks out into the side garden, where there is a view of a hummingbird feeder and a bluebird nest box. I’m super appreciative of my nice view but the problem is, so is everybody else. As it’s warmed up and more birds are active, several coworkers have started just stopping in my doorway or stepping into my cubicle behind me to just … view the birds.

On one hand, I get it. I have a nice big window and most people don’t. But also, I find it super distracting to have people sneak up on me or just stand there creepily behind me while I’m trying to work.

What’s a nice way to handle this? I’m on the verge of being like, CAN I HELP YOU? I thought briefly about moving the feeder, but the box can’t be moved and it wouldn’t solve the problem, really.

Yeah, this was foreordained as soon as they put the nest box and feeder there. Of course people will want to look at it.

It would likely have been better located by a conference room or kitchen window, rather than at one person’s desk, but here you are.

Is there any chance you can just move desks? Maybe there’s not, but it might be worth saying to your boss, “I love the view at my desk, but I’m realizing people stop by all day to watch the birds and it’s really distracting. Any chance there’s a different desk I could use?”

If not, can you change the direction you’re facing so that people who stop by aren’t right in your line of sight? It’s still unnerving to know someone is standing behind you, but you might get better at blocking that out over time. You could also try arranging a piece of furniture to stop people from standing right behind you.

If none of that works, you could ask people who are lingering, “Do you need me?” and look at them expectantly. With some people, that will be enough to make them realize this is someone’s workspace they’re standing in. But other people will say no, they don’t need you, they’re just watching the birds. In those cases, you can decide if you want to say, “Yeah, they’re really cute! It’s hard to work with so many people coming in to watch them though.” You might not go straight to this the first time someone does it, but you might after the second or third.

That said, this is trickier because you’re new and you want to be warm and friendly to your new colleagues and not end up as The New Hire Who Ruined Our Bird Fun. Or possibly, The New Hire Who Kept the Birds All For Herself. So before you move to that, the better plan might be to spend a few weeks really trying to block people out. Realistically, I don’t know if you’ll be able to — I think I would find that really distracting too, and I am someone who can normally block out distractions when I’m working — but if you’ve made a good faith effort to do that before asking people to stop (plus allowed that additional time for people to get to know you as someone other than Bird Fun Destroyer) it’ll likely go over better when you do.

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