For clarity’s sake, let me define “dipping your pen in the company ink.” It’s a fun little way of saying that you’re mixing your work and your personal life in some way. I’ve found some very conflicting opinions over this very topic. The majority of “professionals” will all agree that mixing these two entities is very risky. Their reasoning being that work is just that, work. It’s a place to earn money, to help people, to get your job DONE, and it’s not the place to socialize, to meet people, or to play. Now in their defense, they can all understand that all work and no play is not the way that a work place should be, but work is work.

To prove the opposing side, you could use another adage. “A family that plays together stays together.” Apply this to the workforce and this says the more socialized the co-workers are, the closer they are, and the closer knit the friendships are, equals better morale and in turn leading to a more productive job.

What do you think?

Do you believe in separating work and play as religiously as we separate church and state? Or do you believe that mixing work and play is beneficial to the job?  That’s something I hope my writing will reveal to me. We will see!

For those of you who currently or have ever had a job, you know that the people you work with become your friends, your enemies, your lovers, the reason you drink every night, your life. At least that’s how my job is. My job consumes me. I allow most aspects of my life that liberty, but this single facet in particular has changed me more dramatically than the others. I concede this blog, this one small part of my academic career to be influenced by my job, but only because I wish it so. Because I know that I can fill this blank space with more irony, more humor, and more drama than with any other topic that I considered. So welcome. Welcome to a running tally of the reasons you should NEVER dip your pen in the company ink.