Would you like to have a job with no co-workers?

@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
March 27, 2011 9:52am CST
Some time ago I read an article about a lighthouse keeper who spent most of his life on a small island where there were no other people. He liked his job and his lifetyle and he didn't miss the company of other people. He enjoyed the beautiful scenery and peaceful surroundings, and he didn't miss other people or entertainment. Personally I don't think that I would enjoy a job like that and I think that I would get very lonely if I had to spend month after month at a place like that. How would you feel about a job where you had no co-workers? Would you enjoy it or would you get lonely? What advantages and disadvantages are there about a job like that in your opinion?
4 people like this
18 responses
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
28 Mar 11
I don't think this is being enjoyable having no peers in the company. What happen to you if you don't have co-workers...Do you think you can make all the jobs inside the company? This is impossible unless you work online where you work alone...
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
4 Apr 11
When we work online we are able to work alone and I think that there are some advantages about this lifestyle as we are able to plan everything on our own. In a company I think that it would be difficult to do all the work on our own, because there would often be too much work for one person. It depends on the company and the work of course, but in most cases I don't think that it is easy to manage everything without co-workers.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
5 Apr 11
You are right, my friend. That really very hard to work alone in a company. But to work online is very easy because we don't need to have peers on it... We can do what we want to do. We can make our lifestyle be organized and everything. The hard thing in online is that we can't make more money if we can't have the tools and experience...
1 person likes this
• Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
28 Mar 11
I don't think so If I can work with out co-worker. Chances are you might to talk to yourself. The advantage is that you will not blame anyone if the work will not turn - out well. Disadvantage is that, you will not know that you are doing the wrong decision, because you don't have some one to talk to. In short, you will not grow as a person if you are alone.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Mar 11
I think that we learn a lot of when we interact with others and when we are alone we don't have anyone to talk to and we are not able to share our ideas with others and get their feedback. If we are doing things the wrong way there is no one to stop us or tell us that it might be a good idea to change the way that we do things. The advantages are that we are able to make our own decisions and plan our work the way that we want to, but I agree with you when you say that we don't grow as a person.
• Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
31 Mar 11
Yes, interaction helps us weigh if our decision is right or wrong. There is a saying that " knowledge isn't knowledge unless it is shared". We really need someone to talk to, because we might know many things, but we don't know everything. have a nice day.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
31 Mar 11
I'm sure that the majority of people would be incapable of functioning for an extended period in such a job. One would need to have a keen appreciation of nature and oneness. I would love that kind of job, provided I could have my pets, a radio, my laptop and a TV. I would not even miss my phone. The only problem for as able as I would like to be and not skilled in self sufficiency enough to be able to do all the repairs and maintenance that would be required. For me the advantages would be not having to tolerate anyone. I'm a very intolerant person. I try to see the good in people and I try to give them the benefit of the doubt but I always end up pissed off or disappointed.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
8 Apr 11
I don't think that I have the right personality for a job like that, because I don't like to be alone for many months, but it would definately help if I had my pets and my laptop and my internet connection. That way I would still be able to stay in touch with my friends and I would be able to listen to music and surf the internet The maintenance and the practical things would also be a problem for me, because I don't know enough about those things to handle all sorts of situations.
@gaiza12 (4884)
• Philippines
31 Mar 11
I was working for almost 1 year in a job with no coworkers. I mean I only work alone on my shift. I liked it sometimes because there is no one to control your every move nor get mad at you when you do something wrong. But I hate is because I don't get to ask any other opinions with the job I am doing if I got it right or if i'm doing it wrong. And I don't get to talk with anybody although the job requires talking with the customers by calling then or chatting with them, it's still not the same when you have coworkers (I work online by the way.) Even if I get busy with online stuff like mylot or watching a movie, it's still not the same when you have someone to share a laugh with when watching a movie or when sharing thought when I get to read something interesting here.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
8 Apr 11
I have also had some jobs where I worked alone most of the time and I liked the fact that there was less control. Of course I would get in trouble if I didn't do the work I was supposed to, but I was able to plan my own work as long as I did the things that I had to do before the deadline. I think that the work was a little lonely and I wasn't able to get new ideas or perspectives from others. Like you say, if you make a mistake, there is no one to tell you, so you might repeat the same mistake over and over. Sometimes it wasn't even a mistake, it was just something that I could have done in a better and easier way, but I didn't get any feedback from co-workers, and I didn't notice those things.
@natjohn20 (200)
• Philippines
28 Mar 11
Each one of us has it's own view of working with no co-workers, for me I think I need the company of other people just to entertain myself. I can't imagine a workplace with no co-worker, it;s just lonely and boring and time moves slow when no other people to entertain you. Each one of us is interesting, I dint think I would enjoy such job all by yourself with no other people with you.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Mar 11
I don't think that I would enjoy a job without any other people either. I think it is nice to be able to talk to others while I am working, that makes the work more interesting to me. Of course it isn't always easy to work together in a team and sometimes it is a challenge to agree about the decisions, but I still think there are many advantages about that kind of work.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
28 Mar 11
For me, i don't like to have that kind of job where there are no co-workers. It would make me so lonely that it would not inspire me to go to work everyday. I like a job, where you get to interact with your office mates, joke with them, even if they are in their own desks working on their computers , just as the job that i have now. Am lucky having jolly co-workers.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Mar 11
I would also get lonely if I didn't have any co-workers. When I return from my offline job I earn some extra money online and it is okay for me to work alone when I work on the computer because I am still able to communicate with my friends through my computer. I wouldn't like to have an offline job where I worked alone, I think that would get a little too boring for me. I like to talk to my co-workers and laugh and joke while are working.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
30 Mar 11
No man is an island, as the saying goes and it's very true.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
27 Mar 11
Working alone and being alone are two different things. I live and work at home alone and am happy with that. However, I see other people a few times each week. Usually family comes to visit or I go shopping. I'm not sure if I could go for months without seeing others, although the peaceful surroundings of nature sure sounds good.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
28 Mar 11
I understand what you mean. I have lived alone before and I don't have a problem with that as long as I still see other people every week. If I had a job like the one the lighthouse keeper had, I would find it hard to spend so much time alone. I would like to live at a beautiful place, but I think that the lack of company wold bother me, and I would probably miss my family and my friends too much.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
27 Mar 11
Hi. Porcospino. The advantages would be, having a sense of making decisions without hearing feedback from others. The ability to agree with ones own decisions. You are your own boss. And, the disadvantages would be, feeling lonely without friends, having no one to share ideas and suggestions with, having a non friendship with other coworkers. I would enjoy a job without co-workers, I am doing so as of now.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Mar 11
I like the idea of making my own decisions and being my own boss. When I work online and I am able to plan everything on my own and that is one of the things that I really enjoy about that kind of work. I am still able to communicate with others and I don't feel lonely. If I had a job like the one that the lighthouse keeper had the situation would be a little different and I would really miss the company of others if I had to spend month after month alone on an island.
@umabharti (3972)
• India
28 Mar 11
hi, i will feel happy to be like that , without any headaches no competition nothing , i wil take a pc and net connect then there is no need of anything.,I will enjoy the job.,i wil not feel lonely becox pc is there and internet is also there so all the world will be with me every second.,
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Mar 11
The man in the article that I read worked in the lighthouse several years ago (before the internet) and one of things I thought about when I read the article was the situation today. What would it be like to have such a job if you had an internet connection and a cell phone? I definately think that it would be less lonely that way. I would still miss the face-to-face interaction with others, but it would be a lot easier to handle to the situation if I were able to get in touch with the rest of the world through the internet.
• China
28 Mar 11
It seems that there's none such work which you can manage without a co-worker nowadays. I'd really prefer to do all my work alone so I can enjoy all the process, because I have my own work rhythm, arrangement and I don't want anyone having no idea with my thought to interrupt my plan. Well, I think it may be one of the advantage of working alone. How do you think?
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Mar 11
I think that it is often easier to concentrate on the work if you work alone. There is no one who interrupts you and you can plan things your own way, I like that. I think that I get more work done when I work alone, but I still like to have co-workers, because I like to talk to others while I am working. I have had some jobs where the work as such was pretty boring and repetitive, but I had some great co-workers and because of them I enjoyed the time that I spent there.
• United States
27 Mar 11
Thats exactly what I am looking for actually. I would love to be alone with beautiful scenery. I am looking very hard to make money online for now so I can quit my job. That sounds like something I should look into, a lighthouse keeper lol. I love the image of that, being alone around the ocean. There's so much bad that is coming out of people working together, all I hear are petty fights and someone even tried to poison a co worker of mine, it's insane. No one can peacefully co exist it seems.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Mar 11
That sounds like a crazy place. I have had many different jobs. I have had co-workers that I really liked and I have had co-workers that I didn't miss one bit when I left to put in a nice way I understand why you want to quit you job because it doesn't sound like a nice place at all. I hope that you will find a better job or manage earn enough money online. Peronally I couldn't handle a lonely job like the one in the lighthouse, but it depends on your personality I think. You have to find the job and a lifestyle that are righr for you.
@vannyt (343)
• Philippines
28 Mar 11
Even if this would turn out to be the highest paying job on earth, I won't apply for this kind of job. I might go crazy, without nobody to talk to. I could last maybe for a week, maximum, in this job. That guy might really be a born loner.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Mar 11
When I read the article I also thought that the man who worked as a lighthouse keeper had a special kind of personality since he was able to live and work alone at a place like that. I am like you and I think it would be really difficult for me to work at a place like that. I think that it would be hard for me to be in a situation where I didn't have anybody to talk to. It would help if I had an internet connection and a cell phone, but it would still be hard.
@sfleric (83)
• China
28 Mar 11
It is impossible to work alone for me. Team working is an essential part of great quality, people having different characteristics in a group could make up others' disadvantages, make plans practical and thorough so that jobs could be done better than it is by only one person. So I prefer to working with co-workers rather than working alone.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Mar 11
I agree with that. When a group of people work together they are often able to complement eachother, because they have different strenghts and different weaknesses. In my opinion that is one of the big advantages about team work. If you work in a team you are able to share your ideas with others and get feedback, that is another advantage. It is not always easy to work together as a team and sometimes it is hard to find a solution that everyone agrees about. Team work can be a challenge sometimes, but I still think that there are a lot of advantages about this kind of work.
@Paragon (19)
• United States
27 Mar 11
I personally think that every now and then everybody wishes they could work alone. It most definitely gives you less stress while you work, and it is much easier to concentrate on your schedule. However, nobody can stay alienated like that lighthouse keeper for long. I would miss the company of friends and family too much and would try to do whatever it takes to get them back. Well, at the least if I could have some visits from them every couple weeks, I think I would be able to make it through that somewhat lonely life.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Mar 11
Yes, some visits from family or friends would definately make it easier to get through a lonely job. That way you would have something to look forward to and you would be able to talk to other people every once in a while. If I worked alone on an island I would also have to leave that island sometimes and spend some time in a nearby city, otherwise it would get too much for me. I don't plan on applying for a job like that, but if I did, I would make sure that I kept in touch with my family and my friends and I would ask them to visit me often
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
27 Mar 11
I honestly do not think that I could work at a lighthouse then. I'd be very upset after awhile of no contact with the outside world. I'd be hoping someone would come to visit me or relieve me of taking care of the lighthouse so that I could go out and meet back up with friends to catch up. Now there are advantages and disadvantages of course the advantage is no bosses to tell you what to do, or atlast if they are they are in the background. Now of course a disadvantage is that you would be lonely. If you think about it this site right here is kind of like a place with no coworkers, we have to work for ourselves to earn anything, even if we do communicate with people from all over the world here.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Mar 11
I would also find it very hard to handle a situation where I had no contact with others. I think that I would go crazy if I had to be in a situation like that for a long time. Sometimes when I experience many problems with others the idea of a desolate island seems tempting but if I actually got a job like that I am sure that I would regret my decison very fast. Yes, Mylot is a place where we don't have any face-to-face interaction with others or co-workers like we have in an offline job. We can write write together and we can have online discussions, but most of us don't have the chance to meet in the real world. I think it is a pretty amazing thought that we able to "talk" to people from around the world from our own home
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
27 Mar 11
It probably would not be as much fun to have work with no coworkers. i think that more work would get accomplished though. If you only have yourself to focus on, there would be no distractions to getting the job done.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Mar 11
I also think that there are less distractions if you work alone and you are able to focus on the work in a different way, but I know that I would miss co-workers if I always had to work alone. I have had many different jobs, and in some jobs I have had some really great co-workers. We had a lot of fun together and we shared a lot of things. Actually the work as such wasn't very interesting, but I liked my co-workers a lot and they were the reason why I found it hard to leave.
@garson (884)
• United States
11 Apr 11
I don't think I would be interested in working in a lighthouse by myself either. Actually, I don't know if working in a lighthouse is appealing to me. As far as working with no coworkers, it depends on the kind of work. Different people/individuals develop different styles. You might have been aware that some people like to work by himself/herself. Some people work better in groups. Teamwork has been a backbone/root of success in many corporate work. But, many people dream of going on their own because they are tired of the workload, policies, the working culture, etc of their work environment. Say, if you work as a masseuse (a kind of work that you would not do forever), this is the kind of work that does not need coworkers, but you serve and interact with clients. Same as if you work as a journalist/reporter, you may have coworkers in office, but most of the time you may have to work on your own to cover a story or interview people in different fields (maybe with a camera person). Going back to working in a lighthouse by oneself, I would get bored and lonely after a while, but I might appreciate the view and the scenery from time to time. The lighthouse keeper may have like his independence, the flexibility, the peacefulness, etc that some other people cannot relate to.
• Indonesia
27 Mar 11
Until now i always wanted to be to work alone, without any co-workers. If i could be like that, it was instead the result of my work will be better. Bacause it can be more focused on work and more concentration. Sometimes the presence of another person as co-workers all around us, it is so much more emotion involved, which makes it less focused on the job. But living alone on the middle of the long island.... it does not count of course!
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Mar 11
That is true, when we work alone we are often able to focus more on the work because there are less distractions. I noticed that difference when I was working in nursing homes and in home heath care teams. In nursing homes we were a big group of co-workers and we were together all day. It was nice to be part of a group of people, but I were able to focus more on my work when I was working in home health care teams, because I was working alone and I had to manage my time on my own. It wasn't a lonely job, because I visited many different people during the day.