Co-working - would you tolerate someone seeing your screens?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lukas
  • Start date Start date

If trading in an office, which office lay-out would you prefer:

  • open-space

    Votes: 7 43.8%

  • private room

    Votes: 9 56.3%
  • Total voters
    16
brucelevy said:
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Where are you looking?
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In either Norwich or Cambridge area in the UK - if you know anyone who might be interested in sharing the space, please let me know. However, I claim with almost 100% certainty that I am the only one within a 50-mile radius who is serious enough about trading to do it from the office
 
lukas said:
I am currently in search for office space to trade in a more professional environment. I am in two minds over whether I should rent a desk in a co-working, open-space office where other people could see my screens, or opt for a private room at a serviced office building.
It is not about the cost as I could afford a private room. However, something tells me I would be more productive and focused when other people are watching.

Would you be happy for someone else to see your trading screens? Would working in a co-working office influence your results negatively?
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Coworking as in you're the only trader at the office space...I couldn't tolerate others from the space seeing my screens especially if its a "visitor" of someone else that's renting a space there.

In contrast, coworking as in you're among other traders doing the same in the office...someone looking at your screens "may" be ok but only if they asked for permission. Yet, if they're just walking by and they happen to take a quick look at your screens without disturbing/distracting you...its ok.

Yet, may work if you have one of those corner desks that nobody can walk up from behind you.

I myself get annoyed when my kids enter the office and slowly walk by while looking over my shoulder...looking at the screens especially when they are eating something (loudly). :(

wrbtrader
 
wrbtrader said:
Coworking as in you're the only trader at the office space...I couldn't tolerate others from the space seeing my screens especially if its a "visitor" of someone else that's renting a space there.

In contrast, coworking as in you're among other traders doing the same in the office...someone looking at your screens "may" be ok but only if they asked for permission. Yet, if they're just walking by and they happen to take a quick look at your screens without disturbing/distracting you...its ok.

Yet, may work if you have one of those corner desks that nobody can walk up from behind you.

I myself get annoyed when my kids enter the office and slowly walk by while looking over my shoulder...looking at the screens especially when they are eating something (loudly). :(

wrbtrader
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The worst is when you're in a public place and someone decides to enlighten you with their investing knowledge. I typically keep charts closed and only look at option chains when at a cafe or bookstore.
 
I forgot one more con:
- when trading with other traders in the room - their losses/profits -> emotional state might be the opposite to yours; imagine you are having a great day in P&L terms and your colleague feels like smashing the monitor because he suffered huge losses - how would you feel in this situation? It is not a healthy environment
 
lukas said:
I forgot one more con:
- when trading with other traders in the room - their losses/profits -> emotional state might be the opposite to yours; imagine you are having a great day in P&L terms and your colleague feels like smashing the monitor because he suffered huge losses - how would you feel in this situation? It is not a healthy environment
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Don't associate with anyone who would suffer a huge loss or would want to smash a monitor.
 
Trading/investing is a loner's job. Shouldn't matter whether one is working in a group or alone. Having someone look over the screen can be a distraction, especially if they make comments. What value can they add when we already have our own ways of doing things?
 
brucelevy said:
The worst is when you're in a public place and someone decides to enlighten you with their investing knowledge. I typically keep charts closed and only look at option chains when at a cafe or bookstore.
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don't you have security concerns when trading on a public WiFi in a bookstore/cafe?
 
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No. Espionage is rampant. Also, even a relatively good natured person might surrender to curiosity and gossip. Lastly and most importantly, other people moving in and out of the office is a security problem. Everyone assumes that anyone in the office is a guest of someone else or there with permission so you have NO security at all. DON'T DO IT.

A better option is to get a second monitor (or better yet a second computer) and find a "work buddy" or two. You can keep an active videoconferencing session going. Make an agreement to nag each other if one of you decides to take a nap, play video games, have a hooker over, not take is cocaine on schedule, etc. This will improve your productivity, and if someone busts into your office or tries to hypnotise you, your work buddy might call the cops on them. Or, maybe he will just sit and laugh at your bad luck depending on how much of a buddy he is.
 
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