A reader writes:
I’m about to begin my first actual workplace job quickly. I’m in my mid 20s and nonetheless engaged on my diploma, so I’m a little nervous about seeming immature. I have an unlucky behavior of ingesting a number of energy drinks per day. Ignoring the well being side of that, will it look unhealthy if I’m ingesting an energy drink at my desk within the morning?
I really feel like it shouldn’t matter, different sources of caffeine like espresso and tea are completely regular in spite of everything, however at the identical time it’s laborious to image a can of NOS or some such on the desk of a working skilled!
This is such an attention-grabbing query as a result of it undoubtedly mustn’t matter! And my first intuition was, “No, it won’t matter.” But it’s additionally true that I might discover an energy drink in a manner that I wouldn’t discover a espresso or a tea. Not sufficient to care, however I’d discover it. And if I noticed you had one every day, I’d discover that too. It wouldn’t matter at all — drink what you want! — however you’re not fallacious that whenever you image “polished professional,” you don’t image a can of Red Bull on their desk.
There are most likely individuals who would see a day by day energy drink (or particularly a number of day by day energy drinks) and suppose, “This person isn’t managing their health/sleep very well” … which is ridiculous as a result of espresso is outright sponsored by most places of work … however we’re into optics territory now, and optics typically aren’t logical. Even with individuals who suppose that, although, it’s unlikely to affect their opinion of you in any possible way that’s doubtless to influence you at work.
So I feel the place I land is: If for some purpose you want to put an unusually excessive premium on showing as polished as potential, the day by day energy drinks is likely to be one thing to rethink. But when you’re in additional typical territory of “I’d like to appear reasonably professional without turning myself into a work robot,” then you definately’re tremendous. Drink what you need.
(Interestingly, although, I wouldn’t advocate taking an energy drink into an interview. That’s as a result of your interviewer has few so information factors about you so those they do have can simply depend for greater than they need to.)
And lastly: some places of work inventory energy drinks within the kitchen for workers to drink. If you’re in a kind of, I might give it precisely zero extra thought.
