Office cubicles may seem your personal space, but you are still in a professional environment. The cubicle may have your name on it, but it technically still counts as office space. If you think that your cubicle is your personal safe haven, you may want to reconsider. To maintain a professional equilibrium, make sure you know the do’s and don’ts of cubicle décor.

Keep The Cubicles A Meal-Free Zone

It isn’t okay to treat your cubicle as a personal space for assembling your sandwiches and other meals. You don’t want your boss to see you smearing some cheese spread over the bread instead of fixing the accounts. Save the meal assembling for lunch time and avoid your cubicle as well as your surrounding cubicles from smelling like the tuna melt sandwich you want to have for lunch.

Decorate The Cubicles, But Not Too Much

We all have that one coworker whose cubicle is filled with personal photos and excessive holiday festivities. Although you practically spend all your time at the office, cubicles aren’t your homes. Be subtle with the festivities and avoid sticking up personal photos and posters like it was your dorm room. Cubicles studded with your professional awards and college certificate are the ideal décor items, but not those pictures you got from the old family album.

Keep The Cupid Out Of The Cubicles

Don’t you just love when your significant other shows up at the office and takes you out for lunch? Your boss may be fine with your loved one showing up at the office, your boss may even like them, but they definitely won’t appreciate you being too affectionate in the workspace. You don’t want to give off an unprofessional image at the office, so save those romantic moments for when you both get back home.

Avoid The Afternoon Siestas In The Cubicles

As long as you are in the USA, you probably don’t get those afternoon naps that some of the employees in European and Asian countries enjoy. You don’t want a video of your snoring in your cubicle to go viral and reach your boss just before you are looking forward to your big raise. Being caught sleeping on the job can definitely take a toll on your professional reputation. Master your sleeping pattern and avoid dosing off at your workplace.

Suit Up, Even When You Are In Your Cubicle

It’s been a long day and you just can’t stand those itchy toes anymore. Taking your shoes could be the thing you need, but that definitely isn’t what you would want to do. You never know when someone important would peek into your cubicle and judge you for sitting like a hillbilly with your shoes and tie off. Hanging up the jacket until you have your next meeting, but keep those shoes and tie on to avoid any embarrassment.

Treating the cubicles as personal space is that first mistake most of the new, as well as the seasoned employees make. You want to be taken seriously at the office in front of your seniors as well as your subordinates. So keep your cubicle as a place where you love working in the way that complements your role as an employee.