Stop sneaking up on me!

May 6, 2009 12:02 PM

How do I rig a motion-activated alert for my office door? Or just stop being startled when people walk in?

I work in a lovely office, however, my computer is situated with my back to the door. Also, my co-workers are often a little on the loud side, so I almost always have on headphones and music. I am constantly being startled or ignoring people when they walk into my office. I don't see them, I don't know they there, and so they startle the daylights out of me when they touch my shoulder or say something very loudly. I even have one staff member who will stand there for a good while, waiting on me to acknowledge her. I've let everyone in the office know I'm not intentionally ignoring them, and to please speak up so that I know you're there, but it doesn't always work out.
I'd like to rig a motion sensor at the doorway to alert me via a light that someone's in the doorway. It's about 10 feet from the door to my computer and no electrical outlet by the door. I've thought about a rear-view mirror, but I'm not sure if those work well. I'm willing to take suggestions, although moving my work station is not possible. I'm kinda locked in to this location because of where the outlets and cabinets are.

posted by teleri025 to work & money (15 comments total)

I think the mirror is what you really want. Doesn't have to be a special rear-view mirror, just any old mirror stuck on your wall or sitting on your desk. Even if it's off in your peripheral vision, you'd be surprised how a little motion will grab your eye.
posted by pocams at 12:06 PM on May 6 [2 favorites has favorites]

How about a C.H.I.M.P.?
posted by thejanna at 12:06 PM on May 6

Here's a recent Lifehacker write-up on making a web-cam motion detector. It's a software app.
posted by jabberjaw at 12:08 PM on May 6

Agree about the mirror. Or any reflective surface where a bit of motion behind you will register.
posted by hermitosis at 12:08 PM on May 6

Get yourself a singing bass.
posted by caddis at 12:10 PM on May 6

You don't even have to have an actual mirror, just a dark enough photo in a glass frame that will reflect the motion behind you in the corner of your vision.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:10 PM on May 6

Awesome. Thanks. I think I'll try the camera trick, just cause it seems neat. Then the mirror if it's too annoying.
posted by teleri025 at 12:14 PM on May 6

I have the same problem. I did two things.

a) I taped the dull side of a DVD to each monitor (shiny side exposed) so I could see reflections as people approached me. Works like the chimp but low tech and you can set it up in minutes.

b) I printed out a picture of Scooby Doo, photoshopped a red circle with a line across, and added the words "Please do not sneak up on me" below. For some reason Scooby's sheepish look makes people respect that sign.

Now someone just has to stand behind me and wave and I see their reflection on one of the DVDs.
posted by special-k at 12:16 PM on May 6 [2 favorites has favorites]

If it's at all possible I think you should rearrange your office. Sitting with your back to the door isn't a comfortable place to be, in a hind-brain kind of way, much less doing so with headphones and completely overriding the one sense left to help you in that situation. You get startled because your fight or flight response rapidly engages when it all of a sudden realizes there's something behind you you were unaware of.
posted by 6550 at 12:20 PM on May 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

I can't deal with this problem either. I require my office rearranged so that I'm facing the door, or at worst it's on my front-side (NW or NE).

The problem with a mirror or other such thing, you'll be stealing glances at it all day, further distracting you.

Do whatever you can to rearrange the office, and don't be shy about saying why. "It startles me when people walk up behind me and it takes half an hour to get back into work mode. That's bad for productivity."
posted by rokusan at 12:35 PM on May 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

I did the same thing as Special-k only with old CDs instead of DVDs. Worked pretty well, and the Macguyver-ness of it got me many compliments.
posted by notsnot at 12:55 PM on May 6

A rustling plant, the motion of which when someone walks by might alter the flow of light into your office enough to make you look up.
posted by mdonley at 1:28 PM on May 6

I opted to rearrange my office so I'm facing the door. Prevents people sneaking up on me and on the plus side, I now have a space by the window where I can sit and contemplate my cup of coffee.
posted by arcticseal at 1:30 PM on May 6

Nthing the mirror. I've got two very small mirrors (the domed kind you stick to your car's side mirrors to increase the field-of-view -- they sell them at the drug store) mounted with double-stick tape to the top of my computer monitors' bezels. That way, the slightest door movement is caught in my peripheral vision any time I'm looking at my computer screens. I can even see who it is, in case I want to pretend I don't notice them, and then punch them in the face and blame it on reflexes.
posted by jake at 2:04 PM on May 6

Another vote for Mirrors. I used to work in a radio studio where my back was always to the door and it drove me crazy. I set up a small mirror. Problem solved.
posted by 2oh1 at 3:52 PM on May 6