Work questions get answered fast. Almost everyone has lived some version of them, so there's not much to think about. These eight come from the "Office Life" theme in our would-you-rather app, Infinite Balance, and I've added my own answers along the way.
1. An hour fighting with your partner or an hour getting chewed out by your boss?
For me, the fight with my partner is way harder. A lecture from the boss mostly ends when you walk out of the office. A fight follows you home, and at 1 a.m. you finally think of what you should have said. Then you're up for another hour.
2. A junior coworker who grumbles but listens, or one who says "Sure!" and doesn't?
I once worked with a junior who was amazing at saying yes. Whatever I asked, it was "Sure, got it!" The next morning I'd check, and nothing had been touched. After a few rounds of that, I was the one staying late to finish it. Ever since, I've been grateful for anyone who complains and still gets it done.
3. Work 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., or 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.?
10 a.m. for me. Getting in by 6 means waking up before 5, and I just can't. The catch is I'd have to give up most dinner plans.
4. Nonstop work calls on your day off, or a task 10 minutes before quitting time?
At first I thought staying late was worse. You've packed your bag, you're ready to go, and then a new task lands on your desk. But then I thought about it more. Staying late costs you one evening. A day off is something you've been counting down to for weeks. Once the office number shows up on your phone while you're sitting in a café, the day's gone. So I switched. The day-off calls are worse.
5. A job you hate that pays a lot, or a job you love that pays little?
Right now I'd pick the job I love. Back when I had a job I hated, the paycheck didn't help much. Every Sunday evening I'd start dreading Monday.
I'm curious about the people who pick the money, though. Are you saving up to do what you want later? Or do you figure every job is a drag anyway, so it might as well pay well?
6. The morning after drinks, a missed call to your ex or a call log with your boss?
The boss scares me more. A missed call means your ex didn't pick up. A call log means you actually talked, and now you have to go to work with no idea what you said.
I asked a friend, and she picked the opposite right away. With your boss, you say "Sorry about last night" and that's it. With your ex, she said, there's nothing you can say to fix it. Honestly, she kind of had a point.
7. A mentor who micromanages, or one who teaches you nothing?
In a lot of Korean offices, every new hire gets a "sasu," a senior coworker who trains you. I'd take the micromanager. At my first job nobody showed me anything, and I spent three months digging through old spreadsheets on my own. With someone nagging me, it would've taken one.
8. Steak with your most awkward boss, or a rice ball with a coworker you like?
If it's every day, I'll take the rice ball. That's the triangle kind wrapped in seaweed that every Korean convenience store sells. Steak doesn't taste like much when you're sitting across from someone you can't relax around. Eating outside the store with a coworker, complaining a little about the office, somehow fills you up more.
What about you? I bet plenty of people would sit with any boss for free steak.
Looking back, I picked the less stressful option almost every time. How many did you match? Infinite Balance gets a new theme like this every week, and it's fun to play with people from work. Get it here.