First, let’s skip past the three usual suspects: The AP Stylebook, a dictionary and a thesaurus.
Move past the stapler, stress ball, coffee mugs, hand sanitizer and pictures of family and friends.
We asked members of MyRagan, a social network for the corporate communications industries, what makes a communicator’s desk special. Here’s what some of you are looking at:
A green sequin bat and a rubber duck.
-Nancy, public relations
A microwaveable heating pad.
-Kelly, Canada, corporate communications
A stack of reporter's notebooks, proportion wheel, X-Acto knife, pica ruler and photo loop. “It’s hard to part with old friends like these.”
-Lula, Ohio, PR
A space shuttle, space capsule and astronaut stress toys.
-Ann, Alabama
A Drew Carey autographed bowling pin.
-Rich, internal communications
The office Zhu-Zhu pet.
-Maureen, media relations
A purple, fuzzy gorilla.
-Shannon O’Brien, public relations, Canada
A vintage typewriter.
-Marie, marketing communications
An ancient Peanuts postcard in a frame that features Frieda fluffing her hair and saying, “People always expect more of you when you have naturally curly hair!”
-Susan, corporate communications
Everything's beachy in my cubby—seashells, sand, driftwood and photos of sailboats. I've bookmarked Webcams featuring the seashore and the wallpaper on my PC is a shot from Paradise Island.
-Debbie, Texas, internal communications
A teeny, tiny Slinky.
-Debra, Virginia, public relations
I have a toy Dalek and Cyberman from Doctor Who.
-Chris, public relations
Magic wand, Mardi Gras beads and a Hooters calendar—it has owls on it, really.
-Kathy, internal communications
A baseball autographed by the members of my leadership team.
-Tina, corporate communications
A Dwight Schrute bobblehead.
-Audrey, Web development
A photo I took with the caption, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
-Noreen, New Jersey
A bag of lavender and an empty salt shaker that once held candy hearts.
-Sue Johnston, Canada, internal communications
Silver statuettes of Indian goddesses.
-Linda Hubbard, California, internal communications
A business card holder from a trip to Egypt.
-Rae, Colorado, public relations
I have a hand-blown, glass, paperweight in a Tiffany-like style that I picked up last year in France. It's from La Rochere Glass & Crystal Works, a family-run business since 1475.
-Donna, corporate communications
A bronze lizard.
-Jeri, media relations
A tangerine.
-Samra Bufkins, Texas, public relations
Lots of green plants. For a calming effect and helping filter crappy office air.
-Yvonne, corporate communications
A Shakespeare bobblehead.
-Laura, internal communications
A traveling beta fish named Chester.
-Adrienne Russell, Indiana, public relations
A pair of squirrel underpants.
-Jocelyn, Washington, public relations
Bottle of tequila and margarita mix in my cabinet. Every stressed-out person I work with knows where it is.
-Jody, Missouri, marketing communications
Don’t you wish we could all work with Jody?
Jessica Levco is co-editor of Health Care Marketing & Communications News.
This story originally appeared on Ragan.com.