Obviously, the biggest strength of Self-Storage Talk is that it provides a resource that addresses many industry-specific needs. The community is there to answer questions, share ideas, celebrate successes and empathize with one another's struggles.
However, as Gina Six Kudo pointed out in her post earlier this week, sometimes what self-storage workers really need is a break from the industry. Some days at facilities, especially the dreaded, inevitable “slow day,” are filled with mundane tasks that make employees clamor to be anywhere but behind a desk.
Believe it or not, SST can provide a bit of a mental break in the form of the Outside the Industry forum. Though this forum can't rescue you from your desk and transport you out into the beautiful weather, it can allow you to chat with others who need the same mental break that you do.
Outside the Industry is designated for discussions that can touch, well, anything—whether the topic related to self-storage or not. Common topics include holidays, birthdays, sports, weather, big news stories, jokes and, occasionally, a little bit of politics.
Of course, Outside the Industry isn't a place to discuss absolutely everything—the forum does have rules, you know—and remember that everything you post is public, which is especially important if you're not posting anonymously.
Overall, this forum is a safe place to speak your mind where the community will not judge you. Recently, a spirited discussion has ensued on the legalization of marijuana, which is being strongly considered in California and other states (at least for medical uses).
As long as you can avoid distraction and still manage what you need to get done in a day, I don't see anything wrong with spending a little time reading and posting at Outside the Industry. With all of the hours that you work, you've earned the right not to go insane.