I love natural light, open blinds, and outside views while I'm working. Given the only questions I found here, I do realize I'm in the minority. In a building of 300 people, not a single blind is open. I work in an open office space with floor to ceiling windows. Quite literally, windows are the walls. We have a beautiful view of the mountains and a gorgeous pond on our property. And yet, every. single. blind. is. closed. Even my coworkers who begged for a window seat, regularly close the blinds.
I struggle with my mental health (my employer doesn't know) and having natural light is proven to help (it does!). If I open just the blind my desk is against, I could affect up to 15 or 20 people with the light. The person right across from me is constantly complaining about the light and lowers the blinds at any given chance.
I know people are more sensitive to light than I am. I know people can't see if sun is glaring on their screens. I know it can raise the temperature of the building (which upsets the male population considerably, while the females are wrapped in blankets... but that's another topic.) Open blinds would undoubtedly hinder their work, where as having the blinds closed doesn't necessarily hinder my work (noticeably at least, my mood is affected which often makes me work slower, or makes it harder to concentrate).
So, my question is, how can I feel okay about asking to open the blinds? Or should I learn to live with it?
Edit: Perhaps I simply want suggestions for a way to compromise. I know I’m not the only one here who wouldn’t mind the blinds open, but I’m too afraid to ask because of the reasons every answer and comment here provides. Even when the sun is on the other side of the building, it’s cloudy out, and an hour away from sunset, they prefer the blinds closed. Is there anyway I could approach those nearest to me asking if we could open them from, say, 4:30-5:30? (Maybe without bringing up my mental health, given the stigmas around it making me look selfish.)