How Close is too Close in the Workplace?

It has become common that people spend more time in their workplace and with their coworkers than their actual family. With that being the case, many coworkers begin to form friendships in the workplace, but that leads to the question; how close is too close? 

Friendships are naturally developed between two people when they go through experiences together, and share personal information with each other. However, is there a limit on friendship levels that should not be crossed? In my personal experience, I have went through a work friendship gone wrong. In the beginning, everything was lovely. We went to lunch together, helped each other with assignments, and even walked to the train station after work with one another. The issue came into play when we both started losing respect for each other at work. By this, I mean that when it came time to work, our level of urgency when it came to completing task began to slip. This person was racked higher than me at my job. Sometimes when he would ask me to complete task, I would push them off to the side, and focus on what I wanted to do first. I thought, “we’re cool. He’ll understand.” This attitude lead to a steady decline in work productivity.

Eventually, this person left from the job, and my work performance began to be  improve. Not to say that my actions were totally affected by their presence, because I am a grown adult, but I cannot deny the correspondence.

Overall, becoming friendly with your coworkers is a great thing, especially since you see each other everyday. But everyone must learn when and where to draw the line.