Use the buddy system. Years ago I had a work-friend, we’d just book meetings with each other a couple of times a week, go to a meeting room and just hang out, I taught him to juggle, or we’d watch an episode from a series etc.
It was fun feeling like we got away with something, but realistically nobody questioned it because we both got our work done and it was a good company where that mattered more than time spent at a desk.
Find a boss who doesn’t care. So far I’ve never had a boss that insists that I look busy all the time. As long as I’m getting my work done they don’t care what I do. I spend a lot of time at my desk reading books on my phone. If your boss is being an ass about you using your downtime how you want when all of your work is done then that is not someone you want to work for.
It’s not that my boss cares per se, but I still think people form a subconscious image of your work ethic, and I think it’s always better to be seen as a “hard worker” when it comes to promotion time
I worked with a guy that if he slept in or ran late for work tossed his gym gear on instead of his work clothes and ran into the office apologising and went to the bathroom to get changed.
People thought that he was a fitness NUT and he always stayed back to make up the time so he was called dedicated. In truth I knew he trained after work and regularly stayed up mega late playing COD and slept through his alarm.
One of my prior roles was moved from a proper office to an open office and one of the “selling” points was “you can work from anywhere in our cool new building!”. So, I spent most of my day anywhere but my desk. I got my work done and half my time was spent in meetings either way, but if I didn’t have somewhere to be, I’d be in the quietest spot I could find in the building (cafeteria mid-morning/afternoon, conference area when there were no meetings, outside, the lobby, etc.). I was regularly commended for adopting the new culture.
Back in the day, I used to grab any piece of paper, and then walk around the entire office with a slightly angry and urgent look on my face as if I was going to talk to someone important. Do a lap. Back to your desk. Job done.
I used to work in a large manufacturing complex and two of us would walk around with clip boards pointing and taking “notes”. If anyone would ask what was going on, we’d say we were carrying out random health and safety inspections.
Seek more work. Find tasks you can help on, earn brownie points, don’t offer to do anything extra that takes more than 30 minutes to get done. Don’t overdo it, and make sure to also use the downtime to grab a federally required break, stretch, drink water, meditate, do some calisthenics.
The first part boosts how you’re perceived by others: your bosses will take note of your enthusiasm, your coworkers will appreciate you more; this is why it’s important to not overdo it—you don’t want your extra effort to be the new baseline expectation.
The second part boosts your health, mood and productivity.
If you find you have more free time than these fill, consider asking your employer to sponsor certifications/continuing education in your field to further your career, or just talking with your boss about taking on more responsibilities for a raise. But still make sure to “leave room on your plate” to do the aforementioned breaks. If the money/career growth isn’t an issue, consider negotiating reduced hours so you have more free time.
I go from one place to another, greet people, talk, drink coffee, have a snack, go to the toilet, etc, etc. They are pushing working from the office more and more saying it’s better for connecting with colleagues, so I go to and do that.
jerking off. nobody bothers a man who is jerking off.
I think once I saw a web browser that made websites look like its code. So you were looking for bugs while browsing.
Leave. Go for a walk, or a coffee, or go home. Nobody knows you aren’t in a meeting room.
If your co-workers are into it, have a LAN party. I used to work at a place that had a daily management-approved kill session. It was good.
I take a 30 to 40 minute walk (2 miles) every day at work. Sometimes it’s to clear my head. Sometimes it’s to think about work. Sometimes it’s to think about not work. No one cares, and if they did, I’d argue it’s time well spent for the company. I can’t get anything done if my brain is overflowing with crap.
Man, a work LAN party would be pretty cool.
Make jokes about not being busy. Make them boldly in slightly non appropriate circles. Then lean with the same amount of conviction into compliments. Agree with full heart, be non apologetic with the same force used to joke about how little work you have.
This duality is powerful because on the one hand you clearly have nothing to hide, and on the other hand you’re painfully truthful. Works a charm. Then go have brunch on the clock.
Don’t. Nobody cares cause they’re all pretending to be busy too.
Play BitBurner, use Links browser.
I am now addicted to BitBurner and I blame you
You’re welcome.
Find a job where you’re never without something to do.
Gawd I’m so glad I work in a factory.
Y’all’s jobs sound fucking awful lol
It’s highly dependent on the job, the employer, and the employee.
Some love highly monotonous work and some hate it.
There is also a higher physical risk with factory work that should be considered.
True, I’ve lost consciousness due to the heat before so it’s not a safe work environment.
I guess I’d rather die than be bored.
That’s a weird choice but whatever works for you I guess.
When you’re bored every second feels like an hour.
When you’re dead time just flies by!
Fair enough.
You really have to find a job where you are not bored if you are able.
