Whats the best way to look busy in work ?

PCB

sitting here in work quite obviously doing nothing i have started thinking how can i look incredibly busy while doing absolutely zero. and im talking busy like the comapany is gonna fall apart if i stop doing what im doing!!!!

Sherifu

I used to carry around an empty cardboard box. Also walking fast helps.

At a desk, you can open multiple applications, scribble furiously on a pad and talk to nobody on the phone...

_blank_

I don't have any work to do this morning.

My boss is in Blegium.

I'm not trying to look busy.

chopperbyrne

Print off any old crap, scrutinise it and have a spreadsheet open and randomly add details in.

PCB

this also makes me think. how many other people around me are also pretending to work?? i must have a look around and try and figure it out

PCB

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Print off any old crap, scrutinise it and have a spreadsheet open and randomly add details in.

i think id prefer to do real work!!!

Duggy747

Simple, but effective: Put a biro in your mouth and chew on it with a certain inquisitive look on your face. People will actually think your trying to solve something (Like how to come up with a good post in a thread )

Eoin

You can't beat walking around with a clipboard / folder. Also, if boards had a skin that looked like excel, we would all be sorted.

bills

loads of paper everywhere & a really messy desk! not that i ever do this, couldn't get away with it even if i wanted.

PCB

+1

JCDenton

Sometimes:
I like to copy-and-paste Wikipedia articles (or other web-pages) into Word documents (without the pictures); and when people pass by, they see the official company logo, and lots of boring text. No-one ever stops to have a look.

Entire days can be wasted this way.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

PCB

i do find writing absolutely random stuff on an A4 pad when you see your boss coming looks like you have engaging in some form of research.

BTW the girl across from is on wikipedia and the guy beside her texting from meteor:D

Cuddlesworth

Pick a single 5 minute task. Loudly inform everybody you are doing it and when approached always open with "I'm really busy doing "something", and outline every single thing you have or haven't done so far in boring minute detail. Be sure to estimate that its going to take you the rest of the day to complete. Do this every day.

Works for a lad I work with, for everybody who doesn't work with him he's a very busy and active guy. For everybody who does work with him, we have given up trying to approach him since its too much hassle.

Quality

Always walk around with papers in your hand.

If someone asks for your time, tell them that you wont be free for an hour as you have to finish a report for (insert your bosses name).

Always make sure your desk area is covered in manuals and paper.

If someone calls your name, dont hear them the first time and say "huh you talking to me, I'm really busy whats up?"

'Ol Jack Chance

Duggy747 wrote: »

Simple, but effective: Put a biro in your mouth and chew on it with a certain inquisitive look on your face. People will actually think your trying to solve something (Like how to come up with a good post in a thread )

+1 i do this all the time

Toto Wolfcastle

Lol anyone ever do real work? This fake work sounds like fun.

chopperbyrne

janeybabe wrote: »

Lol anyone ever do real work? This fake work sounds like fun.

The who and the what in the where now?!!

Pompey Magnus

JCDenton wrote: »

Sometimes:
I like to copy-and-paste Wikipedia articles (or other web-pages) into Word documents (without the pictures); and when people pass by, they see the official company logo, and lots of boring text. No-one ever stops to have a look.

Entire days can be wasted this way.

You sir are a genius.

Kold

Run, screaming bloody murder to the bathroom whilst holding your asscheeks tightly together. Try and splatter a little fake blood around the base of the toilet bowl, when anybody asks if you're ok just scream at them to go away whilst also babbling nonsense.

Proxy

janeybabe wrote: »

Lol anyone ever do real work? This fake work sounds like fun.

See thats what I don't get - we all "fake work" in work, so whats the point? Does it mean that if we hired less people we'd get the same work done and people would just be busier?

I'd rather be busier, sucks to just sit in work killing time. I've got better things I could be at. Like, its depressing; getting up at 7am every day to rush into work for half 8 through Dublin traffic to just sit there supping tae, looking at wikipedia (i'm reading an e-book on the "Secret History of Star Wars") waiting to get busy. Then when you get busy, you're so glad to have something to do it gets done quickly and you're back to step one again! 5 o'clock comes and you wander off home, another day gone.

Soul sucking. Sigh.

eoin_s

eoin_s wrote: »

You can't beat walking around with a clipboard / folder.

The old favorite, I've known one junior manager spent his career doing that after "delegating" his entire workload onto others
The management only sussed him when he was off sick for a few months and no one noticed his absence. :pac:

uglyjohn

the only thing i really mind is when i have to fill out my timesheet showing what i was doing on the quiet days....lots of Admin/Training

Dennis the Stone

Sherifu wrote: »

I used to carry around an empty cardboard box. Also walking fast helps.

I was doing that in a factory once, there was nothing to pack so I was walking from one end of the warehouse to the other with an empty box. I was pretending that it was really heavy and that I was putting my back into lifting it. This was going great until one day I slipped and the box opened up. Everyone was wondering why I found it so difficult to move an empty box, I think they thought I was retarded

Do an on-line training course, then you can get a better job!

Xavi6

JCDenton wrote: »

Sometimes:
I like to copy-and-paste Wikipedia articles (or other web-pages) into Word documents (without the pictures); and when people pass by, they see the official company logo, and lots of boring text. No-one ever stops to have a look.

Entire days can be wasted this way.

Ah, a man after my own heart. That's exactly what I do every day.

Nalz

Notepad open at desk
Notepad under arm walking around

Always leave a filler job. I.e. have a job thats not important and when someone comes around of importance restart/continue working on it. Always vital to have a filler

'Ol Jack Chance

Trilla wrote: »

Always leave a filler job. I.e. have a job thats not important and when someone comes around of importance restart/continue working on it. Always vital to have a filler

another very good point. always plan ahead

Sherifu

Tago Mago wrote: »

I was doing that in a factory once, there was nothing to pack so I was walking from one end of the warehouse to the other with an empty box. I was pretending that it was really heavy and that I was putting my back into lifting it. This was going great until one day I slipped and the box opened up. Everyone was wondering why I found it so difficult to move an empty box, I think they thought I was retarded

Slipping, a rookie mistake.

5starpool

My secret to looking busy has a few steps:

1. Have a window seat - check
2. Look annoyed and hassled anytime somoeone asks me to do stuff - check
3. Delegate stuff out as you are 'too busy' - check
4. Try not to laugh at funny stuff on d'interweb - check-ish
5. Don't bother looking busy, they'll never believe it anyhow.
6. Put feet on desk at several points throughout the day.
7. Still do points 1 and 2 anyhow cause they are facts.
8. Constantly complain loudly that you hate work.
9. Occasionally do stuff, and pretend it is really difficult, but do do it quickly. Then everyone thinks you are great.

Welcome to my world.

zuutroy

A good one I do if I only arrive in at 10:30-11 (which is every day) is to grab some paper from around the printer so it looks like you're coming from some work related place when you sit at your desk, as opposed to from bed. Though, no one cares what I do anyway, so I don't know why I bother. Good ol' academia.