How much time do you spend messing around at work?

[Anonymous]

I work for the federal government. I work busy, hard, and try to keep gossip time at a minimum, but some of my colleagues are super chatty. I'd say on average I spend 10-20 mins total on non work talk. I work 9-5:30.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher. I'd say except for my 30 minute lunch break, I'm pretty much working all the time. There's not time to sit and browse the internet or do online shopping. I chat with other teachers during recess but we aren't supposed to.

[Anonymous]

Preschool teacher, I only work part time, but I'm working all 4 hours that I'm there, barely have time to pee. Thankfully I enjoy what I do! In my previous career I spent way too much time on the Internet messing around. It felt awful, but I just didn't have enough work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a business that is sort of at the nexus of HR, IT, and consulting. A huge shock is coming in the next few years to people who waste hours and hours online. As things continue to be automated, and when we hit the next downturn, those names will be first on the chopping block with no unemployment or severence because they wI'll be let go with cause.

Companies are collecting this info now as a hedge for the future. If you are wasting a lot of time make sure you are doing it on your phone, on your cellular network, and make sure you are still using work applications (like Outlook, word, proprietary programs, etc) at regular intervals. Don't let 15-20 mins of each hour show your computer idle.

I am so surprised at how many co-workers don't realize this. I waste tons of time some days but I always make sure to use my own phone on my network. I also can't believe how dumb one co-worker is to post things on facebook during the work day AND she has facebook friends from work . I keep facebook privacy settings high and will not friend anyone from work. I was told about this co-worker from another co-worker who checks facebook at work.

[Anonymous]

I"m a high level fed too, and it depends on the day/week/what's going on. Probaly 30 minutes in the morning (checking online banking, kids camp sites, etc.), and then another hour or so throughout the day.

When things are busy and I start the day productive it's way less, and I feel better about what i've accomplished. But apparenlty not better enough that it changes my bad habits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for a very large organisation and probably only do an hour of work a day. It's not for lack of trying as I keep asking for more work but never get given any. I'm mid level and have degrees from good schools. I don't think we'll ever get to a stage where employers can meaningfully monitor what you do on your computer unless you work in a very small office.

We are at that stage in every organization. It just depends what companies and managers want to do. You are very naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the week. This week has been slow with folks out on vacation and general summer slowness. Next week will be busier.

Me too. Really slow this past week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a business that is sort of at the nexus of HR, IT, and consulting. A huge shock is coming in the next few years to people who waste hours and hours online. As things continue to be automated, and when we hit the next downturn, those names will be first on the chopping block with no unemployment or severence because they wI'll be let go with cause.

Companies are collecting this info now as a hedge for the future. If you are wasting a lot of time make sure you are doing it on your phone, on your cellular network, and make sure you are still using work applications (like Outlook, word, proprietary programs, etc) at regular intervals. Don't let 15-20 mins of each hour show your computer idle.

However, things need to be taken into context. My Thursday's are filled with teleconferences - so not much activity on my computer. Also, the line of work matters. I do project management. When I'm waiting for a customer to finalize documents, there isn't much for me to do. Other times, I'm working late and weekends but never claim over time - I figure it makes up for the slow times.

[Anonymous]

The people over on the "why don't people respect SAHMs" thread really ought to read all this about how much people mess around at work! Many on that thread are arguing how much more important it is to society that they are in their jobs rather than with their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I worked, it was hours and hours and hours a day. I was midlevel. Me and my coworker shared enough work for basically 1.1 people. It was just a smidge too much for 1 person, so they had 2 of us.

I'm this PP. I never surfed when I had ANY actual work to do. There just wasn't enough work for the two of us. And we had to stay until 5. I'm pretty sure everyone knew that none of us had a lot to do. It was kind of the like the Emporers new clothes. No one was going to say it out loud. And much of the work we did do was paper based (graduate school admissions) so it would be normal for me to be "inactive" online for large periods of time. I brought in crosswords and sudokus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people over on the "why don't people respect SAHMs" thread really ought to read all this about how much people mess around at work! Many on that thread are arguing how much more important it is to society that they are in their jobs rather than with their kids.

This is a actually a factor in why I SAH. I don't want to surf the web and do sudokus when I'm paying a daycare to hold the baby I wish I was holding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people over on the "why don't people respect SAHMs" thread really ought to read all this about how much people mess around at work! Many on that thread are arguing how much more important it is to society that they are in their jobs rather than with their kids.

This is a actually a factor in why I SAH. I don't want to surf the web and do sudokus when I'm paying a daycare to hold the baby I wish I was holding.

You also have the financial means to do this. Some of us have no choice but to work, even if the job is boring, monotonous, or not enough actual work.

[Anonymous]

Federal employee here. I work from home but have frequent meetings I need to attend. I have zero time for messing around because I have very strict performance measures. Sometimes I almost wish that I worked in an office so I could have some downtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people over on the "why don't people respect SAHMs" thread really ought to read all this about how much people mess around at work! Many on that thread are arguing how much more important it is to society that they are in their jobs rather than with their kids.

This is a actually a factor in why I SAH. I don't want to surf the web and do sudokus when I'm paying a daycare to hold the baby I wish I was holding.

And this is why I WOH. I love to hold the baby, but I also need a chance to take a break and recharge. Now I get paid while taking my break. Totally worth it for me, and for my baby, who gets to see a happy mom everyday!

[Anonymous]

None, I don't have the time. My work keeps me busy plus when you have coworkers who insist on leaving the office early almost daily, you get stuck with their workload.