What would you do at work if you had nothing to do?

[DancingTurtle]

This is me tomorrow, 9 'til 4. I have access to an office where I can be on my own and would have about 2 seconds warning of someone coming in.

I'd start writing a novel or look up free courses in things I was interested in. Even better if they're even slightly related to your work.

I think the problem with this is I’ve tried similar the past and it’s gone down very badly. Management don’t want things to change, and I think my suggestions come across as criticisms.

Have you raised this formally with your manager in writing? If you stressed it's not a criticism and you have free time to support the company the ball is in their court. If you don't get a positive reply you are free to take in your knitting and bugger them!

I think they’d prefer me to not raise the issue and just keep my head down.

They said yes to my idea for a new project last year, but then withheld resources. When I volunteer to seek these resources they say no, they’re getting them. But then they don’t.

Im scouring the jobs pages but this role is pretty well-paid here.

Maybe some online training and development? Lots of free stuff on you tube

Well, take your knitting in and if anyone walks into the room tell them you are thinking about a problem project and find knitting relaxes you and helps you plan creatively. Honestly, you have bent over backwards to assist the company and they have been remarkably short sighted and ungrateful. It doesn't sound like you have much to be scared of if you are caught knitting. But, long term, a new job is definitely the way to go.

I’m going to look for a course that’s within my budget I think. (I’ve done the free ones and they tend to be a bit low level or just clicking through slides or watching videos which just means more staring at screens).

Yeah it may well fall on deaf ears, but it's something to do that is hopefully interesting. Maybe framing it as "I'd like to do this and I think it will add value, doesn't need anything from management excepta blessing" rather than "team needs improving and must change" would land best. And just pulling it together might spark ideas for ways you can do it low key without needing permission.

You mentioned the others are younger and maybe lack confidence - could you offer unofficial mentoring maybe? I do that quite a lot when young'uns unload on me as I've realised really they want more support but they don't feel it's ok to ask.

I'm resigned to the fact that I've aged out of some career opportunities now so I get vicarious satisfaction in helping other people (especially women) go for it.

I’m so bored.

I would nap

Just reading back at your November posts -
If your manager has nothing for you to do then why are you bothered about looking like you're not working?
Either there IS work for you to do if you'd only ask for it, or there is nothing to do, in which case you can spend your time in the office doing whatever you like no matter with no issue on being 'caught.'

I find this so odd that there is literally nothing to do!! Surely a call to your boss to say you've finished everything and is there anything else he'd like you to do would be what you do next?

Surely there's some development work you can do, prepare for your next performance review etc. do you have other colleagues who need help?

I’m back in this situation and still bored. I kind of engineered a project for myself for the last few months but that’s come to an end. New project won’t start until the end of September. Each day this I’ve got my work done by 9:30 and I’m dreading the next two days because I won’t even have that work to do until Monday rolls round 🤯

I’m on top of my “development work” until the middle of October. We don’t have performance reviews.

My work is quite separate from everyone else’s. I did see something relevant I could have helped with today, and started to volunteer but she talked over me and I lost motivation.

Maybe Look for a job where you are busy, fulfilled and enthusiastic. I can’t imagine a boring job like yours.

How much do you get paid for doing what sounds like very little?

I do look for other jobs, but not sure about losing my freedom (presumably other jobs would want me to actually work all my hours?). Saying that, my last job ended up in a similar place. I left that job for this one looking for a bit of a fresh challenge. And initially it was; I enjoyed learning all the new stuff. But once I got it all organised and streamlined there just isn't much to do at some times of the year.

What is your job???

This is bizarre to me.

I would read all day…

Write a fictional business plan. One day it might become reality

My Dad says I should work for myself too. I've tried a bit in the past but I'm more of a technical specialist than a good all-rounder. Also, I like the safety of sick pay, holiday pay etc. and just working 9 - 5.

@DancingTurtle do you have to be physically present in the office? My work is a weird one as it's very reactive so sometimes I'm completely run off my feet and staying late to finish work and other times it's extremely quiet and I just need to be available if calls or emails come in. I feel like the manic times balance out the times I'm twiddling my thumbs but when it's quieter it's definitely easier to work from home so I can at least read my book or do some household jobs whilst being near my laptop.

It's not really ideal to be honest, I'd rather have a sensible amount of work to do all of the time so I could plod along happily rather than the boom and bust of my current job but I like the security and flexibility of where I work. I can imagine I'd lose all motivation if it was always really quiet. Have you found anything that helps pass the time?

@GameOfJones I probably need to be three days a week, but the culture is very much about presentism at my level. I have one colleague who pretty much spent Wednesday afternoon on his phone watching TikTok videos.
I ended up taking yesterday off as annual leave because I couldn't face another day.

This morning I have deep cleaned the kitchenette. I am on £34.5k a year which is above average for this part of the UK.

I should be busier from October when my next batch of work starts. Otherwise I've not found anything that helps pass the time quicker.

Once a term we have training days where everything is shut down and we use it for training and/or to catch up on work.

I absolutely hate it.
At least half the day is spent with nothing to do and I really struggle. I try and take AL on those days.

This would really affect my MH.
I think we as a species need to be mentally and physically stimulated.

I would absolutely do a course, write a book, create a business for your future career etc.