Post: #1

I am actively trying to stary my own business and/or products, improve my practical business skillset, and pursue a bunch of other personal goals. I have a government job that gives me a generous salary, plenty of vacation, and great benefits for a semi-recent grad like myself.

My office is severely overstaffed and STILL HIRING. I am encouraged to give my already pathetic workload to new hires so they can gain experience. I hate people who purposely cheat the system, but I have convinced myself that it is not my fault. The work I do submit is high quality and on time, I am proactive in resolving situations and helping others, and I get great reviews from management. There just isn't enough fucking work to go around. I would say I have 25+ hours of free time every week.

I want to be as productive as possible during this time so I can move towards acheiving my goals and generating other income. I'd be an idiot to quit. I have no chance of getting laid off or fired unless I get caught doing something really stupid.

Any suggestions for being productive at your marshmellow job (or related success stories)?

I'm considering just writing a book on the subject, which I could probably bang out in a month given my current circumstances.

Post: #2

Assuming you can rock out to headphones at work, load some Pimsleur courses and foreign language podcasts and pick up a new language.

You might be able to read pdfs of books on topics of your choosing on your work comp.

Research topics your interested in on the web. Use your smartphone for sites you wouldn't want traceable on your work comp (lifestyle design stuff, etc)

Post: #3

MIT has a bunch of the materials for their courses available online for free.

http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Post: #4

I had an office and would just close the door and do whatever work I needed to get done. I wouldn't use work computers to upload files to servers, but I did bring my personal laptop and would use the building's wifi (no security or user id, so it would be very difficult to track exactly who was doing it).

Also, I took LONG lunches. While folks noticed, no one cared as long as my work got done. Most of the time, those long lunches were to go bone this single mom I knew, but occasionally I just went home to get some work done.

Personally, If I were to do it again, I would get a netbook or the smallest Macbook Air along with a 3G or 4G hotspot device. Do all of your business work on your personal computer and upload it with your own 3G or 4G device.

Using the time to listen or view educational videos and podcasts is good too.

Post: #5

WTF dude, that's my taxes you are pissing away.

I don't care if you're a cool guy, a forum comrade, or whatever, theres few things I hate more than a govt employee who taxes advantage of his or her "sweet" salary and job security to dick around and NOT do his or her damn job.

Post: #6

(06-22-2012 10:09 PM)HiFlo Wrote:  WTF dude, that's my taxes you are pissing away.

I don't care if you're a cool guy, a forum comrade, or whatever, theres few things I hate more than a govt employee who taxes advantage of his or her "sweet" salary and job security to dick around and NOT do his or her damn job.

Welcome to reality.

Here is the deal. People will slack off on their jobs (in both the public AND private sectors) as much as you let them if there is no incentive not to. Busting your ass for a company (or in this case, the government) while everyone else slacks and gets the same compensation as you gets old REAL QUICK. Is it right? No. But it is still going to happen, and no amount of guilt tripping by a tax payer is going to change it.

If folks want higher levels of performance, all they have to do is make managers enforce that higher standard and work people harder. Of course, since the government tends to pay employees lower wages than similar jobs they could get in the private sector, many of those employees will simply go to the private sector where they still will have to deal with the hassle, but are better compensated. The end result will be that to retain skilled workers, the government will have to raise salaries.

Post: #7

(06-22-2012 10:09 PM)HiFlo Wrote:  WTF dude, that's my taxes you are pissing away.

I don't care if you're a cool guy, a forum comrade, or whatever, theres few things I hate more than a govt employee who taxes advantage of his or her "sweet" salary and job security to dick around and NOT do his or her damn job.

If there isn't enough work for him what should he do? Resign his position? Return his paycheck? Get real. It would be foolish to not act in a self-interested manner in this situation.

I've been in similar situations before and I mainly used the time to study a foreign language, line up dating prospects, and organize my finances. Take at least a long coffee break in addition to your lunch, use the break to find places nearby with hot baristas and put in your bid. Also, use the time to organize your music collection, clean out your inbox, and organize your financial records.

Like JoeHoya said definitely look into get a 3G/4G stick or tethering your mobile connection, you don't want to be leaving any evidence with IT.

I also listened to audiobooks and self-help seminars.

I had a brief thread about a helpful program for this if you have a nosy supervisor.

Post: #8

(06-22-2012 10:09 PM)HiFlo Wrote:  WTF dude, that's my taxes you are pissing away.

I don't care if you're a cool guy, a forum comrade, or whatever, theres few things I hate more than a govt employee who taxes advantage of his or her "sweet" salary and job security to dick around and NOT do his or her damn job.

Haha you would have hated a sweet gig that came my way a while back. It was only for 4 months, but out those four months I worked 8 days.

Another 4 consisted of me sitting in the woods grilling and doing 30 seconds of "work" every two hours.

The other 27 days of every month I did nothing. Didn't even have to show up at an office, just call my supervisor once a week to tell him I was still alive. About 70k a year government salary.

The only drawback was I couldn't leave the country.

Post: #9

(06-23-2012 07:35 AM)Blunt Wrote:  If there isn't enough work for him what should he do? Resign his position? Return his paycheck? Get real. It would be foolish to not act in a self-interested manner in this situation.

right.....like's there's really not enough work to be done. I bet that in every damn meeting in that office one of the core subjects is that there's not enough manpower to get everything done.

In every work situation - hell, in game - there's ALWAYS more work that can be done. All you need to do is show the slightest bit of initiative and motivation.

There's a real good reason people have lost respect in the government, especially the US government, and in large part its because our government employees like to brag about how they have so much free time on their job they can pursue their personal goals and gossip about it.

Don't get a government job if you have the attitude that you want to take advantage of pissing away my tax money. I work hard to earn what I earn and as long as paying taxes is a certainty, I will never ever sympathize with a government employee who brags about slacking.

Post: #10

HiFlo, what are you, some Good Samaritan? You must be joking with that comment about pissing away your taxes. The guy just said he completes his work and he needs to fill in his free time.

Post: #11

Today's corporate "office" model is the most inefficient, idiotic way to organize labor ever invented. It allows the owner to surveil the workers, but it's supremely wasteful of man-hours. The government's no exception. By adopting the corporate language, style, and methods, it subjected itself to the stupidity of the corporate world.

I did a lot of stuff when I've been on the corporate payroll that had nothing to do with work. In fact, I discovered the RVF on company time. I got my job done, but since I threatened the fat women who made up the entirety of middle management, they tended to avoid giving me the high-profile projects (especially toward the end), giving me even more time. I was "punished" for excelling by getting abundant free time. I was paid handsomely for working 20-25 hours a week (at times) and doing my own thing for the rest.

I think the key, irrespective of what your projects are going to be, is to cover your tracks, pretend to always be working, and don't mouth off about your side-projects to a single soul. Keep a low profile and just do your thing. Make phone calls about your projects on another floor in the building from your cell phone, situate your computer so no one can see the screen, and hide shit all the time. Have work-related programs and documents opened at all times. Learn the Windows keyboard shortcuts (Windows Key + M, Windows Key + L, and ALT+TAB are the most important). In fact, exaggerate superficial, outward signs of "professionalism" that convince the dumb corporate sheep: wear a shirt and tie; get to work five minutes early; and periodically "share your thoughts" with your superiors (in a non-threatening way that reveals your above-average intelligence).

Post: #12

(06-24-2012 02:03 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  Today's corporate "office" model is the most inefficient, idiotic way to organize labor ever invented. It allows the owner to surveil the workers, but it's supremely wasteful of man-hours. The government's no exception.

Exactly. With insane advances in technology, how can today's government workers possibly need the same amount of time to complete their tasks as they did thirty years ago? Work expectations should be based around completing tasks and producing outputs, not what you put on a time sheet. I am a strong proponent of teleworking because it makes everyone happy: it gives honest employees more incentive to get the work done that they are responsible for and get on with their lives. Unfortunately, there are alot of scumbags out there who ruin it for everyone. What else is new?

HiFlo - I am FAR from being the one calling the shots in my office, department, or agency. Like I said, I am fulfilling all of the requirements of my job description and then some. You are getting your money's worth. Why should I be punished for doing my work quickly and efficiently?

Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess this topic isn't as deep as I originally thought.

Post: #13

I have a similar job and do these type of things:

-go to school and do homework on the clock
-do others homework for money
-do bills and other personal finances
-read an ebook
-watch the stock market (its like a computer game to me) and make cash worthy decisions
-have fun with people, just shoot the shit
-do things to impress your boss like learn something new and interesting, I don't mean kiss ass but actually learn something about the business which is useful (I am learning about how to build the components we manufacture)

Otherwise, fuck it man you're getting paid to be lazy

Post: #14

(06-24-2012 05:47 PM)americanbk Wrote:  Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess this topic isn't as deep as I originally thought.

Here's a French book on the subject, if you want to take it to the next level and get all philosophical and shit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonjour_paresse