Screwing around (goofing off) at work

[LuvMyE92]

Come on, we all do it, heck, you're probably at work right now looking at this forum. Car forums, wristwatch forums, Youtube, tickytok, the website formerly known as Twitter, you name it, they are all huge time wasters that we do while at work.

So why then do I feel so guilty when I do it while working from home? Somehow it just seems... so much more wrong.

Don't get me started about napping on the couch.

[Oldgixxer]

I wouldn't say we all do it;some of us don't have the luxury of goofing off at work.
In my field,if I was running a job and caught you on your cell once you get a warning. Second time I catch ya,your lay off check is on it's way from the shop and,just like that,you're unemployed.

[JMcLellan]

It is an interesting question. I do feel more guilty when I'm not in a meeting, working on powerpoints slides, or whatever other crap tasks that consume my work day. Especially the voids of time between meetings where you take the dog for a walk, workout, run an errand, etc. However, pre Covid when I worked in the office 5 days a week there were chunks of time between meetings, times where my to do list was up to date. I used that time to shop online, go chat with some coworkers, walk around the building, etc. My productivity working from home isn't changed but I feel guiltier about it. It is odd. But if I forced myself to keep finding more work tasks to do, asked the boss for more things, inserted myself into additional projects, and so on I would hate it as I would get burned out.

[erickonphoenix]

I don't think anything is really goofing off. You're either learning, venting or thinking in the background about a job while your browsing a forum. Turning my brain off is actually pretty challenging.

There was a very high performing production manager we had that would actively play video games in between jobs. Nobody ever complained because the guy was a magician at getting print jobs prepped and trouble shooting issues.

On that note, several of the guys I jabber with on my discord channel own their own businesses. I reckon they're not off the clock at 3:30 CST.

[Tommy-G]

We literally run the bodyshop from our phones these days. Assigning jobs on an app, scheduling vendors for glass work, wheel repair, alignments etc. Texting customers from Google Voice. I dont know how in the world we did it before smart phones. It really has made a world of difference.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

Don't get me started about napping on the couch.

Lol on the couch? That's childsplay. I used to nap on my couch at work.

Now that I'm WFH my naps are on my bed. I even change into my sleeping clothes!

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

I wouldn't say we all do it;some of us don't have the luxury of goofing off at work.
In my field,if I was running a job and caught you on your cell once you get a warning. Second time I catch ya,your lay off check is on it's way from the shop and,just like that,you're unemployed.

Man that's sad. Admittedly I don't know the context of the job (it could be a life or death situation and not safe), but if I worked a normal 9-5 and couldn't be allowed to take a 5 minute like that to vent my head or take a breather.... I'd feel like a salve or something idk.

[Oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Man that's sad. Admittedly I don't know the context of the job (it could be a life or death situation and not safe), but if I worked a normal 9-5 and couldn't be allowed to take a 5 minute like that to vent my head or take a breather.... I'd feel like a salve or something idk.

You're correct it pretty much boils down to that. I spent 30yrs in the union construction trades as a plumber/pipe welder on high rise buildings in the NYC/NJ area,if you don't focus on whats around you,you get hurt,or worse hurt someone else or ultimately die. I've witnessed it. I saw someone get crushed when a crane was lowering a load of pipe and they were on their phone texting w earbuds and didn't see/hear everyone yelling GET OUT OF THE WAY!!. The list goes on. Cell phones are a huge safety concern. Also kills productivity.

The bosses aren't too happy when they're paying you a 6 figure salary and you're standing around yapping on your phone.

Do it at coffee break or at lunchtime or if it's imperative you need to surf the web,you head out to the porta-potty and do it in there so nobody sees lol.

Side note,I was permanently injured and had to retire early due to my 19yr old apprentice replying to a text from his girlfriend and he dropped a 21' length of carbon steel pipe on me.

[nazali]

I'm on here