How to Kill Time at Work
Text a friend., Keep your computer activities hidden., Entertain yourself online., Doodle., Find entertaining apps., Read a book., Invent games with a coworker., Learn origami.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Text a friend.
Have a conversation with an unemployed friend, or one with a similarly boring job.
Turn the volume on your phone off first, and be subtle.
Don't stare at your phone endlessly, or your time-wasting will be obvious. -
Step 2: Keep your computer activities hidden.
Turn your screen away from doors and windows if possible, and mute both the computer and the game.
Take some time to make your activities extra-hidden if someone does come in.
Hide your Start Bar or Dock.
Right-click (or command-click) this and turn Hiding on, so no one can see what you have open.
Learn the hotkeys for closing tabs, minimizing them, or switching to another program.
To switch programs, try altTab on Windows or cmdTab on a Mac.
Don't play games in full screen mode, as these may fail to minimize.
If you're extra nervous about getting caught, take a look at these software options for camouflaging your social media sites or anonymizing your internet activity. , Visit an online game site like Kongregate, an art gallery like DeviantArt, or search for more specialized sites.
It looks like you've found a site called LifeGuide Hub… perhaps the front page will have a few interesting links.
This one can be dangerous, especially if your computer screen is visible to coworkers or anyone who walks into the room.
Some companies even monitor their employees' internet usage.
For more "official" looking entertainment, measure your typing speed online and try to improve your Words Per Minute. , Grab a pencil or pen and make a simple drawing of anything that comes to mind.
If you have artistic talent, put time into a sketch as a present for a friend. , If you're tired of phone games, educate yourself with a trivia app, or compare different organizational apps.
Keep your phone muted and underneath your desk, or near a stack of papers or folder you can pull over the screen. , If your job has a lot of downtime, some employers will let you read to pass the time.
If you need to be discreet about, bring a small paperback you can stuff into a drawer or coat pocket.
Ebooks are another option, and there are many available for free online or in app stores. , If you have a friend in your workplace also trying to kill time, make it more interesting with a silly competition.
See who can throw paper into the trash can from furthest away, or who can slip more ridiculous words into conversations without anyone noticing.
Here are a few more ideas you can turn into a regular competition throughout the work week:
Attach a binder clip to someone's clothing without her noticing.
If you succeed, she has to pass the clip on to someone else.
Play "Photo Assassin:" randomly assign each person another player as a target.
When you take a photograph of your target's face, he loses the game and you take over the target he was assigned.
If your workplace has office chairs, compete to see who can complete the workday without touching the office floor. , If you have a lot of spare time, origami is a hobby that takes dozens of hours to master and doesn't require much space.
Start with a beginner origami book or online guide.
Stiff, square paper is best, but you can cut your own squares out of regular office paper if you want to make your creations less obvious. -
Step 3: Entertain yourself online.
-
Step 4: Doodle.
-
Step 5: Find entertaining apps.
-
Step 6: Read a book.
-
Step 7: Invent games with a coworker.
-
Step 8: Learn origami.
Detailed Guide
Have a conversation with an unemployed friend, or one with a similarly boring job.
Turn the volume on your phone off first, and be subtle.
Don't stare at your phone endlessly, or your time-wasting will be obvious.
Turn your screen away from doors and windows if possible, and mute both the computer and the game.
Take some time to make your activities extra-hidden if someone does come in.
Hide your Start Bar or Dock.
Right-click (or command-click) this and turn Hiding on, so no one can see what you have open.
Learn the hotkeys for closing tabs, minimizing them, or switching to another program.
To switch programs, try altTab on Windows or cmdTab on a Mac.
Don't play games in full screen mode, as these may fail to minimize.
If you're extra nervous about getting caught, take a look at these software options for camouflaging your social media sites or anonymizing your internet activity. , Visit an online game site like Kongregate, an art gallery like DeviantArt, or search for more specialized sites.
It looks like you've found a site called LifeGuide Hub… perhaps the front page will have a few interesting links.
This one can be dangerous, especially if your computer screen is visible to coworkers or anyone who walks into the room.
Some companies even monitor their employees' internet usage.
For more "official" looking entertainment, measure your typing speed online and try to improve your Words Per Minute. , Grab a pencil or pen and make a simple drawing of anything that comes to mind.
If you have artistic talent, put time into a sketch as a present for a friend. , If you're tired of phone games, educate yourself with a trivia app, or compare different organizational apps.
Keep your phone muted and underneath your desk, or near a stack of papers or folder you can pull over the screen. , If your job has a lot of downtime, some employers will let you read to pass the time.
If you need to be discreet about, bring a small paperback you can stuff into a drawer or coat pocket.
Ebooks are another option, and there are many available for free online or in app stores. , If you have a friend in your workplace also trying to kill time, make it more interesting with a silly competition.
See who can throw paper into the trash can from furthest away, or who can slip more ridiculous words into conversations without anyone noticing.
Here are a few more ideas you can turn into a regular competition throughout the work week:
Attach a binder clip to someone's clothing without her noticing.
If you succeed, she has to pass the clip on to someone else.
Play "Photo Assassin:" randomly assign each person another player as a target.
When you take a photograph of your target's face, he loses the game and you take over the target he was assigned.
If your workplace has office chairs, compete to see who can complete the workday without touching the office floor. , If you have a lot of spare time, origami is a hobby that takes dozens of hours to master and doesn't require much space.
Start with a beginner origami book or online guide.
Stiff, square paper is best, but you can cut your own squares out of regular office paper if you want to make your creations less obvious.
About the Author
Nicholas Richardson
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: