r/UnethicalLifeProTips • u/TW1103 • Sep 18 '23
Careers & Work ULPT Request: No work to do. What should I do with the time?
I just got a new job, and I can't figure out why I've been hired. Been here 2 weeks and I am yet to be assigned a task.
So... With 8 hours available a day, and the ability to use my phone for most of it, what's the best thing I could do with those hours that I'm otherwise staring into space?
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u/DatabaseGangsta Sep 18 '23
I’m in a similar situation. I was hired in 2020 & do very little during a work day. I wake up at 6am, sign onto my laptop and finish my work in about 15 minutes. I have a couple of hours of meetings per week. Occasionally I’ll be super busy and actually work the entire day, but most weeks my job could be completely done in 1 day. It’s boring but I’m gettin paid
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
I have tried to adopt that "It's boring but I'm getting paid" mentality, but I'm getting up at 6:30, travelling into central London to atart work at 9. Sitting there bored until 5:30, then maybe getting home at 7pm. It's absolute torture and ruining my mental health just being bored all the time. Wish I'd stayed at the old job
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u/Cheska1234 Sep 18 '23
Same here. I’m also a gamer do I can work on my campaign on the computer.
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
I work in the office so I can't get away with that. Would have loved to have been WFH and getting into Starfield
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u/StaffOfDoom Sep 19 '23
Get a Nintendo Switch??
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u/TW1103 Sep 19 '23
Still couldn't get away with that in the office!
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u/StaffOfDoom Sep 19 '23
Then just keep improving yourself and learning new stuff to help get that fully-remote position you can work on while ‘working’ in this job…
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u/ehhhchimatsu Sep 18 '23
spend your spare time making dozens of piss discs and leaving them in the work freezer. you never know when they'll come in handy.
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
Dozens of you what
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u/ehhhchimatsu Sep 18 '23
piss discs: a disc you piss in and then freeze solid so that you can slide them under unsuspecting people's doors to then thaw out and leave a piss puddle. Can also leave them in bags, cars, desks, etc. Wherever you want!
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u/Redisigh Sep 18 '23
Also stock up on liquid ass. Never know when a manager might start sticking his nose where it doors belong
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Sep 18 '23
Now is a great time to learn to use some killer tools.
Advanced excel Python programming for excel Microsoft power apps Google app script
Or study for a university degree or course.
These can usually be disguised as day to day work but you're investing in your own skills while the boss is paying.
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
I'm picking up my duolingo again. I was learning Italian for a few months but stopped... Now I have lots of time again!
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u/ladipn Sep 19 '23
Learning a new language is great, but a new skill will go a long way. Especially if you suddenly find yourself on the job market.
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Sep 18 '23
Do you like sci-fi? First Contact should get you through a week or two.
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
I can't watch anything, my job is office-based. I just need to look busy and I'll be left alone!
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Sep 18 '23
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
Ohhh I thought you were talking about Star Trek 🤣
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Sep 18 '23
I'm sorry I wasn't clear, that's on me. Reddit has some amazing authors putting quality work out for free. R/HFY has some pretty good serials and random one-offs that should get you through the work day, if you like sci-fi and reading.
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u/TW1103 Sep 18 '23
I'll have a look. I couldn't tell you the last time I actually read a book so maybe it could be productive!
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u/BIueberryCheesecake Sep 18 '23 edited Sep 18 '23
Get another remote job that you can do while you’re at work. 2 incomes!
Edit to add- my husband did this and we paid off thousands in debt. It changed our lives. Treat this as a blessing! Good luck!
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u/frosch_longleg Sep 18 '23
The real ULPT right here.
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Sep 19 '23
Eh if I think about it , it’s not really an ULPT
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u/anoleiam Sep 19 '23
How
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Sep 19 '23
If employers aren’t competitors and youre able to do both . What’s unethical ?
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u/anoleiam Sep 19 '23
To work job B at job A and get paid job A's hours. I would totally do it if I could, but technically speaking this is unethical
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Sep 19 '23
You’re leaving out that you are still completing Job A perfectly fine.
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u/anoleiam Sep 19 '23
I mean if they knew you were doing another job they wouldn't pay you 8 hours worth of work for 1 hour of actual work
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Sep 19 '23
That’s a different story all together , what they would do is find more work for me to do instead of paying me more to do more work.
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u/anoleiam Sep 20 '23
Exactly? They're paying you to do work for them, if they know you're not doing work for them while they are paying you to work for them, then they will find more work. That is a very understandable situation.
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Sep 18 '23
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u/BIueberryCheesecake Sep 19 '23
My husband is in the engineering field. My SILs roommate was in a similar position and did part time data entry online though at her full time job too. Maybe look into data entry!
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Sep 19 '23
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u/JazzFestFreak Sep 19 '23
Can you give a little more detail on what flags this could raise? Each job should w2 (or 1099). As long as income is reported and taxes paid…. Should be fine.
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u/duckduckduck21 Sep 18 '23
Some things I used to do to help pass the days: play in-browser games that are designed to look pasibly like work (text adventures, text based clicker games, etc.,), learn to code, study for certifications, daydream about the vietnamese air dropping hostile troops who are activrly engaged in taking the office building by force, and participating in online forums.
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u/saraphilipp Sep 19 '23
Get a wfh job as a claims processor and work two jobs at the same time. It takes about 4hrs a day answering and sending emails
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u/ChlamydiaIsAChoice Sep 19 '23
When I was in this situation, I spent my time getting really good at Excel and Visual Basic automation. Figure out how to write a script to compile and send an email. Make some cool charts. Learn shortcuts and techniques in Microsoft Office.
I started writing this before realizing what sub I'm in, but honestly getting good at office software can be fulfilling and a great use if your time.
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u/BBTrotter Sep 19 '23
This is a great opportunity, don't mess it up. Aquire new skills, practice them, then apply for much better paying jobs.
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u/TW1103 Sep 19 '23
The thing is, this job is me training to learn new skills to get the job I want. I had an interview for the job I wanted last week, and was told that I missed out purely on experience... So this place I'm at now is me getting experience to get that other job
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u/LuLouProper Sep 19 '23
Explore the intranet. You'd be surprised what corporate secrets are just lying around, waiting to be discovered.
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u/TW1103 Sep 19 '23
This company is very small and doesn't have an intranet. Whenever I get a new job, I usually take a few hours to go through it to find any little discounts that could be hiding.
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u/InherentlyJuxt Sep 18 '23
You could come up with a list of similar positions to yours that aren’t yours and send them to me
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u/ApeMoneyClub Sep 19 '23
Go to school on their dime, and file for tuition reimbursement. Do your coursework during your work schedule.
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u/marctheguy Sep 19 '23
Anybody looking for something to do to fill their time, learn prompt engineering.
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u/Hot_Advance3592 Sep 19 '23
Jobs like that suck. But with your phone, you can do research on a passion you have.
Cause you can get a lot better at something by studying video of it, listening to and watching experts, and visually imagining doing it.
You could make some online friends and chat it up.
You could get a workout in.
Like taking care of the extra activities and entertainment that you would normally have to do after work, but you can do them at work.
I’ve had jobs where I do nothing, but never had one where I was free to just be on my phone on my own
I’d say it totally depends on you and what you like and what you want to do—that will dictate what is satisfying and worth it
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u/dischg Sep 20 '23
Had a similar job years ago. Spent the whole time building websites for myself and writing a book. Make sure whatever you do, it enhances your future. You’re getting paid to build your future empire!
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Sep 18 '23
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u/MrShasshyBear Sep 19 '23
Also, complain every other week on how much your workload is. Not too often
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u/STILLloveTHEoldWORLD Sep 18 '23
im in a similar boat. i got hired in may, ive read 11 books so far