What do you do with your downtime at work?

[partyman66]

Man.. this sucks.

My company just blocked useage of Instant Messenger(AIM and AIM express) this week, and I don't know what to do with myself during my down-time at work.

The nature of my current task requires me to do about 5 or 10 minutes of work, then I have to wait for my computer to compile some code and then start up the processes that we are coding. I have a lot of downtime while this is going on, and there's really nothing productive I can do during this time.

Now that AIM is gone, I just end up bouncing back and forth between the 6mt boards and some other random forums that I'm a member of.

What do you guys/ladies do with your downtime at work when this type of situation arises?

We have a somewhat strict internet screening utility running, so I can't really use extreme sites like Ebaums world.... but we do have access to all the sports sites(ESPN) and news sites and probably most game sites.

I'm soo bored that I'd actually almost consider bringing in a set of dumbells to work and using those while I wait if it wouldn't make me look like a weirdo to anyone walking by.... but, alas... it would, so I won't.

[Jaylin]

I have a strict schedule to follow.

1. Come in and get everything on my desk covered.
2. CNN.com
3. Answer some customers questions.
4. Entensity.net (daily babe)
*smoke break*
5. CollegeHumor.com
6. 6mt.net
7. some more work.
8. Lunch
*smoke break*
9. Bookworm (popcap game)
10. alittle bit of work
11. 6mt.net
*smoke break*
12. CNN.com
13. some more work
14. leave and go to the gym

[Phelan]

Surf random sites
Play with different linux distros on my laptop
Play around with different software apps
Read trade rags and work related books
Go through quarantined emails and forward on the funnier ones to friends
Goof around with group policies to see how locked down I can make things while still letting people do their jobs
Work on different websites I maintain at work but aren't actually part of my job
Go to friend's offices and goof off/help them with stuff
Chat on AIM/MSN/IRC

Short of watching porn or doing things that are blatantly illegal, I can do pretty well whatever I want. My boss and supervisor know I goof off (I do it with them around even), but dont' care since I always get whatever I'm supposed to do done.

What I really hate is when I finish all my planned tasks for a week on Monday or Tuesday.

[beanie]

A normal day for me:
check work email
check personal email accounts
chat on aim and msn
read online journals
read various differnt forums
update company website
go to www.sfgate.com , www.pixelsurgeon.com , www.core77.com
check email
chat on aim and msn
enter new products into database and on website
process orders
phone, phone, phone, talk to more customer, phone
chat on aim and msn

if I have time:
work on personal website
update online journals
shop online
download music

[Vin Diesel]

I play this....

http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

[Lardoggy]

Originally Posted by Vin Diesel

I play this....

http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

Vin, that's a favorite of mine too; I once hit 28 in a row. Also, the Kittie Cannon which I found on this site.

[Kalmairn]

Downtime? What is that?

I've got so many projects that even in the downtime for one project, I've got something that can easily fill in the time. I typically just decide to go home - not that I couldn't do more work, but that I reach a point where it can wait until tomorrow.

Fun stuff.

[uhohNumber2brb]

Look for stuff to buy,
Look for cheapest place to buy it at,
Look for directions to the place,
Go buy it.
Just another excuse to drive the G

[Jaylin]

Originally Posted by uhohNumber2brb

Look for stuff to buy,
Look for cheapest place to buy it at,
Look for directions to the place,
Go buy it.
Just another excuse to drive the G

That sounds like my lunch hour. Even if I don't buy anything, I love driving the G to the store and just looking at stuff.

[GZire]

I'm usually getting screwed over by the boss in the "free" time.

[partyman66]

Screwing the boss is against company policy.

Didn't you get the memo?

[Jaylin]

Originally Posted by GZire

I'm usually getting screwed over by the boss in the "free" time.

Is he bending you over his desk or yours?

[dholly]

Originally Posted by Jaylin

I have a strict schedule to follow.

1. Come in and get everything on my desk covered.
2. CNN.com
3. Answer some customers questions.
4. Entensity.net (daily babe)
*smoke break*
5. CollegeHumor.com
6. 6mt.net
7. some more work.
8. Lunch
*smoke break*
9. Bookworm (popcap game)
10. alittle bit of work
11. 6mt.net
*smoke break*
12. CNN.com
13. some more work
14. leave and go to the gym

Foolish, foolish... didn't anybody tell you CNN was hazardous to your health?!

[Jaylin]

I'm addicted to CNN and MSNBC, I just love to know what's going on in the world.